How Much Did WWE Pay for WCW?
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A lot of people have been wondering how much WWE actually paid for WCW when they acquired the company back in 2001. While the exact figure has never been made public, it is believed that WWE paid somewhere in the range of $3 million to $5 million for WCW.
The Sale of WCW
On Monday, March 26, 2001, the World Wrestling Federation announced the purchase of World Championship Wrestling from Turner Broadcasting for $3 million. This ended the monopoly that Ted Turner had on professional wrestling, and brought an end to WCW as a company.
The sale of WCW to Vince McMahon
In early 2001, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) was approaching a deal to purchase World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from Turner Broadcasting. The sale was completed on March 23, 2001, and McMahon subsequently became the sole promoter of major professional wrestling events in the United States. The purchase of WCW allowed the WWF to gain a monopoly over the professional wrestling industry in America.
The sale of WCW to Vince McMahon resulted in the termination of many WCW employees, as well as the closure of WCW’s Atlanta headquarters and production facilities.
The sale of WCW to Turner Broadcasting
In 2001, Turner Broadcasting System (CNN’s parent company) merged with Time Warner. As part of the merger, Turner Broadcasting System was bought by Time Warner and WCW was merged into Turner Broadcasting System. Turner Broadcasting System then became a division of Time Warner and WCW was placed within that division. In 2001, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased WCW from Turner Broadcasting System for $3 million.
The Purchase Price of WCW
In 2001, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from Turner Broadcasting System for $3 million. The purchase price was a fraction of what Turner Broadcasting had paid for WCW in 1988. In the following years, the WWF would go on to purchase WCW’s main broadcaster, Turner Broadcasting’s cable channel TNT, and WCW’s main talent roster.
The purchase price of WCW by Vince McMahon
In 2001, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) bought their main competitors, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from Ted Turner for $3 million. This was after Turner had put WCW up for sale in early 2001, with several companies expressing interest including Vince McMahon’s WWF and the Adrenaline rush Houraired on TNN.
The purchase price of WCW by Turner Broadcasting
In 2001, Turner Broadcasting System (CNN’s parent company) was bought by Time Warner for $7.5 billion. As part of the deal, Turner Broadcasting System merged with Time Warner’s preexisting entertainment division, which included HBO, Warner Bros., and Hanna-Barbera, among others. Turner Broadcasting System kept its own name and within the new company operated as a largely independent entity.
However, in late 2000 and early 2001, as the deal was being finalized, Turner Broadcasting System began divesting itself of some of its properties. Among these was World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which Turner Broadcasting System had owned since 1988. In January 2001, Turner Broadcasting System sold WCW to the Vince McMahon-owned World Wrestling Federation (WWF) for $3 million.
