Press Release - WrestleMania® XXIV Crushes Records, Careers - 30th March 2008
ORLANDO, Fla., March 30, 2008 – Champions were crowned, the legendary Ric Flair was forced to retire, boxer Floyd Mayweather prevailed, and Undertaker extended his undefeated streak as World Wrestling Entertainment® set both attendance and ticket sale records at WrestleMania XXIV tonight at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
WWE® grossed more than $5.85 million in ticket sales, making it the highest grossing live event in WWE history and in the history of the Citrus Bowl.
WWE set an attendance record for the Citrus Bowl with 74,635 fans from all 50 states, five Canadian provinces and 21 countries invading Orlando, pumping up to $30 million into the local economy. The WWE’s annual pay-per-view, pop culture extravaganza is televised to more than 100 countries.
In the match billed as a showdown between the greatest fighter in the world and one of the largest athletes on Earth, undefeated WBC Welterweight Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather barely survived against 7-foot, 441-lb. Big Show, eventually knocking him out with brass knuckles. Flair, a 16-time World Champion and 2008 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee, lost to another legendary star, Shawn Michaels, in an emotion-filled match, forcing him into retirement as one of the greatest pro wrestling stars of all-time. Undertaker defeated Edge® to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, extending his undefeated streak at WrestleMania to16-0. Randy Orton® retained the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat match against Triple H® and John Cena®. Kane became the new ECW Champion, crushing Chavo Guerrero.
Always a star-studded event, WrestleMania XXIV featured several celebrity participants in addition to Mayweather. John Legend performed “America The Beautiful” to open the event, Snoop Dogg served as Master of Ceremonies for the BunnyMania Lumberjack Match, Kim Kardashian was a special guest hostess, and Raven-Symoné played host to 50 Make-A-Wish kids being honored by WWE in its largest wish granting event ever.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide
Media Contact: Gary Davis, 203-353-5066
Investor Contact: Michael Weitz, 203-352-8642
Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ECW is a trademark of WWE Libraries, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
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