Is the empire crumbling before our eyes?

[Timbo Slice]

Tensai in full getup saying “Please respond” gives me life. 

[NintendoLogic]

Talk about crying all the way to the bank.

[C.S.]

DM says Triple H threatened to fire D-Von if he worked the ECW Tribute Show BCW is running.

Quote

Dudley apparently went through WWE talent relations exec John Cone to get initial approval for the booking, which he believed he could take since he’s not under contract as an on-screen performer. When Bruce Prichard found out about it, he nixed the deal and brought it to Triple H. D-Von asked for permission to work the show, wanting to honor his word to BCW.

Triple H wasn’t swayed. Dave Meltzer’s WWE sources say the company ”didn’t want him [D-Von] in a physical risk,” even though the plans for Dudley at Tribute to the Extreme only called for him to pull out a table for Bully Ray after a video of Terry Funk telling him to get the tables played in the venue. What’s more, Hunter apparently told D-Von WWE would fire him if he kept the booking.

https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2022/12/23/23524390/wwe-threatened-fire-d-von-dudley-if-he-worked-ecw-tribute-show

That seems like a harsh overreaction. I wonder if there's more to the story.

[strobogo]

Could be a liability issue considering D-Von had a stroke not long ago

[C.S.]

2 minutes ago, strobogo said:

Could be a liability issue considering D-Von had a stroke not long ago

Which is understandable, but supposedly all he was there to do was "D-VON, GET THE TABLE!" for Bubba.

[SirEdger]

11 minutes ago, strobogo said:

Could be a liability issue considering D-Von had a stroke not long ago

Seems to be what the issue was about. Apparently, D-Von was only supposed to do the "Get the Table" spot without doing anything physical; a video message from Terry Funk would've prompted that. D-Von thought he could do the appearance since he wasn't an active talent and went to Bruce Prichard, who shut it down. Bruce reported it to Triple H and what happened happened.

[DMJ]

Seems like one of those things where an employee independent contractor does something that the boss doesn't like - D-von took a booking without checking first - and then the boss made a quick decision ("He can't do it") and now, even though that was clearly the wrong decision and there's little reason to disallow D-von from doing the show, the boss (who is still relatively new to the job compared to the old boss, who ran it for 40 years) has to keep the decision because doing otherwise would be undermining himself and showing "weakness." 

Its a shame that D-von can't do it and is losing an opportunity to make some extra cash, so I do hope Triple H considers that in the future. For all the experiences Triple H has had, working everywhere on the card, wearing every possible hat backstage, the one thing he hasn't had to worry about in 25+ years is what life is like outside of the WWE, having to go back to being a true independent contractor and figuring out how to earn an income doing indies or signing with second-tier companies like Impact or Ring of Honor or working overseas. It's very much wishful thinking and goes against the callousness of capitalism, but I do wish Triple H would maybe have better perspective on what a guy like D-Von or other former WWE Superstars go through when they find themselves jobless in their 30s/40s when the WWE has "nothing for them." Unlike Triple H, D-von knows that at any moment, they could do a downsizing and he's back out of a job, so maintaining good relationships with independent promoters is a concern for him that Triple H has never had to worry about.

[Robert S]

Are agents and producers independent contractors as well? I thought they fall in the "office" category, i.e. are "real" employees.

[pmo]

4 hours ago, Robert S said:

Are agents and producers independent contractors as well? I thought they fall in the "office" category, i.e. are "real" employees.

That sounds like that is real issue here.  Cornette has outlined on his podcast many times about the issues he ran into when he was a front office employee (not a contractor)and went to take a bump on i think a house show or something because someone wasn’t there.  HR apparently made a huge issue out of it and it was bad enough that Corny requested his contract status be switched back to contractor.  I can only imagine if they freaked out over a bump on a WWE house show that they wouldn’t be remotely cool with hardcore reunion show.

[Migs]

On 12/23/2022 at 4:56 PM, strobogo said:

Could be a liability issue considering D-Von had a stroke not long ago

Could it have anything to do with BCW being a Rob Feinstein production?

[SirEdger]

That guy is still in the business?

[Strummer]

According to WSJ Vince is planning on coming back to the company

[SirEdger]

Well, 2023 won't be that exciting for WWE after all.

 

The old fart is that spiteful.

