Home Vince McMahon isn’t gone forever: Former WWE head man is just biding his time
Sports News

Vince McMahon isn’t gone forever: Former WWE head man is just biding his time

Chris Graham
wrestling wwe aew
(© Destina – stock.adobe.com)

Vince McMahon has stepped down from his roles at WWE, but since he still controls the company, you have to wonder: is he just laying low?

It’s hard to imagine, as long as McMahon still owns a supermajority of the voting shares in WWE, that he is just going to spend more time with the grandkids, maybe volunteer a couple nights a week at a local nonprofit theater, take up a new hobby, maybe painting.

His daughter, Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, was installed as the company’s co-CEO, alongside Nick Khan, the logical choice to run things as the former WWE president and chief financial officer.

Stephanie’s husband, Paul Levesque, known to wrestling fans as Triple H, is back as executive vice president of talent relations.

Long-time McMahon toady Bruce Pritchard is still involved on the creative team, his main qualification for that role being his intimate knowledge of what Vince McMahon wants out of WWE in terms of its weekly TV content.

Another McMahon hanger-on, Kevin Dunn, is still in charge of production.

The people in the key jobs, aside from Khan, are McMahon loyalists. Basically, everything they know about wrestling, they learned from Vince.

The only thing different in the here and now is that Vince McMahon isn’t physically sitting in the Gorilla position on Mondays, Fridays and once a month on Saturdays or Sundays.

He’s not just flipping on the TV and waiting to see what they’re doing different from when he was in charge.

And when the TV deals with Fox and NBCUniversal come up for renegotiation next year, while Khan is a big player on the business side, you know McMahon, who is the guy who changed the wrestling business with his vision for how TV needed to be the primary source of revenues, will be at least involved, if not in the lead.

McMahon is saying all the right things, but come on, there’s no way this is anything but turning the heat down.

Assuming there are no other NDAs, McMahon’s gamble is that time, which as the saying goes heals all wounds, will rehabilitate his reputation enough to allow him to quietly do what he wants to do behind the scenes, and then eventually again in front of the cameras.

But this is assuming that there are no other NDAs. If there are other NDAs, then the sense in the McMahon inner circle must be that revelations to that effect are about to become public, and his retirement announcement is just gettin’ while the gettin’ is good.

That’s entirely possible.

I think it’s more possible that McMahon, a master at game theory, is playing the table again, waiting for us to forget that he’s even gone, ready to pounce when the moment calls for it, which is this time next year, when it’s time to sign the next round of multibillion-dollar TV deals.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

Latest News

Saquon Barkley rushing yards odds
Sports News

Live Saquon Barkley Rushing Yards Odds As Philadelphia Eagles Make Impressive Start At Super Bowl LIX

patrick mahomes - How To Bet On The Super Bowl
Sports News

Super Bowl Betting Apps With Free Bets For The Second Half

See here the best Super Bowl betting apps with free bets for the second half as the Philadelphia Eagles take a commanding lead. The Eagles have stormed out to a 17-0 advantage thanks to a tush push from quarterback Jalen Hurts and a pick-six by star cornerback Cooper DeJean. The second half is surely going...

patrick mahomes passing yards odds Super Bowl
Sports News

Live Patrick Mahomes Passing Yards Odds As He Looks To Inspire Kansas City Chiefs To Super Bowl Three-Peat

The Kansas City Chiefs are aiming to secure a historic Super Bowl three-peat and the best sports betting sites are offering live odds of Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards during the clash with the Philadelphia Eagles. BetOnline is among the best offshore sportsbooks giving players the chance to bet on the Super Bowl during the Big...

eight best super bowl live betting sites in florida
Sports News

8 Best Super Bowl Live Betting Sites In Florida

patrick mahomes - How To Bet On The Super Bowl
Sports News

8 Best Super Bowl Live Betting Sites In Texas

Jalen Hurts passing yards odds
Sports News

Super Bowl Sportsbook Promos With Free Bet Bonuses

Jalen Hurts passing yards odds
Sports News

Jalen Hurts Passing Yards Odds As Philadelphia Eagles Take Early Lead In Super Bowl LIX