Vince McMahon, former WWE Chairman and CEO, made a rare public appearance at Madison Square Garden on March 17, 2025, attending the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. Seated courtside, McMahon was acknowledged during the ESPN broadcast as a “former wrestling promoter.”
McMahon’s attendance at the Knicks game marks his second public appearance at a sporting event in recent months, following his presence at the Super Bowl. His appearance at Madison Square Garden, a venue historically significant to WWE, has sparked discussions about his future endeavors in the entertainment industry.
This appearance comes amid ongoing legal issues for McMahon. As PWMania.com previously reported, on January 2024, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon, alleging sexual assault, sex trafficking, and physical and emotional abuse. The lawsuit also names WWE and former executive John Laurinaitis as defendants. While McMahon resigned from his position as executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, in January 2024, the civil lawsuit remains ongoing.
Despite these legal challenges, McMahon has been laying the groundwork for a new entertainment company. Rumors have circulated about the potential launch of a new wrestling promotion that could air on Fox, the former home of WWE SmackDown. Speculation intensified after McMahon attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans last month, which aired on Fox, and reports emerged that his new company was seeking to hire camera operators with experience in wrestling. However, Fox has denied any involvement in a potential new promotion.
