Could the WWE Survive without the McMahons?

[Shocky]

A nice hypothetical question to pose, considering in some reality, it could possibly happen. The WWE is a publically traded company, with shares and shareholders. Even though I'm fairly confident that the McMahon family has an overwhelming majority of said shares, there is a possibility that one day, someone could acquire more shares, If this happens, a lot could change.

So if the board decides that the McMahons are no longer what's best for business, could the WWE survive without them? It's a tough question to pose. I'm sure most are going to say that the WWE would probably take a hit, but keep on trucking in the long run.

The McMahons and the W/WWF/E are one in the same. One hasn't existed without the other. The McMahons have had a role on television in one way, shape or form throughout most of it's existence. Whether it be Vince Jr. at the announcers table, Shane a referee in the background, or the Tyranical reign of Mr. McMahon, they are there.

Me, I have a hard time thinking that the WWE in particular could survive without a McMahon, but think it's possible. Some are sick of teh McMahons to begin with. However, something would have to come along to fill that huge vaccum created by the lack of a constant name. Could whomever the board selects to be in charge fill those big shoes? I'm not too sure.

I'm up in the air on this one. Something tells me that the WWE is a big enough company to survive without teh McMahon family influence, bu then again, I look around the business, and every other company in the business has gone out of business, except for the WWE.

 

[RadioGaGa]

Obviously the McMahons single handedly brought the WWE to what it is today and yes they have stayed in business despite the deaths of WCW and ECW but I think that the WWE would survive without the McMahons.

Firstly, I think someone new at the helm would refresh the current product considerably. Let's face it, it's common knowledge that everything in the company goes through Vince and while that does have a lot of pros (especially when Russo was around and Vince basically had a leash on him) I think that a new direction could be what the WWE needs with ratings slowly declining and TNA slowly slowly growing.

Filling McMahon's void would most likely be an insurmountable task, both on and off camera. The board wouldn't exactly be in a position to gamble which rules out the option of a young go-getter like Bischoff when he ran WCW.
The board would choose conservatively, and I'm not sure they'd have the replacement fill the authority role on and off camera, which in fairness to Vince is a pretty superhuman task. Probably a Flair, or Triple H to carry out the on-screen chair, but I've no idea who could take over from Vince backstage.

 

[Bozzaholic]

Firstly, I think someone new at the helm would refresh the current product considerably.

- I think this is more to do with the creative them then the McMahon's - obviously the McMahon's are on the creative team but they do not some up with all of the ideas that go on screen. Just some of them, if a new team of writers were to go in there it would completely change the product

The board wouldn't exactly be in a position to gamble which rules out the option of a young go-getter like Bischoff when he ran WCW.

That depends on the prodct the board wish to deliver - I bet young "Go getter's" are a dime a dozen in the US but lets be honest WWE's ratings were better when they were less entertainment more wrestling product and the only place you're going to get that is in japan - and the Japanese would not be main stream enough for a WWE board to even think about

I'm not sure they'd have the replacement fill the authority role on and off camera, which in fairness to Vince is a pretty superhuman task. Probably a Flair, or Triple H to carry out the on-screen chair,

The WWE have had loads of WWE on screen bosses with various commishioners, GM's and what have - Heck even Test got a go at being boss for the night - this would be an easy thing to sort out, any member of the WWE roster can do it

but I've no idea who could take over from Vince backstage.

If we're talking booking then there is Cornette or Heyman and if we're talking business then anyone who has made in Live TV could do it - Hell Simon Cowell could probably run the business side of WWE just as good as Vince

 

[TomSmithUK]

I think it'll be a combination of Triple H and Shawn Michaels to be honest with you, and it could make for an interesting period, assuming that they are both off screen by that point.

