On a recent edition of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. discussed Vince McMahon changing the wrestling business in pursuit of attracting younger fans to WWE, the transformation of One Man Gang into Akeem, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On whether he thought it was a good idea for One Man Gang’s transform into the Akeem gimmick: “I wasn’t sure at first.”
On Vince McMahon trying to attract younger fans: “Back to Vince’s way of looking at things, it’s kind of like — you know, I was old. I came from the old school. I mean, I grew up in the wrestling industry. My father was a wrestler. And it’s kind of like, it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But what it took me a while to come to grips with was that what Vince was doing in terms of changing wrestling was like, ‘Yeah, look, we are sports entertainment. We’re not–‘ Because we try to protect it all the time. And we even knew that an educated person, especially an educated guy that’s never been in a real fight, could watch wrestling for a minute and go, ‘No.’ But the whole point was now, he was trying to market his product to a younger audience because now he’s going to come out with action figures, dolls and all of the merchandise. And so he’s trying to attract the young crowd. And that’s why Hulk Hogan becomes this bigger-than-life hero and all that.”
On whether it was time to drop the One Man Gang gimmick: “For those reasons, yeah, Akeem. Okay, let’s do it now. I thought he did okay.”
On his relationship with Akeem: “I mean, not like a bosom buddy but close enough to where I could talk to him man to man.”
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Vince McMahon and the Transformation of One Man Gang into Akeem: A Look at Changing Wrestling to Attract Younger Fans
In the world of professional wrestling, Vince McMahon is a name that is synonymous with innovation and revolutionizing the industry. As the chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), McMahon has constantly pushed boundaries and taken risks to ensure the success of his company. One such risk was the transformation of One Man Gang into the character Akeem, The African Dream. This move was part of McMahon’s strategy to attract younger fans to WWE and expand the company’s reach.
During a recent episode of his podcast, “Everybody’s Got A Pod,” WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. discussed McMahon’s vision and the changes he made to the wrestling business. DiBiase, who had a long and successful career in WWE, shed light on McMahon’s mindset and the reasoning behind the transformation of One Man Gang.
When asked about his thoughts on the Akeem gimmick, DiBiase admitted that he wasn’t sure about it at first. As someone who came from the old school of wrestling, DiBiase had reservations about changing something that wasn’t broken. However, he eventually came to understand McMahon’s perspective.
According to DiBiase, McMahon wanted to position WWE as sports entertainment rather than just wrestling. He aimed to attract a younger audience by introducing action figures, dolls, and other merchandise. To achieve this, McMahon needed larger-than-life characters like Hulk Hogan to appeal to the younger crowd. The transformation of One Man Gang into Akeem was a part of this strategy.
DiBiase acknowledged that while wrestling purists might have scoffed at the idea, McMahon’s approach was necessary for the growth and commercial success of WWE. The industry needed to evolve to stay relevant and capture the attention of a new generation of fans. By embracing the sports entertainment aspect, McMahon was able to market WWE to a wider audience and create a thriving business.
As for the decision to drop the One Man Gang gimmick in favor of Akeem, DiBiase believed it was the right time. The character of Akeem resonated with the younger audience that McMahon was targeting. While DiBiase didn’t have a close relationship with Akeem, he respected him enough to have meaningful conversations.
The transformation of One Man Gang into Akeem was a pivotal moment in WWE’s history. It represented McMahon’s vision to change the wrestling landscape and attract younger fans. Despite initial skepticism, the move proved successful as WWE continued to grow and expand its fanbase.
In conclusion, Vince McMahon’s decision to transform One Man Gang into Akeem was a calculated move to attract younger fans and position WWE as sports entertainment. While it may have been met with resistance from traditionalists, McMahon’s vision ultimately propelled WWE to new heights. The transformation of characters and the introduction of larger-than-life heroes like Hulk Hogan played a significant role in the company’s success. McMahon’s ability to adapt and innovate has solidified his status as a pioneer in the wrestling industry.