- David McLane
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David McLane
David B. McLane is a senior marketing executive with over 25 years experience in identifying and producing uniquely targeted live events and media entertainment properties through his company, David McLane Enterprises, Inc. McLane has a track record of producing and implementing new concepts into market assets as exhibited by a 17-year relationship with ESPN resulting in the creation of several branded made-for-television sports properties. However, he may be best known for the role he played as the creator and promoter of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
Contents
Early life
McLane grew up watching professional wrestling on television with his older brothers, and attended live events in his hometown of Indianapolis. McLane's professional career started as a teenager when he launched the Dick the Bruiser Fan Club, which sold photographs of the wrestling star and local professional wrestlers through mail order.[1] McLane was soon brought in to work in the office of Bruiser's Indianapolis-based wrestling promotion. As he learned the ropes of promotion and marketing, McLane eventually became the ring announcer and match commentator for the World Wrestling Association (WWA) television broadcasts.[2] At this same time, 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[3] in select markets.
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling
In 1986, McLane started the first-ever all women's wrestling television program, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (GLOW) (1986), which garnished a cult following which continues to exist today.[4] McLane arranged for the GLOW series to be sponsored by the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.[5][6]
Roller Hockey
After selling GLOW, McLane partnered with ESPN for the creation of the World Roller Hockey League (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. Following the first season which generated 68 hours of programming for ESPN,[7] 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.[8]
In 1997, McLane again partnered with ESPN to create the Pro Beach Hockey (PBH) (1997) series, with over 156 hours of original programming for ESPN. . McLane worked in concert with ESPN sales to close deals with several major advertisers during the three year presentation managing the on-sight and television integration of all sponsorship sales.
Women of Wrestling
Selina Majors entering among the fans at a WOW! Women of Wrestling eventIn 2000, McLane ventured back to his passion of wrestling and created the Women of Wrestling (WOW) television series.[9] WOW was syndicated in 100 markets, becoming the number one rated syndicated wrestling program in the markets of New York and Los Angeles and secured the advertising support of M&M Mars, Universal Studios, the U.S. Army and endorsement of the Parents Television Council for its creating positive female characters. The show was pulled from the marketplace due to the advertising turn-down in 2001-02. The series' 24 one-hour programs continue to be distributed internationally.
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 muralIn 2003, McLane secured a strategic partnership with ESPN again as the cornerstone of developing another new venture, the Triple Crown of Polo (TCP) on ESPN. The championship series was broadcast domestically on ESPN2 during weekends and internationally to 196 markets in twelve different languages by the ESPN International network. The program was designed to reach an elite target demographic and, in doing so, secured long-term agreements for tournament play with premier polo clubs. McLane crafted and managed the strategic partnerships with founding sponsors Tiffany & Co. and Lexus. After four seasons of play, TCP was placed on hiatus due to the economic turn-down in the auto industry and luxury real estate market which were both key sponsors of the events.[10][11][12]
Marketing
In 2008, McLane played an instrumental role in the start-up of a new company for the introduction of a series of non-pharmaceutical/nutraceutical products. Scheduled to be commercially launched in the summer of 2009, the company's cornerstone product, an appetite suppressant, named Livea. McLane leads the brand initiative and his company heads the marketing campaign which will include all forms of media advertising to capture a significant segment of this ever-growing weight loss market.
McLane is a graduate of Indiana University with a BA in Telecommunications and a BS in Business.
References
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/media-telecommunications/information-services/10617170-1.html
- ^ http://wrestlingclassics.com/cgi-bin/.ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=007782;p=0
- ^ Indianapolis Review, April 16, 1984, Entertainment Section P2, “Stay in School and Strive for Good Grades”
- ^ http://www.wwe.com/superstars/wherearetheynow/ivory WWE
- ^ http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/Gorgeous+Ladies+of+Wrestling The Free Dictionary
- ^ http://infao5501.ag5.mpi-sb.mpg.de:8080/topx/archive09?link=/297/2737297.xml mpi sb de
- ^ http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-13116023.html Encyclopedia
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/22/business/media-business-advertising-pepsico-puts-its-skates-participate-sponsor-friendly.html?pagewanted=1 NY Times
- ^ http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/columns/prevost/04.html On Line World of Wrestling
- ^ http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7186308 Business Week
- ^ http://www.slate.com/id/2140502/ Slate
- ^ http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/16394/ NY Mag
External links
Categories:- Living people
- American businesspeople
- Professional wrestling executives
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