By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
Vince McMahon is making moves to reclaim the power he forfeited when he resigned from WWE. The Wall Street Journal reports that McMahon has informed the WWE Board of Directors that he is electing himself and former WWE executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson to the board. “The move to reinstate Mr. McMahon, which the board previously rebuffed, and the others will require three current directors to vacate their positions,” reads the story. McMahon, who still has majority voting power, also told the WWE Board of Directors that he will not support any media-rights deal or sale of the company unless he has direct involvement.
“WWE is entering a critical juncture in its history with the upcoming media rights negotiations coinciding with increased industry-wide demand for quality content and live events and with more companies seeking to own the intellectual property on their platforms,” McMahon wrote in a statement. “The only way for WWE to fully capitalize on this opportunity is for me to return as Executive Chairman and support the management team in the negotiations for our media rights and to combine that with a review of strategic alternatives. My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.” Read the full story at WallStreetJournal.com.
Powell’s POV: For those who don’t have WSJ access, a version of the story is available via Yahoo.com. WSJ previously reported that their sources had stated that Vince was interested in returning because he felt he had been given bad advice when he was advised to reign. Today’s WSJ reporting provides evidence that he is officially making his play. There was a lot of internal backlash against the idea when the previous story was released, and I can’t imagine those feelings have changed. Obviously, we will continue to keep close tabs on the story, which Jake Barnett and I will be discussing during today’s Dot Net Weekly audio show for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
Definitely rooting for Vince on this one, if only so that the 20 terrible NXT midgets that HHH brought back will get fired again.
Doesn’t he own by far the most stock?
Remember when he brought back the Nwo in storylines with the plan to destroy what he created? Might not be that far off…
Just saw the headline on the WSJ, came here to see if y’all wrote anything about it, glad you did! Not surprised he’s trying to nudge his way back in. WWE is literally all he knows and I’m so curious what he’s been doing the past 5 or 6 months that it’s been. Hopefully his attempts fail
At least the “20 terrible midgets” get paid for being “terrible”. You’re keeping yourself at the nadir of commenters for free.
Come on, Vince. Let it be or are you so delusional and butthurt to kill WWE’s current momentum just for sake of your already overblown ego?
What WWE momentum? They just had the worst two month ratings run on Raw in the history of the show, including the single least watched hour of all time.
Vince has something like 30% of the stock, but it’s all of the preferred stock type that gives him 81% of the voting power.
Tell me you’re not including the “best of” edition. And no mention of Smackdown’s numbers? NXT typically being up over the year before? Levesque’s booking of Raw and Smackdown hasn’t been perfect, but it’s been significantly better than the old man’s booking in recent years. Internally, you’d be hard pressed to find more than some old cronies who would be happy to see him return. When WSJ covered it last month, the internal negativity regarding Vince returning was off the charts.
It’s also funny that “Brian” disappeared and now “Bob” is doing his exact same shtick in the comments.
Even so, your takes are pretty extreme, bro.
To add, I’m not sure who would want old man back that rehashed stories and refused to introduce new stars?
This ridiculous Roman Reigns Title run is result of him. Which is why WWE is bad shape as it is.
Then again Wrestling isnt in a boom period anyways. Are you expecting some monsterous ratings from no champ on Raw?
Roman’s title reign has been a positive for everything other than maybe Raw. On the other hand, all those years it took Vince to accept that Roman needed to turn heel were a big problem.
Imagine being such a self-centered prick that you want the sex pest control freak back in power so that you might enjoy the product more. And at the expense of the morale of the entire workforce no less. What an insufferable person.
Invasion 2.0. If he comes back and doesn’t include it on the shows I will stop watching
Vince Ian ow officially back! Jason, you are going to be one busy man reporting several firings of talents in the next few weeks. It was too good to be true. What is disgusting human that man is.
Vince McMahon is* autocorrect sucks.
There comes a point where your morality has to win out. This company treats its ‘independent contractors’ with contempt, happily takes blood money from Saudi’s, and is now bringing back an egomaniacal sex pest…
I dont know Jason, someone else before Roman may have deserved this kind of reign too. Relegating your top guys to part time, no house show stars to placate their feelings seems to be a problem. No champ on raw makes it even more unwatchable or less exciting. United States title is what it is…secondary belt. Can’t change that, unfortunately.
Might have been too late to recognize him as uber-champion, but at what cost? No new contenders too…
I already acknowledged that it’s not great for Raw. That’s the only business knock I can really come up with. Smackdown numbers are doing great. PLE/PPV business is strong. House shows are no longer the primary source of revenue so it was wise to cut back on the count, and doing so had nothing to do with Reigns.
I’ll never resent guys like Reigns, Lesnar, Taker, Cena, and others who have had been successful enough to make big money while working fewer dates. Hell, I envy them. Do we look down on AEW wrestlers for working once per week most weeks? I don’t. Good for them.
As for the lack of challengers, it happens eventually in a long reign. I remember going to house shows with Hogan defending against Sika, One Man Gang, and Killer Khan.
I think it’s really just a case of you not liking Roman’s reign. And that’s fine. We all have our likes and dislikes. But you just haven’t demonstrated how it’s been bad for business.
Not really resent, just an odd time to do this during change of guard and transition of power.
I definitely dont have dislike Reigns run. This run should have happened with a Brock Lesnar or even Cena type. But thats here and there.
Its just now killing one show and changing dynamics similar to how people thought Smackdown was a b show. Raw has become just that.
We are to the point now where Champion doesnt even defend his title on PPV. Just a unique time I guess.
Thing have changed for good under HHH but damn, World Titles are just bleak, I guess that might change after WM.