WrestleMania is known for its pageantry, spectacle and groundbreaking pay-per-view impact. It is now also known as one of the elite cable programs of the past three decades, according to CableWORLD Magazine.

The latest edition of the publication ranks WrestleMania at No. 6 on its list of "Cable Programming's Top 50," composed of satellite-delivered shows, televised events and moments of the past 30 years. Under criteria such as historical significance, industry implications, originality, popularity and memorability, WrestleMania was ranked higher than ESPN's SportsCenter; the O.J. Simpson trial; CNN's Larry King Live; MTV's The Real World; Michael Jackson's music videos; HBO's Sex and the City; and TNT's NBA playoffs coverage, among many others.

As one reason for ranking WrestleMania among the best of its best, CableWORLD noted that "this 1985 event made wrestling a ratings stronghold and a pay-per-view cash machine."
 
Other key events in the top six included Live From Baghdad: First Night of Gulf War Coverage (CNN); The Sopranos (HBO); ESPN Sunday Night Football; Nicktoons (Nickelodeon); and Choose or Lose (MTV).

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