Welcome to Wrestling News World's exclusive coverage of today's WWE press conference. The press conference is being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. WWE will tape this week's edition of ECW on Sci-Fi and Friday Night SmackDown tonight from the same venue. We will have our weekly live coverage from the TV tapings later tonight.

We're live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles as the Raw theme music plays. Raw interviewer Todd Grisham gives us the formal welcome to today's press conference. He thanks fans for watching WWE programming each week. Grisham announces that on October 3rd that SmackDown will be moving to MyNetworkTV. Grisham says next Monday on Raw that Vince McMahon will be giving away $1 Million. He says now they will bring out McMahon's personal one million dollars cash. Security guards bring out the cash to the "Money, Money, Money" theme.

Grisham asks the live crowd if they have seen anything this attractive before? He makes a joke about his new suit. Grisham introduces John Cena and says that he is the star of The Marine and 12 Rounds which just finished filming and will be released in early 2009. Cena's music hits and he comes out wearing jeans and a short sleeve button down.

John Cena:

Cena works the crowd before coming to the podium. He delivers his salute and draws a mixed reaction from the crowd. Cena pauses before he can talk because of "Cena" chants. He says for those who are experiencing WWE for the first time that he would like to introduce them to what they see now - passion. He said from the fans that say he sucks to the ones that want to see him whip some a$$. He says that the passion is not only with the fans but with the WWE as well. Cena points to the money and says that it is $1 million and it belongs to the Chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon. Cena says the reason that he is doing it is because he believes in WWE and he is doing it because of his passion for World Wrestling Entertainment.

Cena tells those in the media that are not familiar with their product that WWE is just about old enough to get its first beer in a bar. He says that WWE has established a world wide fan base that is rivaled by no one. Cena says to put it in prospective - WWE is ahead of the NHL in its infancy, WWE is ahead of NBC in its infancy, as well as the NFL, and NASCAR. Cena thanks the fans for the 20 years that WWE has been around and puts over the passion of McMahon to giveaway $1 million and its superstars. He says whether or like me or you hate me you embrace this brand the world over. He welcomes those that do not know about it and the first time media members. His music plays and he takes a seat.

Todd Grisham back to the podium. He says there aren't many things in this world as attractive as $1 million but he thinks that we've found one. Me mentions her Playboy and introduces Maria. Maria's music hits and she comes to the podium.

Maria:

Maria asks the crowd what is up in Los Angeles. She says that it is wonderful to be here today, standing in front of $1 million. She puts over how awesome that it is that the money has its own entrance music. She is interrupted by "Money, Money, Yeah, Yeah" chants. She says Raw is pretty awesome and she doesn't want to go anywhere else. Maria says that Raw has so much passion that Raw is her home. She is interrupted again by fans as she lets out a laugh.

Maria says that WWE has the most incredible fans in the entire world and Vince McMahon is giving back to you. She introduces Executive Vice President of ePrize, LLC. Gabe Karp.

Gabe Karp (Executive Vice President of ePrize, LLC.):

He says that ePrize is very excited to work with WWE in this promotion. He said that they have done over 4,000 promotions in 36 countries and puts over that they have worked with General Motors, Subway, the Gap, and more (the fans continue to interrupt with "What" chants). He says that the promotion [with WWE] has been live for over 15 hours and they have already had over 300,000 people register. He says that they expect it to be the largest promotion in history based on how things are going. Karp says that Maria is going to show us how to register. They zoom in on a laptop where Maria goes over the registration process. Apparently they have some technical difficulties getting it to work. They shot away from the laptop very quickly.

Todd Grisham, back at the podium, tells Maria that WWE employees are not eligible. She says that if she would win it - she'd give it back to the fans. Grisham introduces WWE Champion Triple H.

Triple H:

Triple H, in street clothes, says he has to apologize because he is nervous after having to following Gabe Karp. He says let's hear it for Gabe Karp and then puts over a WWE security guard and makes light of the fan incident at Raw last night. Hunter says that a lot of people are trying to figure out what Vince McMahon is trying to do here. He says that it is one of those things where McMahon is either a genius or he is crazy. Hunter says that everyone knows that Vince his is father-in-law and that he comes to his house a lot and he can assure everyone that he is crazy. He said that he asked McMahon just to give the $1 million to him. Vince told him that he was going to give it to the fans and that Hunter would talk about it any way.

