August 11, 2003 Observer Newsletter: WWE revenue breakdown, Australia tour mishaps

New filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission give an even more detailed look at World Wrestling Entertainment business than the recent investors conference.

Among the notes are the importance to the overall revenue as well as profitability of the different revenue streams over the past year, as well as with the restructuring after stock buybacks from Viacom and General Electric (NBC).

The McMahon family currently owns 54,780,207 shares of stock, which represents 80% ownership. The other major stockholder is Gladwyne Partners, LLC, a financial group headed by Michael B. Solomon, which owns 2,582,773 shares, or 4%. The remaining 16% of the company is owned by the various trading stockholders.

The WWE annual stockholders meeting takes place on 9/19 in Stamford, CT at the Westin Hotel. Among the items on the agenda is management bonuses. According to information sent to stockholders, as far as base salary, Vince McMahon earned $1,085,000 (he also earned another $855,500 as a wrestler and will get $8,764,833 in stock dividends this coming year; the previous year those numbers were $1 million in salary and $929,965 as talent), and is listed to earn the same base salary this coming year.

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