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'''World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.''' ('''WWE''') is a publicly-traded company dealing with professional wrestling entertainment.  It also had failed venues in football (the [[XFL]]) and body building (the World Bodybuilding Federation).  WWE puts on live and telecast wrestling shows, produces [[video games]] and licenses various products.  The company was previously known was the WWF (World Wrestling Federation), and before 1979 the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), before changing its name in 2002.  It is the largest entertainment wrestling organization in the world.  Although WWE professes to conduct a sports competition, its events are scripted performances.

'''World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.''' ('''WWE''') is a publicly-traded company dealing with [[professional wrestling]] entertainment.  It also had failed venues in football (the [[XFL]]) and body building (the World Bodybuilding Federation).  WWE puts on live and telecast wrestling shows, produces [[video games]] and licenses various products.  The company was previously known was the WWF (World Wrestling Federation), and before 1979 the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), before changing its name in 2002.  It is the largest entertainment wrestling organization in the world.

[[Vince McMahon]] is the majority owner and Chairman of the company and his wife [[Linda McMahon]] held the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Together with their children, Executive Vice President of Global Media [[Shane McMahon]] and Senior Vice President of Creative Writing [[Stephanie McMahon]], the McMahons hold approximately 70% of WWE's economic interest and 96% of all voting power in the company.

 

[[Vince McMahon]] is the majority owner and Chairman of the company and his wife [[Linda McMahon]] held the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Together with their children, Executive Vice President of Global Media [[Shane McMahon]] and Senior Vice President of Creative Writing [[Stephanie McMahon Levesque]], the McMahons hold approximately 70% of WWE's economic interest and 96% of all voting power in the company.

   

   

The company's main headquarters is located at 1241 East Main Street in Stamford, [[Connecticut]].  There are also international offices in [[Los Angeles]], [[New York City]], [[London]], and [[Toronto]].

The company's main headquarters is located at 1241 East Main Street in Stamford, [[Connecticut]].  There are also international offices in [[Los Angeles]], [[New York City]], [[London]], and [[Toronto]].

In May 2002 the name of the company was changed from the WWF to WWE after it was ruled that the World Wildlife Fund owned the rights to the WWF label in the United Kingdom.<ref>http://contracts.corporate.findlaw.com/agreements/wwf/worldwildlife.1997.01.20.html</ref><ref>http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp</ref>

In May 2002 the name of the company was changed from the WWF to WWE after it was ruled that the World Wildlife Fund owned the rights to the WWF label in the United Kingdom.<ref>http://contracts.corporate.findlaw.com/agreements/wwf/worldwildlife.1997.01.20.html</ref><ref>http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2002/2002_05_06.jsp</ref>

Later in 2002, WWE acquired the assets of the defunct American Wrestling Association (specifically, its trademarks and video library) from AWA founder Verne Gagne. Another smaller defunct wrestling company, Extreme Championship Wrestling (which closed its doors in April 2001), had its assets, including its video library, purchased in the summer of 2003.

Later in 2002, WWE acquired the assets of the defunct American Wrestling Association (specifically, its trademarks and video library) from AWA founder Verne Gagne. Another smaller defunct wrestling company, Extreme Championship Wrestling (which closed its doors in April 2001, notable for its "hardcore" wrestling style which involved frequent use of outside objects and its lack of any "rules"), had its assets, including its video library, purchased in the summer of 2003.

Initially, WWE had planned to branch WCW into its own entity.  The original plan was for ''RAW'' to be the WCW show, while ''SmackDown'' would become the WWE show.  However, on July 2, 2001, at a show in Tacoma, the last 20 minutes of ''RAW'' were given to WCW.  A match between Booker T and Buff Bagwell for the WCW Championship was met with negative criticism from fans.  Attendees at the arena began chanting "This Match Sucks!" and "Boring!"  A week later, the Invasion storyline began when ECW was added.  In April 2002, about a month before the name change, WWE decided to create two separate rosters, one on ''RAW'', the other on ''SmackDown!'' due to the overabundance of talent left over from the ''Invasion'' storyline (which involved talent from the absorbed ECW and WCW rosters interacting in WWF storylines). This is known as the WWE ''Brand Extension''.  For the first few months of the Brand Extension, the WWE Undisputed Champion appear on both shows.  After SummerSlam 2002, Brock Lesnar who had won the Championship from the Rock, signed with SmackDown.  With that, the Undisputed WWE Championship once again became the WWE Championship.  A week later, Eric Bischoff introduced the Big Gold Belt that once represented the WCW Championship (also called the World Championship), as the World Heavyweight Championship for the RAW brand, and awarded it to Triple H.  Following the Brand Extension, a yearly ''Draft Lottery'' was instituted to exchange members of each roster and generally refresh the lineups.  

Initially, WWE had planned to branch WCW into its own entity.  The original plan was for ''RAW'' to be the WCW show, while ''SmackDown'' would become the WWE show.  However, on July 2, 2001, at a show in Tacoma, the last 20 minutes of ''RAW'' were given to WCW.  A match between Booker T and Buff Bagwell for the WCW Championship was met with negative criticism from fans.  Attendees at the arena began chanting "This Match Sucks!" and "Boring!"  A week later, the Invasion storyline began when ECW was added.  In April 2002, about a month before the name change, WWE decided to create two separate rosters, one on ''RAW'', the other on ''SmackDown!'' due to the overabundance of talent left over from the ''Invasion'' storyline (which involved talent from the absorbed ECW and WCW rosters interacting in WWF storylines). This is known as the WWE ''Brand Extension''.  For the first few months of the Brand Extension, the WWE Undisputed Champion appear on both shows.  After SummerSlam 2002, Brock Lesnar who had won the Championship from the Rock, signed with SmackDown.  With that, the Undisputed WWE Championship once again became the WWE Championship.  A week later, Eric Bischoff introduced the Big Gold Belt that once represented the WCW Championship (also called the World Championship), as the World Heavyweight Championship for the RAW brand, and awarded it to Triple H.  Following the Brand Extension, a yearly ''Draft Lottery'' was instituted to exchange members of each roster and generally refresh the lineups.