Vince McMahon Makes List For Recent Accomplishments

By Marc Middleton

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has made Variety's third annual Variety500 list.

The list was just updated for 2019 and features the 500 most influential business leaders that are shaping the global $2.2 trillion media industry. The list reflects the accomplishments of its members over the past 12 months, and members were selected by the Variety editorial board after extensive research.

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Variety wrote the following on Vince:

"Last year, McMahon metaphorically circled the ring with the WWE, arms aloft in victory, after signing separate five-year deals with USA Network and Fox Sports to carry its 'Monday Night Raw' and 'SmackDown Live,' estimated to generate revenues rising from $311 million in 2019 to $462 million in 2021. And then the WWE itself was dropped to the mat a few times. When Q2 2019 earnings were released in July, its stock price had dropped 31% from a record high of about $99.43 in April, and average 'Raw' viewership was down 20% from the same quarter in 2018. Finally acknowledging the decline, this summer McMahon hired Paul Heyman ('Raw') and Eric Bischoff ('SmackDown') to run the shows, and hopes are high for a turnaround."

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It's interesting to note that the blurb on Vince does not acknowledge that Bischoff has already been released from that position.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon took to Twitter to congratulate her father on making the list.

She wrote, "There are so many trailblazers shaping the media industry today ? not only what we consume but how we consume it. Congratulations to all who made this year's #Variety500 list, including @vincemcmahon!"

You can see Stephanie's full tweet below, and you can click here to see the full Variety500 list.

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