The document discusses organizational communication within the sports entertainment company World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It describes how WWE expanded from regional territories into a global business under founder Vince McMahon. WWE had to adapt its communication to address globalization issues, terrorism precautions, and changing audience demographics over time. The company transitioned from targeting young adult males to becoming more family friendly. Organizational communication has allowed WWE to navigate these challenges and remain a successful sports entertainment organization.

1. In the Industry:
A Closer Look at Communication in the
Sports Entertainment World
By: Dylan Kirn
Organizational Communication
Madison
September 15, 2016

2. Introduction
● In any industry organizational communication
is key it is what gets things done.
● Organizational communication in the sports
entertainment business is especially
important.
● Another key thing to understand about sports
entertainment is that it is historically a
secretive business.
● For years, fans were kept in the dark about
what the “players” were doing, but now most
people understand that these “players” are
Wrestlers in the 1940s

3. Introduction cont.
● The industry of sports
entertainment, mainly focuses on
professional wrestling.
● Throughout this presentation you
will read about how specifically, the
World Wrestling Entertainment
company handles organizational
communication.
● We will dive into their ability to
adapt to globalization, terrorism,
and changing demographics.
Retired Professional Wrestler
Bruno Sammartino

4. World Wrestling Entertainment
● World Wrestling Entertainment was
founded in 1980 by Vincent J. McMahon.
● Professional wrestling at this time had
already existed for almost 100 years by
this time, but in 1980 Vincent J.
McMahon was ready to establish his own
company.
● As the company expanded it took on
more and more wrestlers and was able
to travel all over the United States of
America.
● Previously there were smaller wrestling
companies that held regional territories

5. World Wrestling Entertainment cont.
● In expanding a company the first
thing that must be accomplished
is to organize a company.
● To accomplish the well oiled
machine that is the WWE,
McMahon enlisted the help of
interested wrestlers and industry
pros.
● This helped the transition and
kept the communication flowing
through the entire industry.

6. About the Territories
● The territories historically were the only way to find professional wrestling.
● World Wrestling Entertainment is significant because now nationally you could
tune into wrestling on television.
● Previously, only certain areas of the United States could watch certain
wrestling territories. On the next slide a map illustrates the vast amount of
territories in the United States.
● Expanding to the entire United States was a huge step that was bound to
cause issues in organizational communication, a lot of territories were
consumed by World Wrestling Entertainment in an effort to keep up.

7. Map of Professional Wrestling Territories

8. Globalization
● Globalization is the idea that technology
connects the world and helps companies grow
to become international organizations.
● Initially, World Wrestling Entertainment took
the United States by storm and in order to
make more money they expanded through the
whole world.
● This provided sports entertainment to people
all over the world in an exciting new format
that some countries had not experienced
before.
● Once you go global a world of problems is
always certain to follow.

9. Globalization cont.
● The expansion of professional wrestling to places like Bhutan was a culture
shock.
● Around 2004 Bhutan had opened it’s doors to globalization and World
Wrestling Entertainment rushed right in.
● This allowed children to see fighting like they had never seen it before and the
people of Bhutan were not comfortable once the children started becoming
violent in school.
● The people of Bhutan are Buddhist and they look down on violence do to their
culture. (A. Freeman, Kimberly, and Katherine C. Jackson.)

10. Globalization cont.
● The other side of globalization is
how social media has played a
part in situations of wrestlers
communicating to fans.
● With wrestlers being in business
for themselves, everyday they
must sell themselves to the
general public.
● The internet helps them express
themselves to their fans, it also
allows fans to figure out more
about them then they ever would
Retired Professional Wrestler
Hulk Hogan

11. Globalization cont.
● Rebecca J. Stiener, author of “WRESTLING WITH CRISIS COMMUNICATION:
WWE’S SCANDALS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES IN 2015” explains
that World Wrestling Entertainment has some stuff to learn about public
relations when their wrestlers do something that is bad for the business.
● The most publicized example of this is from 2015 when one of the most
internationally recognized professional wrestlers went on a racist rant.
● This man’s name was Terry Bollea, more commonly known as Hulk Hogan.
● This unlocked a world of problems for the WWE, and they had to do
something. Vincent McMahon
Majority Owner of
WWE

12. Globalization and Hulk Hogan
● This was not the first scandal Hulk Hogan was
involved in, but it was the most damaging to his
career.
● From steroids in the 1990s to his son’s drunk
driving habits, nothing could damage his career.
(Steiner)
● Once more information got out about an alleged
sex tape, and a video was distributed to the
masses a lot of racial slurs were discovered this
created an international mess.
● With the world being so small when someone
larger than life does something foolish they can
Retired Professional Wrestler
Hulk Hogan

13. Terrorism
What is the first thing you walk into when you go
to a major sporting event these days?
Baggage check and a metal detector, right?
World Wrestling Entertainment is no different and
in possibly more strict than other events.
This is a sport that encourages violence and in
order not to insight any more violence security
is at an all time high.
This is because of terrorism all over the world and
in the United States.

