Kemo
09-22-2023, 09:02 PM
Speculation is growing about Vince McMahon's future with WWE & TKO Group Holdings given the 78-year-old's recent actions.
McMahon strong-armed his way back into WWE in January of this year, reportedly threatening to snub out any plans to sell the promotion without his approval. In April, it was announced that Endeavor would be acquiring the promotion in a deal that was finalized with the launching of TKO Group Holdings last week.
As Dan Primack of Axios pointed out this week, a recent SEC filing stated that all of McMahon's shares are registered for sale. With 28.84 million shares to his name, McMahon would earn close to $3 billion if each one was sold.
Primack knows that McMahon and other parties (including WWE CEO Nick Khan) "will be selling stockholders in this offering." This would give McMahon little chance of retaining control of the promotion without these shares.
Given that McMahon regretted retiring from WWE last year due to the hush-money scandal, it's odd that McMahon would seemingly want out of WWE again. McMahon is currently the subject of a federal investigation hanging over his head and while no charges have been filed yet, it remains a possibility.
In a regulatory filing, TKO itself described McMahon's involvement as a risk that "could expose us to negative publicity and/or have other adverse financial and operational impacts on our business."
At 78 years old, McMahon could be seeking an exit from WWE to relax in his old age. During the recent meeting with WWE staff following mass layoffs, McMahon was seen using a cane to aid him in getting to and from a platform. Despite this, McMahon told Kurt Angle upon the Olympian's return to WWE in 2017 that he plans to live until he's 120 and that 'they' will have to pry WWE from his cold, dead, hands.
McMahon strong-armed his way back into WWE in January of this year, reportedly threatening to snub out any plans to sell the promotion without his approval. In April, it was announced that Endeavor would be acquiring the promotion in a deal that was finalized with the launching of TKO Group Holdings last week.
As Dan Primack of Axios pointed out this week, a recent SEC filing stated that all of McMahon's shares are registered for sale. With 28.84 million shares to his name, McMahon would earn close to $3 billion if each one was sold.
Primack knows that McMahon and other parties (including WWE CEO Nick Khan) "will be selling stockholders in this offering." This would give McMahon little chance of retaining control of the promotion without these shares.
Given that McMahon regretted retiring from WWE last year due to the hush-money scandal, it's odd that McMahon would seemingly want out of WWE again. McMahon is currently the subject of a federal investigation hanging over his head and while no charges have been filed yet, it remains a possibility.
In a regulatory filing, TKO itself described McMahon's involvement as a risk that "could expose us to negative publicity and/or have other adverse financial and operational impacts on our business."
At 78 years old, McMahon could be seeking an exit from WWE to relax in his old age. During the recent meeting with WWE staff following mass layoffs, McMahon was seen using a cane to aid him in getting to and from a platform. Despite this, McMahon told Kurt Angle upon the Olympian's return to WWE in 2017 that he plans to live until he's 120 and that 'they' will have to pry WWE from his cold, dead, hands.