Editing WWE (section)

===World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. (1999–2002)===
====Initial public offering (1999)====
In the summer of 1999, Titan Sports, Inc. was renamed World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. On October 19, 1999, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. launched an [[initial public offering]] as a publicly traded company, trading on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] (NYSE) with the issuance of stock then valued at $172.5 million.<ref name="money.cnn.com">[https://money.cnn.com/1999/08/03/companies/wrestling/ "WWF pins IPO," CNN Money, August 3, 1999] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606230532/http://money.cnn.com/1999/08/03/companies/wrestling/ |date=June 6, 2014 }}, Retrieved June 5, 2014.</ref> The company was traded on the NYSE under ticker symbol WWE.<ref name="nyse.com">[https://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html?ticker=wwe "World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., NYSE.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509111600/http://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html?ticker=wwe |date=May 9, 2013 }}, accessed June 5, 2014.</ref>

====End of the Attitude Era (1999–2002)====
{{main|The Invasion (professional wrestling)}}
By the fall of 1999, the Attitude Era had turned the tide of the [[Monday Night Wars|Monday Night War]] into WWF's favor. After [[WarnerMedia|Time Warner]] merged with [[AOL|America Online]] (AOL), [[Ted Turner]]'s control over WCW was considerably reduced. The newly merged company lacked interest in professional wrestling as a whole and decided to sell WCW in its entirety. Although [[Eric Bischoff]], whom Time Warner fired as WCW president in October 1999, was nearing a deal to purchase the company, in March 2001 McMahon acquired the rights to WCW's trademarks, tape library, contracts, and other properties from AOL Time Warner for a number reported to be around $7 million.<ref name=wcw>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. Acquires WCW from Turner Broadcasting|access-date=May 5, 2007|date=March 23, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313012636/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2001/2001_03_23.jsp|archive-date=March 13, 2014}}</ref> Shortly after [[WrestleMania X-Seven]], the WWF launched the Invasion storyline, integrating the incoming talent roster from WCW and [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW). With this purchase, WWF now became by far the sole largest wrestling promotion in North America and in the world. The assets of ECW, which had folded after filing for [[bankruptcy]] protection in April 2001, were purchased by WWE in 2003.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|title=WWE: History of WrestleMania|year=2009|page=58}}</ref>

In 2000, the WWF, in collaboration with television network [[NBC]], launched the [[XFL (2001)|XFL]], a new professional [[American football|football]] league that debuted in 2001.<ref name=xfl>{{cite web|url=http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2000/2000_02_03.jsp|title=WWE Entertainment, Inc. announces the formation of the XFL – a new professional football league|access-date=May 5, 2007|date=February 3, 2000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406072307/http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2000/2000_02_03.jsp|archive-date=April 6, 2007}}</ref> The league had high ratings for the first few weeks, but initial interest waned and its ratings plunged to dismally low levels (one of its games was the lowest-rated prime-time show in the history of American television). NBC walked out on the venture after only one season, but McMahon intended to continue alone. However, after being unable to reach a deal with UPN, McMahon shut down the XFL.<ref name=xflfolds>{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/05/10/xfl_folds_ap/|title=XFL folds after disappointing first season|access-date=May 5, 2007|date=May 10, 2001|work=CNN|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311011021/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2001/05/10/xfl_folds_ap/|archive-date=March 11, 2007}}</ref> WWE maintained control of the XFL trademark<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_reviews/254196/Various-News:--XFL-Back-in-the-News,-Chris-Jericho,-and-More.htm |title=Various News: XFL Back in the News, Chris Jericho, and More |publisher=411MANIA |date=September 9, 2012 |access-date=December 17, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trademarkia.com/xfl-85720169.html |title=XFL&nbsp;– Reviews & Brand Information&nbsp;– World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Stamford, Connecticut&nbsp;– Serial Number: 85720169 |publisher=Trademarkia.com |access-date=December 17, 2015}}</ref> before McMahon reclaimed the XFL brand, this time under a separate [[shell company]] from WWE, in 2017<ref name="revival">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbssports.com/wwe/news/will-the-xfl-actually-be-making-a-return-wwe-is-not-exactly-denying-the-rumors|title=Will the XFL actually be making a return? WWE is not exactly denying the rumors|work=CBS Sports|access-date=January 25, 2018|language=en}}</ref> with intent to [[XFL (2020)|relaunch the XFL in 2020]].<ref name="espn-newannounce">{{Cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22213241/vince-mcmahon-gimmick-free-xfl-return-2020|title=McMahon: Gimmick-free XFL to return in 2020|work=ESPN.com|access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref>

On June 24, 2002, episode of ''Raw'', Vince McMahon officially referred to the start of the next era, called the "Ruthless Aggression" era.<ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hIP3CKaAF8|title=WWE: Vince McMahon "Ruthless Aggression" Segment|publisher=WHDYTv1 [Ruthless Aggression Classics]|work=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/411s-wwe-raw-report-6-24-02/ | title=411Mania }}</ref>