8 Desperately Weird Vince McMahon Promotional Tactics
3. Donald Trump Owns Raw
In 2009, wrestling fans knew Donald Trump's wrestling career mainly for hosting, and unenthusiastically showing up in the front row, of WrestleMania IV and V, and for taking the worst Stunner of all time. It would have been fine had we never had to see him anywhere near a wrestling ring ever again. But Vince McMahon loves stunts, and he loves Donald, so as part of a storyline, he sold Raw to the future presidential candidate.
In an obviously pre-recorded video with Trump, Vince announced the sale and tried to interact with him. He then had to fill time before Trump’s answers could be heard. It was brutal, and the entire thing quickly made no sense.
Trump announced Raw would be commercial free, which is a terrible way to make money on a new investment. Vince was fine with this idea…but then the next week said if Trump continued to do so, he’d be bankrupt. But Vince had already SOLD Raw! It was now Trump's financial responsibility, so It shouldn’t have mattered. How did that make it to air?
Well, when investors got confused on who really owned the show, Vince aborted the storyline and instead put those wacky celebs from the previous slide in control of Raw. Wonder how much money that cost him?