The total number of WWE employees cut on Tuesday now totals 60 or more, according to Wrestlenomics.
The departures come down to WWE management feeling like there were a number of redundant positions across the three departments that are being merged. The merged departments are now to be led by WWE’s Executive Producer & Chief of Global Television Distribution Kevin Dunn, with help from President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan. You can click here, here, here and here for our previous reports on the cuts, how WWE’s international offices were impacted, why the divisions were combined, comments from key players, and more.
It was reported earlier this week that WWE Studios was hit hard by the cuts. Wrestlenomics reports that another influential person who is no longer with the company is Susan Levison, who had worked as the Senior Vice President & Head of WWE Studios. Levison had been with WWE since late March 2019.
As noted, WWE officials held a video meeting with all employees on Wednesday to address the lay-offs. It was reported earlier that the meeting was led by Khan and Chief Financial Officer Kristina Salen, and that Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon did not appear. Word now is that Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and Executive Vice President Paul “Triple H” Levesque also did not speak, but Dunn did.
Dunn briefly spoke at the meeting and explained that the television department, Advanced Media Group, and WWE Studios were all being consolidated under a new department called WWE Media. Dunn will oversee that department after previously leading the television department.
Khan reportedly tried to give encouraging words to employees during the meeting. At one point he became emotional while reading a story about a young woman who made a daily commute of 4 hours from work to college. The story seemed to be an example of a person with a strong work ethic, who WWE employees might emulate.
The meeting was described by @Wrestlevotes as a “reassurance meeting,” but noting that current employees felt no more assured of anything. It was also said that while the meeting was organized well, it contained nothing of real substance.
It was reported earlier this week that employees will return to work at WWE HQ in Stamford, CT in July, after the company let most work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, depending on what department they worked in. Wrestlenomics reports that the date to return to work at company HQ is Tuesday, July 6. Employees are not required to be vaccinated before they come back to the office, but non-vaccinated employees will be required to wear masks under an “honor system.”
The updated list of confirmed key layoffs now looks like this: former International Vice President of Communications Dan Humphreys, after close to 6 years with the company; former WWE Advanced Media Group Executive Vice President Jaylar Donlan, after more than 8 years with the company; former Senior Vice President of Production Brian Pellegatto, after just under 9 years with the company; former Executive Vice President of International Jay Rosenstock, after just under 2 years with the company; former Vice President of Media Operations Makham Nolana, after just over 2 years with the company; former Content Director James Wortman, after 11 years with the company; former Senior Vice President & Head of WWE Studios Susan Levison, after just over 2 years with the company.
Stay tuned for more.
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.