[strobogo]

Coming back to sell. Which I think he could do without resuming leadership of actual on screen stuff.

[DMJ]

Wow. 

This is the kinda thing that makes me feel bad for everyone working on the Vince documentary/bio-film that I feel like was in the pipeline at Netflix and/or elsewhere over the years (if its still being made).

I have 0 interest in watching a documentary about Vince McMahon prior to 2021 anymore. I feel like I know it all anyway. Plus, up until 2021, the story was that Vince won, that Vince evaded multiple scandals that should've buried him, that at the end of the film, it would be Vince smiling and laughing that classic Vince laugh. It was a movie that I didn't care to ever watch because I not only knew the story, I knew that it would end with Vince being triumphant. 

But then in 2021, the story changed. He was forced out unwillingly. And while he's still a billionaire and still never really got the true comeuppance he deserved, he was still forced out. And now he's desperately trying to return to power (reminds me of his ex-President buddy).

And this is the story I hope gets told some day - not The Vince McMahon Story that the WWE would produce, focused primarily on his life up till 2021 and all his victories against the government and the PTMC and Ted Turner - but the Vince McMahon Story from 2021 on. That's where the intrigue is for me. That's where you get your Succession-level drama.
 

[KawadaSmile]

this old decrepit motherfucker is moved by hate, it seems. spiteful old man.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

The sun never sets on the Vince McMahon empire.

[flyonthewall2983]

1 hour ago, DMJ said:

Wow. 

This is the kinda thing that makes me feel bad for everyone working on the Vince documentary/bio-film that I feel like was in the pipeline at Netflix and/or elsewhere over the years (if its still being made).

I have 0 interest in watching a documentary about Vince McMahon prior to 2021 anymore. I feel like I know it all anyway. Plus, up until 2021, the story was that Vince won, that Vince evaded multiple scandals that should've buried him, that at the end of the film, it would be Vince smiling and laughing that classic Vince laugh. It was a movie that I didn't care to ever watch because I not only knew the story, I knew that it would end with Vince being triumphant. 

But then in 2021, the story changed. He was forced out unwillingly. And while he's still a billionaire and still never really got the true comeuppance he deserved, he was still forced out. And now he's desperately trying to return to power (reminds me of his ex-President buddy).

And this is the story I hope gets told some day - not The Vince McMahon Story that the WWE would produce, focused primarily on his life up till 2021 and all his victories against the government and the PTMC and Ted Turner - but the Vince McMahon Story from 2021 on. That's where the intrigue is for me. That's where you get your Succession-level drama.
 

Netflix ceased production on that doc awhile ago

[C.S.]

I assume the WSJ article is paywalled. Here it is in full:

Spoiler

WSJ NEWS EXCLUSIVEBUSINESS
Vince McMahon Plots Return to WWE
Majority owner intends to come back to pursue a sale of the business

By Lauren Thomas 
Jan. 5, 2023 4:05 pm ET
 
Vince McMahon, the majority owner and former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., WWE 2.26%increase; green up pointing triangle plans to return to the company following his retirement last year amid a sexual-harassment scandal to pursue a sale of the business, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mr. McMahon, who has majority voting power through his ownership of WWE’s Class-B stock, has told the company that he is electing himself and two former co-presidents and directors, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, to the board, the people said. The move to reinstate Mr. McMahon, which the board previously rebuffed, and the others will require three current directors to vacate their positions.

Mr. McMahon, whose abrupt departure in July 2022 followed disclosures by The Wall Street Journal of multiple payouts to women who had alleged sexual misconduct and infidelity, expects he will be able to assume the role of executive chairman, though he would need board approval for that, the people said.

It isn’t clear where that would leave his daughter, Stephanie McMahon. After his departure, she took over as chairwoman and co-CEO alongside Nick Khan, the company’s former president.
  
The 77-year-old sent a letter to WWE’s board in late December detailing his desire to return to the company he ran for four decades, to help spearhead a strategic-review process, the people said. Mr. McMahon believes there is a narrow window to kick off a sales process because WWE’s media rights—including for its flagship programs “Raw” and “SmackDown”—are about to be renegotiated, according to the people.

Mr. McMahon believes the media landscape is evolving quickly and more companies are looking to own the intellectual property they use on their streaming platforms, making WWE an attractive takeover target, the people said. WWE, which generates most of its revenue from selling content rights, posted its first year of over $1 billion in revenue in 2021. The company currently has a market value of just over $5 billion.

