ARTICLE: WWE In A Post 9/11 World

Late on September 10^th and into the early hours of September 11^th 2001, the WWF’s touring group would make their way from San Antonio, where they had been for Monday’s live Raw broadcast, to Houston where they would film Smackdown for the following Thursday. Many of them would be woken the following morning by the breaking news of the world’s worst terrorist attack. That evening’s TV taping was cancelled as America ground to a halt and the world started to contemplate both what had happened, and how they would move on.

Cultural life in the US had somewhat ceased as September 12^th rolled around, with sporting events and all mass gatherings cancelled, along with public transport no longer operating. Given that none of them could leave Houston, all of the WWF’s talent and staff were still in the city by September 13^th, when Vince McMahon made the brave decision that Smackdown would air live that night, marking the first mass gathering of people since the tragedy two days before. Regardless of your current thoughts on Vince and WWE, there is no disputing that on that night they got it right, from the opening national anthem to the wrestler’s comments, they helped show American that life could go on. While there were some questionable comments, such as JBL suggesting Afghanistan should be bombed into non-existence, the company had made their first steps into a post 9/11 world.

One of the most noticeable and long lasting effects of 9/11 and the subsequent military conflicts that the US have been involved in, is that it has allowed WWE to forge closer links to the US Military. WWE, and more to the point the McMahon family, have been supporters of theUS’s armed forces for many years and provide servicemen and women with a range of benefits, many of which are hidden from the general public. In addition to giving members of their armed forces free tickets to WWE shows, many military bases and warships also broadcast WWE pay per view events free of charge. As an offshoot of this relationship the WWE is now sponsored by the US National Guard, a fact which WWE proudly promotes at every opportunity.

In addition to their relationship outlined above, perhaps the most important and visible aspect of WWE’s commitment to the US military are the now annual Tribute to the Troops shows. Begun in 2003 as a Christmas Day special of Smackdown, each December from 2003 to 2009 either the Raw or Smackdown crew travelled to both Iraq and Afghanistan for a meet and greet tour with military personnel, followed by a show in front of the troops and broadcast worldwide. Hugely popular among those who get to see the shows live, though at times controversial (Rob Van Dam famously opted out of going to Iraq in 2003 when told it was only a voluntary trip), the overseas tours were discontinued after the 2009 visit to Iraq, replaced by a show at a US base. Emanating from Fort Hood in Texas, the 2010 edition drew 50,000 people, and gave service personnel the first chance to bring their families to the Tribute shows.

However, WWE hasn’t always got things right since 9/11. Case in point, the ‘Middle Eastern-American’ wrestler Muhammad Hassan, ironically portrayed by Italian-American Mark Copani who grew up in New York, was clearly designed to generate controversy at the height of the Iraq conflict when he debuted at the end of 2004. The character would reach the height of its notoriety on the July 7^th 2005 broadcast of Smackdown, which coincided with the 7/7 London bombings the same date, in an angle in which a group of presumed terrorists captured The Undertaker. Despite the angle being taped three nights prior it was still broadcast, albeit with a warning, the same night of the London attacks (The angle was cut out of the Sky Sports broadcast), citing difficulties editing the show so close to the broadcast. The whole debacle drew mainstream condemnation to the WWE, and UPN which broadcast Smackdown at the time pressured WWE to keep the character off its shows. The Hassan character was dropped after the Great American Bash PPV and Copani was released from his WWE contract on September 21^st 2005.

Despite this hiccup, WWE has continued a close relationship with the US military and their overseas action. On May 2^nd of this year, after his WWE Title win at Extreme Rules, John Cena announced to the live crowd the death of Osama Bin Laden, provoking an enthusiastic ‘USA’ chant among those in attendance. Now that we have passed the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 and the US military is withdrawing from Iraq, the WWE’s relationship with America’s armed forces is set to continue, though some aspects are being scaled back. For instance, this year’s Tribute to the Troops show looks to be little more than a televised house show from Fayetteville,North Carolina, where there is a military base rather than from an actual base. While only time will tell, 2011 could be the last Tribute to the Troops show WWE runs.