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WWE News
WWE News: Vince McMahon wants Raw around the world; announces Iraq tour this Christmas Nov 2, 2008 - 8:34:43 AM
WWE chairman Vince McMahon says WWE is the second largest traveling show in the world, second to the circus, and he envisions taking Raw live around the world internationally. WWE has already taken live Raws to the U.K. and Japan, but he envisions something larger.
"We're on the road every week of the year. It's a live show," McMahon told zap2it.com prior to tomorrow's 800 episodes milestone celebration. "Can you imagine doing a two-hour live show every Monday, somewhere around the world? The only one that's delayed is the one we do out of Iraq."
McMahon announced WWE will be touring Baghdad, Iraq this year for the "Tribute to the Troops" special they put on each Christmas. NBC will be carrying the show, but a date is yet to be determined.
"The feedback you get is enormous. They so much appreciate any slice of Americana. It's really all about the troops. It's not about us," he said. "The matches and so forth are okay, but it's really about messaging and communication."
McMahon also had a traditional parting shot for the mainstream media, which he says doesn't cover the WWE product with respect.
Said McMahon: "We went direct to our consumer years ago, bypassing the media, because we had this connection straight to our consumer. But now, it's time to really tell our story, and this is an opportunity to do that."
Caldwell's Analysis: McMahon's character is to look for the next big conquest in the world of entertainment and wrestling. Taking Raw live (or relatively live) around the world on a weekly basis would be an enormous undertaking, but it's a subtle hint at the potential for more international brands where WWE could rotate live Raws from seven or eight different locations once every two months. One week might be a showcase of Raw from India, the next week from China, etc. McMahon's a big thinker, so it will be interesting to hear WWE's commentary on international expansion this Tuesday when they report earnings.
RELATED STORY at PWTorch.com:Vince McMahon Hall of Fame induction.
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