WWE Tribute To The Troops To Air On FOX
By Ryan Satin
FOX Sports can exclusively reveal the 18th annual WWE Tribute to the Troops special will air next month on FOX.
On December 6, adjacent to Sunday’s regional NFL broadcasts, viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 1:00 PM ET can watch WWE Tribute To The Troops at 4:30 PM ET.
Viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 4:05 PM ET, on the other hand, can watch the special at 3:00 PM ET.
This year's event taking place inside of the WWE ThunderDome, the company's state-of-the-art setup at the Amway Center which showcases a plethora of virtual video walls, will include servicemen and women from all over the United States with their families.
This includes troops from the Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina, the US Army Post Fort Hood in Texas, the U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in Ridgecrest, California.
"This is a unique time and we look forward to providing our troops and their families with an interactive experience that only WWE can deliver as we celebrate our servicemen and women with millions of our fans watching at home on FOX," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO.
"Supporting the United States military year-round is an essential part of FOX Sports’ mission, and partnering with WWE on their Tribute to the Troops is an incredible extension of this ongoing commitment," added Eric Shanks, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
For those unfamiliar with the event, WWE began Tribute to the Troops in 2003 to honor our servicemen and women, as well as their families, and thank them for their continued sacrifice to our country.
Memorable moments from past events include:
- Triple H and Shawn Michaels Boot Camp match in 2005 at Afghanistan’s Bagram Airfield
- New Day, The Club and The Shield having a stand-off
- "Stone Cold" Steve Austin hitting a Stunner on John Cena in 2003 at the first Tribute show in Tikrit, Iraq
And many more.
In addition to the annual event, WWE will be hosting virtual meet and greet sessions with WWE Superstars and military members as a way of paying back for their sacrifices.
Past celebrity guests at the event have included Diddy, John Stewart, Howie Mandel, Maria Menounos and more.
President Barack Obama also once filmed a pre-recored message for the show in support of the troops.
We're told WWE will begin making announcements on which celebrities will be appearing at this year's event in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned.
