More than 25 wrestling greats have signed on to the Legends initiative. They include “Rowdy” Roddy Piper™, Jerry “The King Lawler, and “Superstar” Billy Graham,.. The WWE states that it is now ready to start issuing licensed merchandise at retail outlets. WWE issued its first official Legends DVD, Greatest Wrestling Stars of the ‘80’s earlier this month.

Over the next several months, there will be Legends action figures, apparel, books, and more DVDs. The Legends themselves will be touring the US promoting a wide range of WWE activities, including WWE 24/7. Also in the works are Legends fantasy weekends where the fans will have a chance to reminisce with their favourite WWE Legend.

The WWE Legends initiative began informally with the introduction of WWE’s new subscription video on demand (SVOD) service, WWE 24/7™ -- which is, and will be, distributed by cable, telephony, and satellite partners worldwide -- and through the use of the massive video library WWE has amassed over the past several years in career retrospective DVDs, such as The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection and The Rise + Fall of ECW.

WWE senior VP consumer products Donna Goldsmith says, “Our fans have been clamouring for us to do more with their favorite wrestlers of the past, and the WWE Legends initiative is intended to do just that. Through apparel, action figures, video games, DVDs, collectables, and other licensed products, WWE reminds our fans of our great heritage and those great members of the professional wrestling industry who remain their heroes.”

Goldsmith indicated that the Legends initiative could have a far reaching impact for the company. “If we can rekindle in the minds of casual and lapsed wrestling fans why they loved the WWE by reconnecting them with their pop culture icons, then we have a chance at getting them more involved in the current television programmes, Pay-Per-View television events, and products that we offer. Sometimes you need to remind people of your past to get them to be part of your future.”