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Shane McMahon, WWE Wrestling's EVP of Global Media/professional son, announced WWE Kids, a pro wrestling magazine aimed at 6-14 year-olds, which is part of the bigger WWE Youth Initiative:
Every week, more than 2.6 million young fans, ages 6-14, tune-in to WWE's top-rated television programs on USA Network, The CW and SCI FI Channel. In the fourth quarter of 2007, WWE reached more kids under age 18 during the average week than the total day average deliveries of Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon combined. "WWE Kids" will tap into these youthful WWE enthusiasts and also encourage their friends to become fans as well.So WWE's combined 3-channel, under-18 audience for the week is more than three kid networks' combined audience for the day? Is that the kind of rigged competition that'll be featured in the magazine? Not clear:
"With content ranging from fitness and nutrition to geography to esteem building, 'WWE Kids' will appeal to children, their parents, and their teachers. Young fans will get to know their favorite Superstars through activity-based art projects, fun games, interviews and trivia", said Tony Romando Vice President, Editorial Director.Also bikini augmenting, balloon animal line-cutting, and cartoon violence & repressed homoeroticism-combining. That last one's really more art than science.
The first issue of WWE Kids debuts April 15 with a "comprehensive cross-platform blitz, including a 100,000-unit pallet promotion in Wal-Mart stores."
warning, insane popups: WWE To Launch Cutting Edge "WWE Kids" Magazine [prowrestling.com via gawker]
But just think of the possible corporate synergy now that the WWF is targeting children! Spongebob vs. Dora: the Steel Cage Match. Watch out for Boots there Spongebob, he's mischievous!
sigh
OK, for anyone else (like me and apparently Neal) who is confused: the WWF is the World Wildlife Fund. They won a lawsuit against the wrestling folks, and wrestling is now called WWE. I've been corrected on this more times than I can count by my 9-year-old wrestling-obsessed nephew.
[now you know what you can get him for his birthday! -ed.]
WWE Wrestling a choreographed version of ballet. Let one of these so called wrestlers try getting in the cage at any MMA event, we will soon see who the hard man is then.