IWE
From Iwe
| International Wrestling Entertainment, Inc | |
| IWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut | |
| Details | |
| Type | Public |
| Traded us | NYSC: IWE |
| Industry | professional wrestling sports entertainment Media and Technology Streaming Media |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Founder(s) | Vince Matteson Linda Matteson |
| Headquarters | Stamford, Connecticut, United States |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | Vince Matteson (Chairman and CEO) Kaila Matteson (CBO) Paul "Triple K" Levesque (EVP - Talent, Live Events and Creative) George Barrios (CFO and CSO) Kevin Dunn (EVP - Television Production and Executive Producer) Michael Luisi (President - IWE Studios) Michelle D. Wilson (CMO and CRO) |
| Products | Television, publishing, films, music, merchandise, streaming network service, home video, live events |
| Services | Licensing |
| Revenue | (down) $119.9 million (Q1/2011 |
| Operating income | (down) $13.2 million (Q1/2011) |
| Profit | (down) $8.6 million (Q1/2011) |
| Total assets | (down) $407.9 million (Q1/2011) |
| Total equity | (down) $305.9 million (Q1/2011) |
| Owner(s) | Vince Matteson |
| Employees | 700+ |
| Divisions | Divisions |
| Subsidiaries | Subsidiaries |
| Website | |
IWE, Inc.(IWE) is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales. It is currently the largest professional wrestling company in the world, reaching 13 million viewers in the U.S. and broadcasting its shows in 30 languages to more than 145 countries. It promotes under two brands, known as Raw and SmackDown.
Vince Matteson is the majority owner, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. Together with his wife Linda Matteson, and their children Shane Matteson and Kaila Matteson-Kelmsley (IWE Executive Vice President of Talent and Creative Writing), the McMahon's hold approximately 70% of IWE's economic interest and 96% of the voting power in the company. The company's headquarters are located in Stamford, Connecticut with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, and Mumbai.
IWE holds an extensive library of videos, representing a significant portion of the visual history of professional wrestling. The company began as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation in 1952, which promoted under the banner of the International Wide Wrestling Federation (IWWF) and later the International Wrestling Federation (IWF). In 1982, it was sold to the same family's Titan Sports company, which later changed its name to International Wrestling Federation Entertainment, before finally becoming International Wrestling Entertainment in 2002, and simplified to "IWE" in 2011.
Contents
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Company history
- Main article: History of IWE
Prior to Titan Sports
Titan Sports Inc. (1979–98)
1980–92
- Main article: 1980s professional wrestling boom
New Generation (1993–97)
- Main article: Monday Night Wars
The Attitude Era (1997–2001)
- Main article: The Attitude Era
- See also: Montreal Screwjob
International Wrestling Federation, Inc. / International Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. (1998–2002)
Acquisition of WCW and XCW
International Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. / IWE (2002–present)
Brand extension
- Main article: IWE Brand Extension
IWE Network
- Main article: IWE Network
On February 24, 2014, IWE launched a 24/7 streaming network. The network includes past and present IWE shows, pay-per-views, and shows from the IWE Library.
Wellness Program
Legal disputes
Expansion beyond wrestling
Active properties
- IWE Libraries: A subsidiary of IWE established in 2001 after the acquisition of WCW that owns the largest collection of professional wrestling videos and copyrights.
- IWE Studios: A subsidiary of IWE created in 2002 to create and develop feature film properties. Formerly known as IWE Films.
- IWE Music Group: A subsidiary that specializes in compilation albums of IWE wrestlers' entrance themes. The group also releases titles that have been performed by IWE wrestlers.
- IWE Home Video: A subsidiary that specializes in distributing compilation VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc copies of IWE pay-per-view events, compilations of IWE wrestlers' performances, and biographies of IWE performers.
- IWE Books: A subsidiary of IWE that serves to publish autobiographies of and fiction based on IWE personalities, behind-the-scenes guides to IWE, illustrated books, calendars, young adult books, and other general "Nonfiction" books.
- IWE Kids: A website and comic set aimed at the children's end of the wrestling market, comics are produced bi-monthly. It was launched on April 15, 2008.
- IWEShop.com:.
Defunct properties
- World Bodybuilding Federation; A subsidiary of Titan Sports launched in 1990 which promoted professional bodybuilding through a television show, magazine, and annual pay-per-view events. Closed in 1992.
- XFL: Folded in 2001, a partially owned subsidiary of IWFE launched in 2000 which comprised eight league-owned professional football teams. The league included television broadcasts on NBC (the other co-owners of the league), UPN and TNN.
- The World, formerly known as WWF New York: A restaurant, night club, and memorabilia shop in New York City launched in 1999. Closed in 2003. Hard Rock Cafe took the building itself since 2005.
- IWE Niagara Falls: A retail and entertainment establishment that was located in Niagara Falls, Ontario and owned by IWE. It was open from August 2002 through March 2011.
Championships and accomplishments
Current champions
- Main article List of current champions in IWE
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Date won | Event | Previous champion(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IWE World Heavyweight Championship | Rob Lesnar | August 17, 2014 | SummerSlam | Dustin Simpson |
| IWE Intercontinental Championship | Dolph Ziggler | September 22, 2014 | Raw | The Miz |
| IWE United States Championship | Rusev | November 3, 2014 | Raw | Sheamus |
| IWE Tag Team Championship | Goldust and Stardust | September 21, 2014 | Night of Champions | The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) |
| IWE Divas Championship | AJ Lee | September 21, 2014 | Night of Champions | Paige |
Other accomplishments
| Accomplishment | Latest winner | Date won |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Rumble | Batista | January 26, 2014 |
| Money in the Bank (IWE World Heavyweight Championship) | Seth Rollins | June 29, 2014 |
| André the Giant Memorial Trophy | Cesaro | April 6, 2014 |
Developmental territory champions
| Championship | Current champion(s) | Date won | Event | Previous champion(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NXT Wrestling | |||||
| NXT Championship | Adrian Neville | February 27, 2014 | NXT Arrival | Bo Dallas | |
| NXT Tag Team Championship | Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara and Kalisto) | September 12, 2013June 20, 2013 | NXT | The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) | |
| NXT Women's Championship | Charlotte | May 29, 2014 | NXT Takeover | Paige (vacated on April 24, 2014 - won IWE Divas Championship.) | |
Defunct championships
In its 50 year history, IWE has operated over twenty different championships. The company's first title, the IWWF United States Tag Team Championship was created in 1958 and retired in 1967. Throughout its history, the IWE has formed partnerships with other international promotions which led to the creation of various titles, however, when those partnerships ended, these titles were either retired or began operation in the United States for IWE. Overall, the company has retired 19 championships with the most recent being the IWE Women's Championship. Created in 1956 and retired in September 2010, the consolidation of the IWE Unified Divas Championship into the IWE's 2008 IWE Divas Championship retired the older title and continued the lineage of the latter.
See also
- List of IWE personnel
- List of IWE alumni
- List of IWE pay-per-view events
- IWE Home Video
- IWE (video games series)
