It’s an entertainment genre beyond anything that Bob Hope could have conceived for his legendary shows for troops engaged in wars overseas. For the past six years, World Wrestling Entertainment has been staging shows in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing a cadre of its star wrestlers and “divas” to frontline troops in each country in alternate years. Early last month, 15 WWE entertainers and production people hit more than 20 forward operating bases in Iraq.
“You want to do everything you can to support these troops. And the troops love it,” says Geoff Rochester, WWE executive vice president of marketing.
This year’s tour climaxed with a live event at a base dubbed Camp Victory. The performance was taped and aired as a “WWE Tribute to the Troops” on NBC last month.
WWE has found a vibrant fan base in its tours of 130 military installations in both countries over the past five years, Rochester says.
WWE knew it had fans in the military when it began the annual excursions. Its primary mission is simply to support the troops in WWE’s own unique way.
“The brand has always had a deep and abiding respect for the military,” Rochester says.
The tour is conducted in cooperation with the Armed Forces Entertainment Group. The WWE also expresses its support for U.S. troops on the home front, giving all members of the military free admission to local WWE events.
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