Vince McMahon's $3.2 Billion Net Worth: Success, Scandals & Power Plays
Vince McMahon's $3.2 Billion Net Worth: Success, Scandals & Power Plays.
What Is Vince McMahon's Net Worth And Salary?
Vince McMahon is a well-known figure in American professional wrestling, serving as a promoter, commentator, film producer, and sometimes even stepping into the ring himself. His net worth is estimated at a whopping $3.2 billion, largely thanks to his role as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE. Before WWE was sold to Endeavor for $9.3 billion in April 2023, Vince was the biggest individual shareholder in the company. We'll dive into the specifics of his equity stake and its value a bit later. Following a sexual harassment scandal, he announced his retirement from WWE on July 22, 2022, but made a comeback in January 2023 as Executive Chairman.
Fast forward to September 2023, WWE and UFC merged to form a new public company called TKO. Vince holds a 16% stake in TKO, which translates to about 28.84 million shares. After the IPO, TKO's market cap hit $14.5 billion, making Vince's share worth around $2.32 billion, which contributes to his overall net worth mentioned earlier.
However, in January 2024, Vince stepped down from his position as executive chairman of TKO amid new sexual assault allegations.
The Sale Of WWE
On April 3, 2023, it came to light that WWE was fully acquired by the talent agency Endeavor for a whopping $9.3 billion. If it had been a cash-only deal, Vince would have pocketed a cool $3.5 billion before taxes from his 38% stake. However, the actual arrangement was an all-stock merger, leading to the creation of a new company called TKO. Vince McMahon now holds 34% of TKO and serves as the Executive Chairman on the board. To celebrate the successful IPO, he received a one-time bonus of $100 million.
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How Many Shares of WWE Did Vince McMahon Own?
When Vince sold WWE, he had 28.7 million shares in the company. His class B shares gave him control over 80% of WWE's voting rights and about 38% of all outstanding shares.
In April 2019, WWE's stock peaked at $96, making his shares worth a whopping $2.76 billion. However, within six months, the stock value dropped by around 50%. By February 2020, with WWE shares trading at $44, Vince's stake was valued at $1.2 billion before taxes.
In December 2017, Vince sold 3.34 million shares, raking in about $100 million to fund his plans to bring back the XFL football league. Then, in April 2019, he sold another 3.2 million shares at that peak price, netting him $272 million. Talk about perfect timing! Those shares would have been worth half as much just a few months later. He funneled the profits from both sales into his company, Alpha Entertainment, and he’s looking to invest around $500 million of his own cash into the revamped XFL.
How Many Shares of TKO Does Vince McMahon Own?
Vince currently holds 23.4 million shares of TKO, the company that owns the UFC and WWE. That makes up about 30% of all the shares out there. In March 2024, it came to light that he sold 5.4 million shares, raking in a cool $400 million before taxes.
Early Life
Vince McMahon was born on August 24, 1945, in Pinehurst, North Carolina. His dad, Vincent James McMahon, walked out on the family when Vince was just a baby, and they didn't reconnect until Vince turned 12. His mom, Victoria, took care of him and dealt with a series of stepfathers. Despite facing challenges with learning and dyslexia, McMahon graduated from Fishburne Military School in 1964. He then went on to East Carolina University, where he earned a business degree in 1968.
WWE
Vince is best known as the Chairman, CEO, and majority owner of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a company his father started. He kicked off his career in 1971, taking on the task of promoting a small wrestling event for his dad. Vince also took on the role of in-ring announcer for All-Star Wrestling and became the main play-by-play commentator. His efforts paid off, as he helped the company triple its TV syndication, leading to a bigger role for himself in the organization.
After his father's passing in 1984, Vince and his wife took the reins of the still-small company. He brought in Hulk Hogan to be the face of the brand and introduced the "Rock & Wrestling Connection," which mixed pop culture with wrestling storylines, expanding the audience significantly. This was just the beginning, as Wrestlemania and other innovative promotions followed. Vince transformed wrestling into a household name, turning the WWF into a distinct brand of sports entertainment. Nowadays, World Wrestling Entertainment, which was previously called the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), is a multi-billion dollar business.
Other Ventures
Vince McMahon has stepped into the ring a few times and has snagged both the WWF Championship and the ECW World Championship. He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! His kids, Shane and Stephanie McMahon, have played big roles in the company, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. His wife, Linda McMahon, was also a key player in WWE and later became the Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President Donald Trump in 2017.
In 2000, Vince kicked off a professional football league called the XFL. Then in February 2014, he was instrumental in launching the WWE Network streaming service. By 2017, he founded Alpha Entertainment, which operates separately from WWE.
Feuds
McMahon's rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin kicked off back in December 1997. It all started when McMahon went on air to talk about the attacks Austin supposedly launched against him and other commentators. Fast forward to the fall of 1998, and McMahon was back on the mic, saying he was "sick and tired" of Austin holding the WWF Championship and that he had a "master plan" to take the title away from him. Not long after, Austin made a dramatic entrance by driving a Zamboni into the WWF arena and going after McMahon, which led to his arrest.
In January 2007, Vince also ignited a very public feud with Donald Trump. After Trump threw down the gauntlet, saying he wanted to fight McMahon, they struck a deal to each choose a wrestler to compete for them. Unfortunately for McMahon, his wrestler ended up losing the match.
Personal Life and Real Estate
Vince and Linda McMahon tied the knot on August 26, 1966, in North Carolina after meeting as teenagers at church. They have two kids, Shane and Stephanie, who have both played roles in the family business, along with six grandkids. The McMahon family resides in Greenwich, Connecticut, just about a 30-minute drive from WWE's headquarters in Stamford. Their mansion in Greenwich is said to be worth around $40 million. Vince also owned a $12 million penthouse in Manhattan and a sports yacht called "Sexy Bitch." In 2022, he put his Stamford penthouse on the market for $4.1 million.
In a wild twist, McMahon once staged his own death. On June 11, 2007, WWE aired a segment where Vince got into a limousine that exploded moments later. The show went off the air, only to return with the news that McMahon was presumed dead. However, on June 25, 2007, he revealed he was very much alive and that it was all part of a storyline to gauge public opinion about him.
Vince has been a big supporter of the Republican Party, contributing to various causes, including a $5 million donation to the Donald J. Trump Foundation. The McMahons also gave $8 million in grants to institutions like Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University.
In 1992, McMahon faced accusations of sexual assault related to a 1986 incident with Rita Chatterton, a former WWF referee. He was also accused of sexual harassment in 2006 by a bar employee in Boca Raton, Florida, but no formal charges were ever filed in either situation.
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Vince McMahon's legacy as a visionary in professional wrestling and entertainment is unparalleled. From transforming WWE into a global phenomenon to spearheading innovative ventures like the XFL and WWE Network, his impact on the industry is immense. Despite facing challenges and controversies, Vince's ability to adapt and evolve has cemented his status as a trailblazer.
His influence extends beyond wrestling, with significant contributions to philanthropy and business. As the founder of WWE and a key figure in TKO, McMahon’s story continues to inspire millions, proving that determination and bold leadership can turn dreams into a multi-billion-dollar reality.