David McLane

David B. McLane is an American businessman, known primarily as a wrestling promoter and television producer. He was the creator of the GLOW-Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and WOW-Women Of Wrestling (recognized as WOW! and WOW), both nationally syndicated series. He also created the ESPN series of the World Roller Hockey League, Pro Beach Hockey and the Triple Crown of Polo. All of these programs are termed "properties" under his company banner David McLane Enterprises, Inc.[1]

For the American merchant hanged as a French spy by the British, see David McLane (merchant).

David McLane
NationalityAmerican
EducationIndiana University (BA, BS) Telecommunications, Business
Occupation(s)Business Man, Women's Wrestling Promoter, Television Producer
Years active1986–present
Known forGorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW)
Women of Wrestling (WOW)
Pro Beach Hockey
World Roller Hockey League
World Wrestling Association (WWA)
Triple Crown of Polo (TCP)

Early life

McLane grew up watching professional wrestling on television with his older brothers and attended live events in his hometown of Indianapolis. As a teenager he launched the Dick the Bruiser Fan Club, selling photographs of the wrestling star and other local professional wrestlers through mail order. Bruiser brought McLane in to work in the office of Bruiser's Indianapolis-based wrestling promotion World Wrestling Association (WWA).[2] There he learned the ropes of promotion and marketing, eventually became the ring announcer and match commentator.[3] McLane attended Indiana University.[4]

While continuing to work for the WWA, McLane started his own promotional company to promote live events and concerts throughout the Midwest, including the stadium presentation of the Budweiser Country Concert Tour and marketing of such groups as New Edition[5] in select markets.

GLOW-Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (1986-1992)

McLane began the first-ever all women's wrestling television program in 1986, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW). GLOW was a syndication ratings success, achieving superior ratings to the WWF's syndicated Superstars series, which launched at the same time and was frequently shown in adjacent timeslots on the same stations. Shot in a showroom at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the show garnered a cult following.[6][7][8] McLane served as the ring announcer, solo play by play announcer and owner of the company.[9]

The strong cult following led Netflix to produce GLOW (TV series) based on McLane's original creation. The series, produced by Orange is the New Black creator Jenji Kohan launched on June 23, 2017. Netflix's second season of GLOW was released for streaming on June 29, 2018.[10]

Roller Hockey

After selling GLOW, McLane partnered with ESPN for the creation of the World Roller Hockey League (WRHL) in 1992; the first made-for-television roller hockey league in the United States. He arranged for these events to be sponsored by Franklin Sports and Walt Disney World where the resort staged the events from their MGM Studios grounds.[11] McLane merged the WRHL with another roller hockey start-up, Roller Hockey International and introduced Pepsi and Taco Bell to this niche sports marketplace through a league sponsorship.[12]

In 1997, McLane again partnered with ESPN to create Pro Beach Hockey (PBH), with over 156 hours of original programming for ESPN. By holding the events at a beach venue, he got the sport out of enclosed arenas and into a more accessible open air environment. The presentation has been compared to the X Games.[13]

WOW-Women of Wrestling (2000-present)
David McLane surrounded by WOW! Superheroes: Sophia Lopez, Attorney at Law and Abilene Maverick on his right; Jungle Grrrl with the WOW Championship belt and Santana Garrett on his left

In 2000, McLane ventured back to his passion of women's wrestling and created the WOW!-Women Of Wrestling television series.[14] Shot at the Great Western Forum, WOW! was syndicated in 100 markets, becoming the number one rated syndicated wrestling program in the markets of New York City and Los Angeles.[15]

McLane and his business partner, Jeanie Buss re-packaged WOW! in 2011 and aired its programs in select cities.[16] Live events were staged in 2012 and 2013 in Las Vegas at the Eastside Cannery Casino and Hotel. In December 2014, WOW! announced their launch into digital media with a 2015 marketed platform as "WOW Superheroes".[17]

New content was produced in 2016 from the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles for distribution on the company's [WOWE.com] website. On April 20, 2017, MGM Television Studios, headed by Mark Burnett formed a partnership with McLane and Buss to produce and distribute new content across a number of media platforms.[18][19]

McLane (R) stands with Jeanie Buss (L), Dan Cohen, and AJ Mendez on October 6, 2021

On June 18, 2018, The Hollywood Reporter announced McLane and his business partners Jeanie Buss and Mark Burnett contracted with Mark Cuban's AXS TV for the broadcast of WOW live events commencing in early 2019.[20] In summer of 2019 AXS TV CEO Andrew Simon announced in a live broadcast Women of Wrestling scored the highest ratings and social media engagement of any program in the 17 year history of the cable network.

