Beat
06-03-2008, 08:40 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080603/ap_on_en_tv/wwe_million_giveaway
WWE chairman promotes `Raw' with $1M giveaway
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Tue Jun 3, 2:25 AM ET
LOS ANGELES - Wrestling fans eager to get their hands on Vince McMahon's money will have to jump through a few hoops first.
The World Wrestling Entertainment chairman announced during last week's "Monday Night Raw" that he would give away $1 million of his own wealth to viewers, but he didn't specify when or how it would be distributed.
The cash will be given away as part of a lengthy promotional sweepstakes, McMahon and the WWE told The Associated Press.
For a chance to win $1 million each week for the foreseeable future, viewers must pre-register on WWE.com (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_en_tv/storytext/wwe_million_giveaway/27724318/SIG=10gtshm8a/*http://WWE.com) and then watch the beginning of "Raw" each week to receive a special code, which viewers must tell McMahon if he calls them during the live broadcast.
The code will change each week of the promotion and will not be revealed until the beginning of each episode.
"People can view this as my own version of an economic stimulus plan to benefit our viewers," McMahon told the AP.
While the USA Network series continues to be one of the most watched shows on cable TV, its ratings have recently declined. Last Monday's episode received the lowest ratings for a Memorial Day broadcast in five years, according to Nielsen Media Research.
McMahon said his goal with the giveaway, which begins June 9, is to reward loyal "Raw" fans and draw new and former viewers back to the show.
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USA is owned by General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.
There's a lot of ways to interpret cash giveaways to watch wrestling. Maybe they expect the money back in PPV sales? Wonder if Dana or Russo are planning similar cash grabs.
WWE chairman promotes `Raw' with $1M giveaway
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Tue Jun 3, 2:25 AM ET
LOS ANGELES - Wrestling fans eager to get their hands on Vince McMahon's money will have to jump through a few hoops first.
The World Wrestling Entertainment chairman announced during last week's "Monday Night Raw" that he would give away $1 million of his own wealth to viewers, but he didn't specify when or how it would be distributed.
The cash will be given away as part of a lengthy promotional sweepstakes, McMahon and the WWE told The Associated Press.
For a chance to win $1 million each week for the foreseeable future, viewers must pre-register on WWE.com (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_en_tv/storytext/wwe_million_giveaway/27724318/SIG=10gtshm8a/*http://WWE.com) and then watch the beginning of "Raw" each week to receive a special code, which viewers must tell McMahon if he calls them during the live broadcast.
The code will change each week of the promotion and will not be revealed until the beginning of each episode.
"People can view this as my own version of an economic stimulus plan to benefit our viewers," McMahon told the AP.
While the USA Network series continues to be one of the most watched shows on cable TV, its ratings have recently declined. Last Monday's episode received the lowest ratings for a Memorial Day broadcast in five years, according to Nielsen Media Research.
McMahon said his goal with the giveaway, which begins June 9, is to reward loyal "Raw" fans and draw new and former viewers back to the show.
___
USA is owned by General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal.
There's a lot of ways to interpret cash giveaways to watch wrestling. Maybe they expect the money back in PPV sales? Wonder if Dana or Russo are planning similar cash grabs.