Within WWE this evening, the initial response to Vince McMahon's resignation was a mix of relief and happiness, depending on who you speak with.
There are some who feel that McMahon got what was coming to him based on the allegations in the lawsuit filing by Janel Grant.
There was also a feeling that once Slim Jim paused their sponsorship (a deal that was worth a huge amount of money to the company) there were going to be additional dominoes that fell and McMahon would have no choice but to unceremoniously exit at some point, but his resignation happened much faster than anyone in the company had expected even earlier today. As one source noted, Slim Jim's latest deal with WWE, announced in August 2023, was the largest sponsorship in the history of WWE, and once that money was in danger of being lost, "it was just a matter of time."
There are also some who are glad Vince is now distanced "officially" from the company, as he was, as one source commented, "a black cloud hanging over everything even though he wasn't involved in anything" at this point. McMahon had not been in charge of WWE Creative for some time and his role in the company was more ceremonial then anything else at this juncture. Now, that has ended as well.
There are some in the company hoping that this opens the door for Stephanie McMahon to return, although others we spoke to cautioned that it's not the same company that existed (internally) before Endeavor took over ownership so how she might potentially fit back in would not be immediately known.
There is also a belief (and depending on who you are, a concern) that Endeavor may sweep out anyone close to Vince McMahon and his remaining team in order to have a complete "fresh start" for the company going forward. There were employees who exited the company when Vince initially resigned who returned when he forced his way back in. For those who have remained with WWE post-Endeavor purchase, the belief among those we've spoken with tonight is their connection to McMahon may be a major negative going forward for their WWE status.
While McMahon is still a massive stockholder in the company, he cannot force his way back into power the way he did the last time he resigned. Post-Endeavor sale, he is no longer the majority stockholder and would not have the power to return the way he did before. There is no effective way for him to return to the Board on his own.
Obviously, a lot is happening and very quickly. We will update accordingly but many in the company are hoping the focus will be back on this weekend's Royal Rumble PPV, The Netflix deal, etc.
There are some who feel that McMahon got what was coming to him based on the allegations in the lawsuit filing by Janel Grant.
There was also a feeling that once Slim Jim paused their sponsorship (a deal that was worth a huge amount of money to the company) there were going to be additional dominoes that fell and McMahon would have no choice but to unceremoniously exit at some point, but his resignation happened much faster than anyone in the company had expected even earlier today. As one source noted, Slim Jim's latest deal with WWE, announced in August 2023, was the largest sponsorship in the history of WWE, and once that money was in danger of being lost, "it was just a matter of time."
There are also some who are glad Vince is now distanced "officially" from the company, as he was, as one source commented, "a black cloud hanging over everything even though he wasn't involved in anything" at this point. McMahon had not been in charge of WWE Creative for some time and his role in the company was more ceremonial then anything else at this juncture. Now, that has ended as well.
There are some in the company hoping that this opens the door for Stephanie McMahon to return, although others we spoke to cautioned that it's not the same company that existed (internally) before Endeavor took over ownership so how she might potentially fit back in would not be immediately known.
There is also a belief (and depending on who you are, a concern) that Endeavor may sweep out anyone close to Vince McMahon and his remaining team in order to have a complete "fresh start" for the company going forward. There were employees who exited the company when Vince initially resigned who returned when he forced his way back in. For those who have remained with WWE post-Endeavor purchase, the belief among those we've spoken with tonight is their connection to McMahon may be a major negative going forward for their WWE status.
While McMahon is still a massive stockholder in the company, he cannot force his way back into power the way he did the last time he resigned. Post-Endeavor sale, he is no longer the majority stockholder and would not have the power to return the way he did before. There is no effective way for him to return to the Board on his own.
Obviously, a lot is happening and very quickly. We will update accordingly but many in the company are hoping the focus will be back on this weekend's Royal Rumble PPV, The Netflix deal, etc.
