WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has not been working out of the offices at WWE HQ since he returned to the company last week. He also has not been present for any of the WWE TV tapings since then, according to multiple sources.
It was noted by the Wrestling Observer that before the recent corporate shakeups within WWE, new WWE CEO Nick Khan worked as a “buffer” who kept things smooth between Vince and Stephanie McMahon, and between Vince and current WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H. This was due to reported issues between Vince and his family members in working together.
Since the recent shakeups, word is that Khan is the man running the company as the sole CEO, and right now he is making all final decisions. Vince, as Chairman in an official capacity, is only working on selling the company and media rights deals. The current RAW and SmackDown TV deals are up at the end of September 2024.
Stephanie resigned as WWE Chairwoman and Co-CEO this week. Those close to the situation within WWE have tried to present her decision to leave as being related to her leave of absence from 2022, in the sense that she reevaluated her life after Triple H’s heart condition, and wanted to focus on raising her three daughters, and was wealthy enough that money would never be a concern. Stephanie ended up coming back from that leave of absence, when the Vince scandal was ramping up, but this resignation was different as she also left the Board of Directors and cut all ties with the company she’s been with since she was a teenager.
WWE is looking to sell the company by mid-2023, but there is no guarantee it will be sold. We’ve noted how WWE is looking to get top dollar for the company, specifically a few billion dollars. Word is that officials are hoping to get in the range of $8.5 billion for the company, which is more than double of what Endeavor bought UFC for in 2016.
It’s been reported that many contenders are in the running to buy WWE, including Endeavor, Disney, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Comcast, and perhaps a group led by AEW President Tony Khan and his father. It was also noted that the front-runner seems to be the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which could be the only way for WWE to stay private, and keep McMahon in control.
However, sources within WWE are saying that the Saudis are not the favorite, but they are in the running.
The Saudis and their PIF were heavily rumored to buy WWE on Tuesday night, but Ariel Helwani and TMZ Sports dismissed the rumors on Wednesday morning. The Observer reports that the rumors led to concern among WWE talents, including those who were working the WWE NXT TV tapings that night in Orlando. It was noted that the mood was said to be very depressing as word of the rumors got around the taping, with many believing the story was true due to the online buzz and frenzy.
Regarding morale within WWE, the general feeling is that the mood and morale across the board picked up greatly when Vince left back in the summer, and while there was some uncertainty among talent about creative without Vince in charge, most fears were alleviated over the next few months and morale had been higher than it was in a long time. There is now some concern within WWE, but many factors are still up in the air as nothing significant for the future has been confirmed or finalized.
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more. Below are links to some of our recent reports on the ongoing situation:
FULL COVERAGE OF THE VINCE MCMAHON – JOHN LAURINAITIS ALLEGATIONS AND FALLOUT:
– More on AEW’s Interest In Purchasing WWE, the Expected Sale Price for WWE
– New Report on the WWE Sale and Triple H & Stephanie McMahon, Potential Buyers
– WWE Hires Outside Advisors to Help with Sale Talks, Vince McMahon Comments
– Update on the WWE Sale – Saudi Arabia PIF Rumors from Tuesday Night
– Major Rumors on a WWE Sale Making the Rounds
– WWE Names Vince McMahon as Chairman Once Again; Comments from Vince, Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon
– Stephanie McMahon Announces WWE Resignation
– JP Morgan Gets Hired By WWE To Assist With Potential Sale
– Full Transcript from Today’s WWE Meeting Led By Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan and Frank Riddick
– Backstage News from WWE Meeting, WWE Going Private Again?, Vince McMahon Notes, More
– WWE Holding Important Meeting Today, Wall Street Reacts to Vince McMahon’s Return to The Board
– Wall Street Reacts to Potential WWE Sale and Return of Vince McMahon
– Backstage Reactions to Vince McMahon Confirming His Plans for a WWE Return
– Vince McMahon Issues Statement and Details on Plans for WWE Return
– Vince McMahon Reportedly Planning WWE Return for a Major Sale
– Vince McMahon Scandal Hurt WWE’s Ability to Sell Sponsorships
– Backstage Talk on Vince McMahon’s Post-WWE Life
– WWE Says Vince McMahon’s Departure May Hurt the Company Creatively and Financially
– WWE Reveals $5 Million More In Payments Made By Vince McMahon
– Backstage Updates on WWE and John Laurinaitis, WWE’s Board of Directors Investigation
– Linda McMahon Comments on Vince McMahon’s WWE Retirement After Being Pressed By Reporter
– Vince McMahon WWE Stock Update, Vince’s WWE Ownership, Linda McMahon Note
– USA Network Looks Ahead to Big WWE Changes, USA on Fan Reactions to Triple H Taking Over Creative
– Top WWE Stars Jab at Vince McMahon’s Retirement on RAW
– What Triple H Promised to WWE Talents In Pre-RAW Backstage Meeting, More Backstage Notes
– Vince McMahon Facing Additional Investigations?, More on Vince’s Exit from WWE
– WWE Restates Financial Statements Due to Unrecorded Vince McMahon Expenses, Vince to Pay Money Back
– Backstage News on Brock Lesnar Working WWE SmackDown After Walking Out Earlier
– Stephanie McMahon and WWE Fans Send “Thank You” Message to Vince McMahon
– Read Vince McMahon’s Full Retirement Letter Sent to WWE Employees
– Brock Lesnar Officially Pulled from WWE SmackDown
– WWE to Replace Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam?, More on Lesnar’s Reaction to Vince McMahon’s Retirement
– Backstage News on Vince McMahon’s Retirement, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan’s New WWE Roles, More
– Brock Lesnar Reportedly Leaves SmackDown, Upset Over Vince McMahon’s WWE Retirement
– Vince McMahon Retires from WWE
– Triple H at WWE SmackDown, Backstage Talk on Triple H’s New Role, Bruce Prichard Update, More
– WWE Announces Triple H’s New Executive Role, Triple H Comments
– Netflix Reportedly Pulls Vince McMahon Project, Millions of Dollars Spent
– WWE Issues Internal Statement on Latest Vince McMahon Allegations
– Vince McMahon Reportedly Paid Millions of Dollars In “Hush Money” to Former Wrestler and Others
– News on Who Made the Decision to Name Stephanie McMahon as WWE’s Interim CEO & Chairwoman
– Stephanie McMahon Addresses Investigation Into Her Father During WWE HQ Meeting
– How Much Value WWE Has Lost Since Vince McMahon Scandal Broke, WWE Ratings Up Due to Buzz?
– WWE Now Facing Multiple Potential Class Action Lawsuits
– Vince McMahon Makes Surprise WWE RAW Appearance to Hype Big Return
– More Details On Vince McMahon’s Mood, Backstage Atmosphere At Friday’s WWE SmackDown
– Vince McMahon Opens Tonight’s WWE SmackDown, Video of the Segment
– Stephanie McMahon Sends Message to WWE Staff After Today’s Huge Announcement
– Vince McMahon Announced for WWE SmackDown
– Pat McAfee Reacts to Vince McMahon Allegations, Thinks We Will Never Get the Truth
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