The board responded last month in a letter to Mr. McMahon that it was prepared to initiate a review process and would welcome working with him on it. However, it said it unanimously agreed that Mr. McMahon’s return to the business wouldn’t be in shareholders’ best interest, according to people familiar with the letters.

The board also asked Mr. McMahon to confirm his commitment to repay expenses incurred by WWE related to an investigation of the allegations and requested that he agree not to return to the company during government probes of the matter, the people said. Mr. McMahon said in response that he remains willing to continue working to complete any reimbursement for reasonable expenses related to the investigation, to the extent they aren’t covered by insurance, but he declined to agree to not return to the company.

He has communicated to the board that unless he has direct involvement as executive chairman from the outset of a strategic review, he won’t support or approve any media-rights deal or sale, the people said.

Mr. McMahon retired as WWE chief executive and chairman in July amid a board investigation of sexual-misconduct claims against him. The Journal reported that he had agreed to pay more than $12 million in secret settlements since 2006 to his accusers.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors launched inquiries into the payments. WWE later disclosed additional payments in 2007 and 2009 totaling $5 million that it said were unrelated to the allegations of misconduct that led to its internal investigation.

WWE’s board ultimately found that the payments, though made by Mr. McMahon personally, should have been booked as WWE expenses because they benefited the company.

Mr. McMahon had told people that he intended to make a comeback at WWE, the Journal reported last month. He said that he received bad advice from people close to him last year to step down, according to the people familiar with his comments.

Joe Palazzolo and Ted Mann contributed to this article.

Write to Lauren Thomas at [email protected]

[Embrodak]

Lmaoooooooo

[The Thread Killer]

I am seeing two different takes about this situation. The first seems to be that Vince thinks if he can’t run WWE he is just going to come back as chairman, and force a sale. Basically he’d rather not own it if he can’t run it. In this scenario, he apparently would have no involvement in creative or anything else, he just wants to stack the board, negotiate the next rights deal in order to maximize the stock price and then immediately force a sale.

The next scenario is that this is just his way of forcing his way back into control of the entire company and sooner rather than later, he will be back in control of everything, including creative. Some people are speculating this means he will reverse all of the changes that have been made over the last four months.

I’m not sure which scenario is closer to the truth and I don’t know if there is any reliable reporting out there yet about which scenario is likely to happen?

 

 

[sek69]

It seems like this is a "fuck you" move by Vince, he wants to come back so he can cash out. He's always talked about being open for business (ie: he'd listen to offers if someone was interested in buying) when it comes to selling the company. 

Saw it mentioned that since he stated he won't allow any TV deals to happen without his approval, that could open the door for AEW. If WBD doesn't invoke the option year they're said to have, a TV station can get like 2/3rds the ratings of WWE for 1/2 the price with the added bonus of not having to deal with Vince and his bullshit.

[SirEdger]

2 hours ago, The Thread Killer said:

I am seeing two different takes about this situation. The first seems to be that Vince thinks if he can’t run WWE he is just going to come back as chairman, and force a sale. Basically he’d rather not own it if he can’t run it. In this scenario, he apparently would have no involvement in creative or anything else, he just wants to stack the board, negotiate the next rights deal in order to maximize the stock price and then immediately force a sale.

The next scenario is that this is just his way of forcing his way back into control of the entire company and sooner rather than later, he will be back in control of everything, including creative. Some people are speculating this means he will reverse all of the changes that have been made over the last four months.

I’m not sure which scenario is closer to the truth and I don’t know if there is any reliable reporting out there yet about which scenario is likely to happen?

 

 

At face value, Vince saying he wants to come back to sell the company would sound reasonable if we could actually take his word that his return wouldn't affect creative. The problem is that we cannot take anything Vince promises seriously. We all know that sooner, rather than later, he'll wrest creative from Triple H and screw up everything he did out of spite.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't want to be anyone employed in WWE right now; especially the people hired back under the Paul Levesque regime. Morale won't be fun tomorrow for Smackdown.

[The Thread Killer]

I hope for his sake, Regal got himself a no cut contract like the one Heyman insisted on.

[Al]

If Vince’s intent is indeed selling the company, that means he’s likely to pursue cutting expenses.