Wrestling in the United States has long been considered part of national pop culture. Stage fights of charismatic characters, unexpected plot twists, scandals, public quarrels of athletes - all this causes great interest in a certain part of the public. The real puppeteer of this grand theatrical performance is the legendary Vince McMan, CEO of WWE, the leading promoter of professional wrestling.
Childhood
The future ruler of the sports empire was born in the distant 1945. Vince was raised by his mother and stepfather. The latter mercilessly beat his spouse, and when the boy tried to intercede for her, he too.
The real father, Vince McMan Sr., left the family when his son was very tiny. Together with other things, he took with him and his elder brother Vince - Rod. For the first time, McMan Jr. saw his biological father when he was twelve years old.
Studying was not easy for Vince, as he was subject to a peculiar disease - dyslexia. A student suffering from this ailment is simply not able to perceive into a single coherent whole and is able to read only single simple words.
However, the stubborn teenager tried to overcome an unpleasant disease and soon recovered from it. He received his education at the Fischburn Military School, which he graduated in 1964.
Carier start
Vince McMan chose this exotic profession as a wrestling promoter for a reason. His grandfather Jess was still engaged in this craft and continued by his father, MacMan Sr. Vince immediately became interested in an unusual sight and always accompanied his father on his campaigns for wrestling matches at Madison Square Garden.
However, he was not enthusiastic about his son's hobbies and dissuaded him from a career as a wrestler and promoter.
Vince McMan graduated from Carolina University in 1968 and worked as a sales agent for several years. However, the boring work of the traveling salesman did not inspire the ambitious guy, and he decided by all means to get closer to senior positions in WWWF, one of the largest wrestling organizations of the time.
Vince McMan began by becoming an entertainer announcing matches at the WWWF All-Star Wrestling. He spent two years in this capacity until fate gave him the opportunity to work independently.
Jobs at WWWF
In 1971, Vince McMan was appointed head of a small regional organization in Maine. He successfully worked as a promoter, after which he became a commentator on the wrestler show, replacing Ray Morgan in this post.
A native of Carolina, he worked for two decades in a wrestling voice, becoming a kind of symbol and mascot of WWWF.
At the same time, Vince McMan was not content with the role of only a creative worker, actively introducing himself into the organization’s leadership. In the late seventies, he takes all the reins in his hands, and soon, together with his wife Linda, creates his own company - Titan Sports.
After that, Vince McMan decided to concentrate disparate parts of the family business under the guidance of one person, that is, himself. To this end, in 1982, he buys his promotion company CWC from his father. Vince McMan Sr. did not live long after that and died in 1984.
The era of the new WWF / WWE corporation and the transformation of wrestling in honor of American popular culture began in the 80s.
Hulk Hogan and others
Vince McMan seriously changed the rules of the game, adopted in the American wrestling. Prior to this, autonomous regional organizations operated in the country that did not interfere in each other's affairs and worked exclusively on their territory. However, Vince McMan began to pursue an active offensive policy, spreading WWE influence beyond the northeast coast. Employees of other wrestling promotions such as AWA were invited to the company.
One of the most notable steps in promoting the organization’s brand was the invitation of the charismatic Hulk Hogan as WWE megastar.
One of the symbols of the eighties, he drew attention to the wrestling of even those people who did not know anything about him.
Vince McMan was the face of his show in those years, acting as a presenter and commentator. He introduced the stars of the entertainment industry into his ideas, thereby creating a unique phenomenon of modern television. In 1985, the first Wrestle Mania was held, which took place in Madison Square Garden and was broadcast via cable channels in this territory of the United States. The third series of Wrestle Mania has gathered nearly a hundred thousand fans in the Pontiac Silverdome arena.
Mr. McMan vs. Ted Turner
The nineties passed under the banner of the fight with the main competitor of WWE - World Championship Wrestling, which was led by Ted Turner. The burnt showman and businessman Vince McMan subtly grasped the new trends of the time and shifted the accents of his television shows to a more rigid and cynical spectacle. This concept, designed for an adult audience, is called WWF Attitude.
The lord of the empire himself, who had previously acted as a neutral commentator, introduced a new negative character to the show - himself. "Mr. McMan" has become one of the main antiheroes. The plot was opposed by a positive handsome guy - Steve "Ice Block" Austin. Wrestler fights, Vince McMan's sinister anthem, intricate intrigues - all this became part of America’s popular culture in the nineties. Broadcasts of WWE events have consistently led cable channel ratings.
In 2001, the epic confrontation between Ted Turner and Vince McMan ended. The WCW leader admitted defeat and declared the organization bankrupt. The remains of a competitor were immediately bought by Vince, who became the sole ruler of the wrestling empire.
