Why Lakers owner Jeanie Buss is lending her support to the pro wrestling industry

Jeanie Buss remembers a moment in time in which women were front-and-center in the wrestling world.

Pop star Cyndi Lauper and wrestler Wendi Richter helped fuel the rise of the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) to national prominence in the mid-1980s, forming the “Rock ’n’ Wrestling Connection” which led to the first-ever live wrestling event on MTV in 1984.

And the current controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers, then just out of college, was riveted.

“Cyndi’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,’ was my anthem and when she got into wrestling, that got my attention,” Buss told Yahoo Sports. “Cyndi and Wendi showed that women can be the main attraction, even in a business like wrestling.”

It took awhile to get there, but three-and-a-half decades after Richter and Lauper’s feud with the Fabulous Moolah and Captain Lou Albano had its turn on a national stage, there’s an undeniable boom in women’s wrestling.

Women are no longer simply the sideshow in a man’s business. The WWE now regularly headlines events with women who show just as much skill, athleticism and personality in the ring as their male counterparts. Netflix’s documentary on the pioneering 1980s GLOW women’s wrestling promotion has given way to a popular series.

And now the time appears right for an all-women’s promotion to hit the big time, which is why Buss, considered by many the most powerful woman in sports, has lent her support to the Women of Wrestling promotion.

WOW, which is produced by Mark Burnett of “Survivor” and “Shark Tank” fame, debuts on AXS-TV, which also airs the critically acclaimed New Japan Pro Wrestling, Friday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Pacific.

“My mentor in this business was [pioneering tennis legend] Billie Jean King,” Buss said. “She taught me to be fearless, to show that women can run the show, that they can be the main event, that they don’t need to be the preliminary. Wrestling blends sports and entertainment, so to me, WOW is the best of all worlds.”

Indeed, WOW will lean heavily into the fantasy storyline aspect of wrestling, which is fitting, since WOW founder David McLane was also the mastermind behind the ‘80s version of GLOW, which featured well-remembered characters like Mt. Fiji, the Farmer’s Daughter and Ninotchka. WOW Superheroes, as they’re called, portray modern versions of good vs. evil storylines, driven by characters with names like The Beast, Stephy Slays, Jungle Grrrl and the Beverly Hills Babe.

And while Buss comes from a professional sports background, she believes audiences are sophisticated enough in this day and age to appreciate both the sports and entertainment aspects of wrestling.

“We’re showing what fantastic athletes these women are,” Buss said. “But at the same time, we’re showing little girls and families and people of all ages that they can achieve whatever they put their minds, so that’s why we make our wrestlers superheroes.”

While WOW will feature these larger-than-life storylines, the promotion plans on having a quality wrestling product to go along with the theatrics. WOW will feature a solid traditional wrestling base at its core, with athletes like Tessa Blanchard anchoring the in-ring product.

Blanchard represents the third generation of a famous wrestling family. Her grandfather, Joe, was a star wrestler in Texas and later become a promoter; his Southwest Championship Wrestling on the USA Network was a trailblazing wrestling show in the primitive days of cable TV. Blanchard’s father, Tully, was one of the most famous wrestlers of the 1980s and has been inducted to the WWE as part of the legendary Four Horsemen faction.

If Blanchard simply rode famous’ relatives coattails into wrestling, she wouldn’t be the first to do so. But the 23-year old has made a point to chart her own path and prove herself in the ring. Since learning the craft under salty old-school wrestler George South, she’s traveled the world, making her name here in North America, but also in Mexico and Japan, the latter of which embraced women’s wrestling decades ago.

Now, Blanchard is thrilled to have the opportunity to star in a promotion in which no one has to take a back seat because of their gender.

“In a way, I feel like I’ve had to doubly prove myself,” Blanchard told Yahoo Sports. “The first thing that came up was my last name. Yeah, being in a famous wrestling family helps you open doors at first, but that’s it. After that, I’m still the one who has to get the job done in the ring and earn my keep.

“So I had my name held against me,” Blanchard added. “And then because you’re a woman you have to work twice as hard. That just made me more determined to be known for my talents. And that’s why I’m thrilled to be a part of WOW. This is an entire locker room of women who want to go out there and show the fans what we can do every time we compete. I love the energy behind this.”

When wrestlers want to go out and show what their company can do, the people in charge have already won half the battle. Perhaps that’s why Buss, who certainly knows plenty about success running a team which has won 16 NBA championships, is confident WOW will win over fans who give the group a try.

“There are a lot of wrestling promotions out there,” Buss said. “But we’re the ones who are offering fans an opportunity to see the best in women’s wrestling all in one place. I’m excited this day is finally here.”

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