14. Terrorism cont.
After the infamous attacks of terror on September 11, 2001 there have been
procedures in place everywhere we go to limit the chances of anything like this
happening ever again.
To communicate with their audience that they have taken notice of the attacks on
September 11, 2001 World Wrestling Entertainment has a memorial moment of
silence during episodes that air on the anniversary of that day.
Another popular thing that the WWE does that is associated with terrorism is
have events where wrestlers go and hang out with troops.

15. Terrorism cont.
Around 2001 to more recently there have
been wrestling events that go on at
important bases.
This is no different than what Bob Hope used
to do to entertain the troops in previous
wars.
This shows a company's support for the
United States of America, and provides a
way of communicating that the WWE does
not support terrorism.

16. Changing Demographics
When World Wrestling Entertainment started the target
demographic for the company was the white male age
18 to 49.
Most of the population of the United States fit this range
and the more they could appeal to them the more
money they would make.
During the 1990’s when professional wrestling was at the
top of it’s game and nothing was going to stop it, they
did everything they could to bring more men into the
sport.
They were having incredibly violent matches with that
Retired Professional
Wrestler Steve Austin

17. Changing Demographics cont.
As television became more regulated, and we move into the early 2000’s people
were growing up and this childish behavior was disturbing.
Adults were no longer letting their children watch and the 18 to 49 year old male
was having children they did not feel comfortable showing this too.
Around 2008 World Wrestling Entertainment became a family company.
No longer would wrestlers be pouring beer on their face and swearing at the
crowd, now they would be raising awareness for things like children with
cancer.

18. Changing Demographics cont.
As World Wrestling Entertainment became a
family company, new things could
happen like the first openly homosexual
African American wrestler. (Steiner)
Darren Young, although no a champion, is a
beloved wrestler by many and given
that people from all walks of life watch
professional wrestling these days we
are able to have someone who shows it
is okay to be who you are.
20 years ago on the WWE, this would not
go well and fans would be much less
acceptant of Young.
Profession Wrestler
Darren Young

19. Changing Demographics cont.
With the influx of family friendly programming provided by the
WWE, we lose some of the older generation.
Wrestling has become associated with a child’s sport because
that is who some of the wrestlers are appealing to these
days.
The company made the switch to appeal to children to
revitalize the brand on a market that was developing.
Their initial target demographic has moved so far away from
the WWE they needed to pick up new fans. They have
done this successfully and fans “raised” by this new WWE
will keep coming back.
Professional Wrestler John
Cena posing with new
generation of fan.

20. Conclusion
Over the course of this presentation globalization, terrorism, and changing
demographics were highlighted in World Wrestling Entertainment.
One can now assess that the company has expanded globally, raised awareness
and taken necessary precaution over terrorism, and adapted to the changing
demographics that all companies must move forward with to survive in the
United States of America.
These three elements are necessary for a business to survive in our ever
expanding world.

21. Conclusion cont.
Organizational communication allows a company to live
or die.
If they can handle the responsibility of communicating
their product to a global market they will live. If they
fail and the message is not “translated” effectively
they will be thrown by the wayside.
All organizations, especially ones that are catered to the
masses and have to keep the public relations close
must do something to show they are aware of
terrorism in this world.
Adapting to changing demographics effectively and
Vincent McMahon
Majority Owner of WWE

22. References
● A. Freeman, Kimberly, and Katherine C. Jackson. “In Pursuit of Happiness,
Bhutan Opens to Globalization and Business.” International Journal of
Business and Social Research 2.5 (2012): 139–140. Print.
● Steiner, Rebecca. “Wrestling with Crisis Communication: WWE’s Scandals and
Public Relations Strategies in 2015.” ProQuest (2016): 1–82. PDF.
● WWE. The epic history of WWE. www.wwe.com, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Sept.
2016.