On October 6, 2021, on top of the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, ViacomCBS Global Distribution President Dan Cohen, alongside McLane and WOW Executive Producers Jeanie Buss and AJ Mendez announced ViacomCBS had entered into a multi-year distribution agreement for WOW. For McLane this historic and exclusive media rights deal gives WOW the biggest distribution opportunities for the U.S. and abroad in the history of women's professional wrestling.[21][22]

Polo
David McLane with ESPN Executive James Allegro and the Triple Crown of Polo trophy
David McLane with artist LeRoy Neiman and his Triple Crown of Polo mural

In 2003, McLane developed another new venture with ESPN, the Triple Crown of Polo (TCP). The championship series was broadcast domestically on ESPN2 during weekends and internationally to 196 markets in twelve different languages by the ESPN International network through 2009. Marketing partnerships with high end sponsors Tiffany & Co. and Lexus helped propel the TCP to one of the most prestigious tournaments[23][24][25][26] within the "Sport of Kings."[27] In 2019, the Aspen Valley Polo Club hosted Team Audi defeating Team Flexjet to win the TCP season-finale.[28][29]

In the last weekend of August 2021, fans attending the Aspen Valley Polo Club witnessed Team TonKawa headed by Jeff Hidebrand, Marc Ganzi, Gonzalito Pieres and Juan Bollini defeat Team NetJets by 9-8 in overtime to take the Aspen leg of the World Polo League Triple Crown of Polo.[30]

Marketing

With his history of taking products from concept to market, in 2008, McLane was retained by a start-up non-pharmaceutical/nutraceutical products company to manage its start up.[31] Following the completion of clinical trials, McLane oversaw the entry of three products into the U.S. market through direct-response TV, online, and print media. The company's cornerstone product, an appetite suppressant, named Livea[32] is patent pending and was endorsed by NBC's The Biggest Loser 3rd season runner-up Kai Hibbard.[33][34]

References
  1. "David McLane Enterprises Properties: Content Development and Special Event Production Company". mclane-dme.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  2. Freedman, Lew (2018). Pro Wrestling: A Comprehensive Reference Guide. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-4408-5350-0. The Indiana state capital was the hometown of the World Wrestling Association, which was operated by the famed wrestler Dick the Bruiser. McLane actually founded the Dick the Bruiser fan club and then went to work for the organization.
  3. "FCI Womens Wrestling » Princess Jasmine – Star". FCI Women's Wrestling. February 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  4. "Netflix series 'GLOW' has real-life roots in Indy". Indystar.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  5. Indianapolis Review, April 16, 1984, Entertainment Section P2, "Stay in School and Strive for Good Grades"
  6. "GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  7. Ed Symkus; Vinnie Carolan. Wrestle Radio U. S. A.: Grapplers Speak. p. 71.
  8. David Shoemaker (October 31, 2013). The Squared Circle: Life, Death, and Professional Wrestling.
  9. "The SmarK Rant For The Best Of GLOW PPV". insidepulse.com. July 29, 2002. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  10. Clopton, Ellis (May 31, 2018). "'GLOW' Cast Teases Season 2's 'Bigger' Wrestling Moves, Empowering Moments". Variety.com. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  11. "World Roller Hockey League". studioscentral.com. March 11, 2011. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  12. Elliott, Stuart (March 22, 1995). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS - Advertising - Pepsico puts on its skates to participate in the 'sponsor friendly' sport of roller hockey". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  13. "MELTING THE ICE : Pro Beach Hockey, which debuts today at the Huntington Beach Pier, features several gimmicks, including ramps behind the goals, but the price is right: it's free to watch". Los Angeles Times. May 2, 1998. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  14. "Columns". Online World of Wrestling. May 24, 2003. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  15. "David McLane Enterprises Properties: Women of Wrestling". Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  16. Jeanie Buss; Steve Springer. Laker Girl. p. 253.
  17. "The1stMovement Pins WOW -Women Of Wrestling". Yahoo Finance. December 16, 2014. Archived from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  18. Calvario, Liz (April 20, 2017). "MGM Television Partners With 'Women Of Wrestling' To Create Content For TV And Digital Platforms". Deadline.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  19. Otterson, Joe (April 20, 2017). "MGM TV Partners With Women of Wrestling for Unscripted Programming". Variety.com. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
  20. "'WOW — Women Of Wrestling' Series Sells to AXS TV (Exclusive)". Hollywoodreporter.com. June 18, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  21. "ViacomCBS Inks Multiyear Distribution Deal with WOW — Women of Wrestling". The Hollywood Reporter. October 7, 2021.
  22. "ViacomCBS Syndicating 'WOW – Women of Wrestling' Reboot in 160 U.S. Markets, Beginning in 2022". October 7, 2021.
  23. "David McLane Enterprises: Private Company Information - Businessweek". Investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  24. Patterson, Troy (April 25, 2006). "Triple Crown of Polo reviewed". Slate.com. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  25. Mechling, Lauren (March 13, 2006). "Polo Comes to ESPN - New York Magazine". Nymag.com. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  26. "February 2018 Polo Players' Edition". Webcache.googleusercontent.com. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  27. "Preview: The Sport of Kings". Cbsnews.com. April 8, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  28. "AUDI WINS THRILLER, CAPTURES WPL TRIPLE CROWN OF POLO IN SEASON FINALE; NIC ROLDAN MOST VALUABLE PLAYER". aspenvalleypoloclub.com. September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  29. Robb, Sharon (September 9, 2019). "AUDI WINS THRILLER, CAPTURES WPL TRIPLE CROWN OF POLO IN SEASON FINALE; NIC ROLDAN MOST VALUABLE PLAYER". aspenvalleypoloclub.com. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  30. "Tonkawa Wins World Polo League Triple Crown of Polo-Aspen ; Gonzalito Pieres Named MVP". September 2, 2021.
  31. "WellWorldScience - Executive_management". wellworldscience.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  32. "Livea - Well World Science". BBB serving Eastern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  33. "Former 'Biggest Loser' competitor Kai Hibbard calls the show unhealthy, misleading". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on January 14, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  34. "Livea". Diets in Review. Retrieved November 7, 2015.

Further reading
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