With WOW set to return to television, the promotion’s co-owner Jeanie Buss held a media conference call this week to discuss her goals for the wrestling company.
Buss, also the controlling owner and team president of the Los Angeles Lakers, is partnering with founder David McClane on a reboot of the early 2000s series, set to debut on AXS TV tonight, January 18th.
“[McClane] invited me to come see the Women of Wrestling, and I’d never seen it before,” Buss said. “As soon as I saw it, I fell in love with it, because it made sense.”
After seeing a live event, Buss decided to come on as an investor and used her cache to help land the television deal.
The show will be produced by Survivor and The Apprentice producer, Mark Burnett.
“These were strong female heroes, who were taking on their own battles, fighting for what they believe in.”
The bell is about to sound. WOW is almost here ???? #womenofwrestling
https://t.co/BQAtaEvn5V @wowsuperheroes pic.twitter.com/PcGulcj4mV— AXS TV (@AXSTV) January 15, 2019
WOW’s Original Run And Relaunch
WOW had a short run in syndication, and was similar in look and feel to McClane’s 1980s promotion GLOW, the inspiration for the recent Netflix series of the same name.
After a hiatus, WOW returned in 2013 with a series of live events and later launched a digital series on YouTube.
The relaunch featured more of an emphasis on athleticism than the over the top gimmicks of the show’s first iteration, as evidenced by their roster. Santana Garrett, who has done enhancement work for WWE on NXT television, is the group’s current champion.
Garrett will defend her title on the premiere episode of WOW on AXS TV on Friday night.
Buss sees the television show as a vehicle for people like Garrett to show that they belong in the spotlight.
“They deserve a platform, to be seen,” said Buss. “To take center stage, not be the undercard, not be the sideshow.”
“This is their time, and I’m really proud to be part of this team that’s bringing it together.”
Jeanie Buss Sees WOW As A Touring Brand
Beyond the television property, Buss sees the potential for WOW as a touring company.
“I’d like it to be a touring company, with merchandising and broadcast,” Buss told the L.A. Times.
“And that the girls will become household names, that they will be stars. Because they deserve to be stars.”
WOW debuts Friday Night at 9 PM ET on AXS TV.Â
