WrestleMania Running Diary: Road to the Biggest Event of Them All
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (TheStreet) –– After last years' successful WrestleMania 30 trip to New Orleans, it's time again to experience everything World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) - Get Report has to offer, Silicon Valley stye.
WrestleMania, WWE's biggest annual event, has become more than just a three-hour show and a chance to see your favorite wrestling superstars. The company, based in Stamford, Conn., has turned it into a weeklong extravaganza, with an enormous media blitz, fan access events, a Hall of Fame ceremony, charitable affairs and a whole lot more.
CEO Vince McMahon and his team of entertainers have taken over Silicon Valley, with events held in San Jose, with the big show WrestleMania event held at the San Francisco 49ers' new stadium in Santa Clara.
Follow along with me as I recap my trip to California and show you all that the WWE, the wrestling world and Silicon Valley has to offer.
5:52 a.m.: The driver asks me how to get to Newark Airport, despite being only 20 minutes away from it. He then proceeds to not listen to me or the GPS. Good start to this trip.
6:45 a.m.: Get to Newark Airport (in one piece thankfully), and I'm in line for TSA inspection. If there's a hell, I'd imagine it's the TSA at 6:45 in the morning.
6:47 a.m.: If you're thinking about dropping your laptop on your foot from 3 feet in the air, don't. I can tell you from experience.
6:57 a.m.: Finally boarding my Virgin America (VA) flight to San Francisco. WrestleMania here I come!!
7:19 a.m.: The plane, like Microsoft (MSFT) - Get Report Windows 95, just rebooted. Ummm, help?
7:31 a.m.: Virgin is showing its usual safety video, which is better than watching flight attendants tell me how to use a seat belt. But there's something a little unnerving about watching a nun shimmy with a sly smile.
9:54 a.m.: After going through some work emails and making sure meetings (hey, this trip isn't all fun and games) are in order, I settle in to watch Birdman on the plane. It's a good movie, but I'm glad I didn't go to the theaters to see Michael Keaton play himself.
10:30 a.m.: Finished 15-minute in-flight workout. (No joke.) I now have the body of John Cena and am ready to main event WrestleMania. But strangely, I don't have a voice mail from McMahon asking me to enter the main event. Probably coming tomorrow.
11:00 a.m.: There's nothing like hearing a 6-year old kid on the flight screaming "Brother!" as you wait to pee to remind you that millions of people still care about Hulk Hogan. Also, this 6-year-old has started doing leg drops in the middle of the aisle. The pilots LOVE that.
11:41 a.m.: What a coincidence! There's Hulk Hogan on CNBC'sSquawk Alley. Whatcha gonna do brother, when volatile markets, zero interest rate policy and Hulkamania run wild on you?!?!?
Noon: For a flight headed to San Francisco, there are too many non Apple (AAPL) - Get Report devices. I know I've been up for nine hours already, but I'm not delirious yet. It's like I'm in bizarre world.
1:06 p.m.: I only had half a bag of Combos this year. Sadly, still resorted to cannibalism. Really have to do something about that. Ugh.
1:19 p.m.: HELLO SAN FRANCISCO!!
1:56 p.m.: It's been awhile since I've been in the Bay Area. It's shocking to see gas prices not start at $4.00 a gallon. Hopefully people are spending those savings, but based on recent economic reports, it doesn't look like it.
3:20 p.m.: I finally got settled into the hotel. I'm staying at Hyatt House, which really does a nice job. Very friendly service and I'd definitely recommend.
4:04 p.m.: I had lunch at Jersey Mike's. I come 3,000 miles to have lunch at the same place I eat three times a month on Wall Street. Boy, am I expanding my horizons.
6:34 p.m.: Had some meetings in Palo Alto that were very productive. Have a few surprises for when I get back.
6:55 p.m.: Finally back to hotel after a 14-hour day. Beyond exhausted but I'm slowly turning into a vampire since I don't sleep.
10:29 p.m.: Well, I guess even Dracula gets tired since I just woke up from a two-hour nap, feeling like a million bucks. Grabbed a quick bite came back to my hotel room, to finally relax and call it a night on day one of my WrestleMania trip.