World Wrestling Entertainment

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut
Trading name	WWE
Formerly called	Titan Sports, Inc. World Wrestling Federation, Inc. World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc.
Type	Public company
Traded as	: WWE NASDAQ: WWE
ISIN	US98156Q1085
Industry	Professional wrestling Sports entertainment Media and Technology Streaming media
Predecessor	Capitol Wrestling Corporation
Founded	February 21, 1980; 36 years ago (1980-02-21) South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, U.S.
Founders	Vince McMahon Linda McMahon
Headquarters	1241 East Main Street, 06902 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Vince McMahon (Chairman and CEO) Stephanie McMahon (Chief Brand Officer) Paul "Triple H" Levesque (Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative)
Products	Television Publishing Films Finance Music Merchandise Streaming network service Home video Live events
Services	Licensing
Revenue	US$658.8 million (2015)
Operating income	US$38.8 million (2015)
Profit	US$24.1 million (2015)
Total assets	US$409.1 million (2015)
Total equity	US$209.3 million (2015)
Owner	Vince McMahon (52%)
Number of employees	approximately 800 (2016)
Divisions	Divisions WWE Network WWE Libraries WWE Studios WWE Books WWE Music Group WWE NXT WWE Performance Center WWE Home Video WWE Shop
Subsidiaries	Subsidiaries Tapout (50%) TSI Realty Company Event Services, Inc. WWE Studios WWE Music Group WWE Properties International WWE Japan WWE Australia WWE International WWE Canada WWE Sports WCW, Inc. WWE Animation WWE Jet Services WWE Germany WWE Asia Pacific WWE Middle East and Africa WWE Libraries
Website	www.wwe.com

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (d/b/a WWE) is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company that deals primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, video games, product licensing, and direct product sales.

WWE also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself, founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. As of 2016, it is the largest wrestling promotion in the world, holding over 500 events a year (with the roster divided up into various globally traveling brands), and broadcasting to about 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries. The company's global headquarters is located in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in major cities across the world.

As in other professional wrestling promotions, WWE shows are not legitimate contests, but purely entertainment-based, featuring storyline-driven, scripted, and choreographed matches, though they often include moves that can put performers at risk of injury if not performed correctly. This was first publicly acknowledged by WWE's owner Vince McMahon in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions. Since the 1980s, WWE publicly has branded their product as sports entertainment, acknowledging the product's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater.

The company's majority owner is its chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon. Along with his wife Linda, children Shane and Stephanie, and son-in-law Paul "Triple H" Levesque, the McMahon family holds approximately 70% of WWE's equity and 96% of the voting power. As of August 2014, Eminence Capital, a New York-based hedge fund, acquired a 9.6% stake in WWE while the McMahon family retains 90.4% interest.