Hunter puts over the fact that Raw has been on the air for over 15 years old. He says what do you say about a program with people like him and Mr. Cena (miss-pronouncing his name). He says that WWE sets attendance records around the world and that WWE superstars are as recognizable as any other professional athlete. Hunter says that McMahon is giving people that have never watched Raw - one million reasons to watch. He says he is confident once they watch Raw while they will come back again, again, and again. Triple H says that WWE is an entertainment product that no one can rival. He says no matter how many talk about wrestling's demise that it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. He thanks the fans and his music plays as he exits.

Grisham introduces Senior Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy for the USA Network, Chris McCumber.

Chris McCumber (Senior Vice President of Marketing & Brand Strategy for the USA Network):

He says that the USA Network was not surprised of Vince McMahon's decision to giveaway a million dollars. He puts over WWE's involvement with charities and the tributes to the troops. He says WWE has a history of giving back. McCumber talks about passion and says that the USA Network knows that this will have a real impact on everyone's life. McCumber urges fans that want to be apart of television history to tune into Raw next week. He thanks the fans and tells them to keep on watching USA. He entered and exited to the Raw theme song.

Grisham gets up and introduces WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

Vince McMahon:

Vince thanks Chris McCumber and Bonnie Hammer of USA. He says that this is a partnership and that MyNetwork TV will be the same thing with SmackDown. McMahon says that 5 million people watch WWE each week on the USA Network. He puts over how well distributed WWE is internationally. McMahon says WWE is pop culture. He runs down all of the international WWE offices.

McMahon says WWE practically invented pay-per-view and that they have grossed over $2 billion since they started. He puts over the strength of WWE.com he says that they do 15.8 million unique visitors on a monthly basis. He says they are bigger than the NFL and MLB combined. McMahon brings up DVD releases and says that the company generally ranks number one amongst sports DVDs. He puts over the books that they have published. McMahon says that he wants to media and the rest of the world to know who the WWE audience is.

He says that it is all cross-sections of Americana and that they are vocal. McMahon says that they want to increase the numbers that watch WWE Raw. He says they want to regain old viewers and attract new viewers. He is interrupted by a "Vince for President" chant. McMahon says that he wants to attract media attention along with increasing viewership. He says that they aren't going to give away just $1 million - he says they are going to give away $1 million each and every week. McMahon clarifies that it is not just this week. McMahon says he might giveaway $200,000 or $150,000 each time, he is not sure all of the denominations that he is going to give it away.

Questions & Answers

What makes WWE so popular?

McMahon says its athleticism, production, and there is nothing like WWE. Triple H says something but his mic doesn't pick up. Hunter says with WWE, unlike pro sports - there is never a bad game.

What is the final outcome?

McMahon says that people will enjoy their product.

Why are you doing this when it is not a "sweeps" period?

McMahon says that it was an idea that came to his brain very recently. He says that they had the flexibility to put this all together in a couple of weeks. Hunter says that there is no waiting (his mic was cutting out).

How many weeks are you actually going to do this?

McMahon says that as long as he'd like. He says after all - it is his money - not the company's money and that makes things a little different.

[The reporter follows-up with:] How WWE is going to get the information out to none viewers?

McMahon says this press conference and that the media will blow this up because a crazy billionaire is giving away his money.

Will this giveaway help the draft?

McMahon says yes, that the draft is always a high rated show and that you never know if John Cena is going to end up on Raw. The crowd chants ECW and he asks if they want Cena to end up on ECW. (He kind of laughed when he said it)

Are you afraid that Donald Trump is going to start over $2 million to watch The Apprentice?

McMahon says that he knows Donald very well but he can't see him giving away his money.

Is this your way of stimulating the economy?

McMahon says that those who win will be stimulated greatly.

Vince says that now they are going to do a few one-on-ones and thanks everyone for coming out. The "Money, Money, Money" theme hits again as the press conference ends.

Source: WrestlingNewsWorld.com