Another vision will be realized for promoter David McLane when WOW- Women Of Wrestling takes over the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The WOW Superheroes will perform under the iconic canopy for shows October 14 and 15 and October 21 and 22. McLane has always championed all-female presentations going all the way back almost 40 years with the trailblazing Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW).
In many ways, WOW picked up where the beloved brand left off and evolved to the syndicated series we see today. With the show recently starting its fourth season, McLane isn’t one to rest on past successes. He has a big goal in mind to take WOW to the next level.
“We’ve got to go live. We’ve got to get WOW live,” he said. “Any of you fans, we’ve got to rally for WOW Live. We have to go live versus taped programming and syndication only.”
For the go-getter businessman, eventually transitioning to a live format would maximize the audience and elicit engagement. He continued, “everything from social media to merchandise to marketing the Superheroes has been hampered in the fact it’s not live. We’ve got to go live. I was at another wrestling event, and when I flew in, I even went to a WNBA game in Vegas. I’m watching the fans interact with their phones in realtime. It’s just a great experience. It’s an engagement and family environment through your phone with technology. And to take part in that, we’ve got to get live.”
Conversations have been ongoing with one network that has interest in testing a live format, but McLane doesn’t just want any network. He recalled meeting with executive Jeanie Buss when he was doing World Roller Hockey League.
McLane added, “I remember when I was launching that with ESPN and their then president Steve Bornstein, and they said, ‘let’s test it by putting on one or two roller hockey events on.’ I came back and said we can’t do it unless we go all in because with one test you’re not going to learn anything. It can’t be one event. You have to see how it goes over time and be committed to it. So, we’re looking for that right partner right now.”
He is also a realist when it comes to taking WOW on the road. McLaine’s thought process is to go live first and then think about touring. “If we did it today, we’d be dead meat financially,” he explained. “The cost to put it up and take it city to city would be very difficult. We’d be dead meat, but that is an ultimate goal to take it out and be in different cities. The UFC has even struggled with that. They would love, I’m sure, financially to be in one location and do their UFC fights, but their president and CEO Dana White once mentioned, and I agree with him, that to grow the brand and touch the fans he is obligated to take it out into the marketplace and take it to different cities. We will need to do the same.”
McLane credits working with Buss as a great partner. Someone who has been WOW’s biggest cheerleader. The controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers saw the importance of launching an all-female training facility to build homegrown talent. Under the leadership of veteran Selina Majors, the promotion continues to bring in new faces that bring the right balance of athleticism and pizazz.
“By the way, the tag line for the WOW Superheroes was created by Jeanie,” McLane revealed. “When she came to the matches prior to Jeanie’s engagement I was calling them the WOW girls. She said, ‘no, they are like real-life action superheroes when they fly off the ropes and do this and that. I fell in love with comic books as a kid. And these are real life comic book people who come to life, bigger than life. They should be called Superheroes. That’s how they became Superheroes through Jeanie Buss’ innate genius marketing skillset.”
When it comes to WOW’s early beginnings in this current run, McLane remains grateful to have had AJ Lee. Someone who came in as an executive producer and commentator during the first season.
“She took a chance with us and came to WOW,” he said. “I think she is proud of the product. She’ll be on that special with Jeanie Buss. I wanted to get her in the ring with WOW, but the timing wasn’t right. She wanted to make sure her body was at a 10 in conditioning and in shape.
She was writing movies and doing comic books when we were able to get her engaged. Just coming off the comic books and going into the movies. It was so fun.
“I never knew AJ until she started working with us. Now it’s so fun to watch her and see her prospering and do so well in the ring. I sent her a note when she was going in on the first night of her debut. I said, ‘just soak it in and enjoy it.’ I’m sure she did because I could see from the expression on her face. She knows she is getting a blessing of enjoying this with her husband and having fun with it one more time.”
As for what’s to come on WOW, McLane looks forward to digging a little deeper into the backstories of the Superheroes. He also teased some fiery competition to come for WOW Trio Tag Team Champions Coach Campanelli, Kandi Krush, and Gloria Glitter.
“This is Santana Garrett’s run,” McLane continued. “I didn’t realize it until we interviewed her in Florida but she has been with every wrestling organization. All the wrestling organizations including WWE and won championships everywhere. She somewhat started her career on a major level with us, with WOW.
“Her dad Kenny G participated before his passing. He was able to come to WOW events and see his daughter. This is like full circle with her back in WOW. I know she would like to make a run for that WOW title. Tormenta is back from Mexico with the championship. Paola Mayfield who was a reality show in 90 Day Fiancé and Amazon’s The Goat. So it’s going to be a great season and a lot of great competition.”
For more information on how to catch WOW, visit https://www.wowe.com/.