Triple H being family and one of the greatest in-ring performers (don't argue for the sake of it) ever, it's logical that he'll be high up the order, and I refuse to believe that Vince isn't grooming him to fill the void, because let's be honest, we need a strong personality backstage to cope with all these egos. Michaels is a true pro, and I think he could work well with creative, especially on a one to one basis with talent helping them tell stories with their work

 

[HBK-aholic]

Just watch this 3 hour special and you shall see. The WWE needs the McMahons. In my opinion, this was the best Raw in a long time, and that was spurred on by the presence of Stephanie and Shane. Both of whom are amazing. The WWE needs the McMahons. Sure, it has enough fans to stay going for a while after they left. But, mark my words, they would all eventually leave. I doubt WWE could even expect what TNA now draws. As I said, it'd live on 'name' value at first. But that won't last forever.

 

[supersayian]

i agree Raw was way better off with the Mcmahons on T.V. they bring that attitude back to the show and create a better fan reaction then anyone else could. this is a good angle now as it looks Shane and Stephanie will run raw in a power struggle and Vince will come back to claim what is his. this is going to help ratings i tell you now

 

[Lee]

I think that if WWE really wants to move on from the 'attitude era' they need to keep Vince off TV, it saddens me to say it as I think he is an absolute legend in the field. Whether it is McMahons on TV I think WWE can survive, but there is a difference between surviving and doing well.

I think having a McMahon will be really good for the product, and the McMahon in question is not Vince, Linda or Steph but it's former European and Hardcore champion Shane O Mac.

It was quite noticeable on Monday that he was rather over, whether this will stay as him over, or whether this will see him go as a heel in due course (His theme song "here comes the money," his dad being a former champion and himself being a great worker, I could see him getting involved with Priceless).

 

[EDGECAGE]

IMO a WWe with out at least One active member of the McMahon clan would lead to bad things for the wwe. I mean look at history, the most heated fueds have in some ways most of the time been connected to them in some way or enother.

 

[The Undercover Man]

I'm sure that Vince McMahon and his family would do anything they can to keep hold of their companies assests, i honestly could'nt see any buyers or shareholders owning more then them. With the amount of power all of the McMahon's have i doubt we'd ever see a revolt against them by any other shareholders. If this did happen and the board members thought the McMahons were no longer adequate for their jobs then i think WWE could'nt survive without them. The whole company has been made by them and they have put so much into it as a whole. As much as people hate Vince or Stephanie i think its fair to say if they went WWE would really be no more. Yeah, if the McMahons did leave the great company we call WWE would obviously take a few hits and also may struggle to survive in the long run, i can't really see anyone else who is connected with wrestling fans that would take over the "top job" at the WWE.

Either way you look at it if the McMahon's ever went off of TV i could see a lot of long term wrestling fans stop watching because the McMahon's realy brought everything to wrestling and have been the source of inspiration for many other wrestling promotions.

I also much like the OP find it difficult to think of the WWE without a McMahon, WWE would'nt be the same in my opinion. So if the McMahon's did get bought out who would takeover? i could never see anyone in the near future taking over WWE simply because theres a lack of constant name around. If anyone had to replace Vince or the shareholders brought in someone new i'd pick Paul Heyman.

The WWE is a big enough company but i think in a sense they are way to small to survive without a McMahon. The Mcmahon family have revolutionised wrestling and i honestly could'nt see the WWE without at least 1 of them in charge. WWE just would'nt be the same.

 

[Canadian Knight]

First off if the McMahons did lose they're controlling share does not mean we would not see them. They would need someone to control the show and help run it, unless whoever takes over already knows how to do it. I think that there is a possibilty that they could survive with them.

Yes it would be havoc. However if someone we know gained control that we know like an ex wrestler, I think alot more people will tune in to the wrestling just to see what is happening. A few things bad that would happen would be HHH would lose alot of power (after all he is married into the family), I think the Divas would lose alot of airtime and become just eye candy, and you would see a few wrestlers retire or fired (maybe just HBK).

The real question is it even likely that with the American Economy as it is, would someone risk buying a controlling share of the WWE right now?

 

[shelley2306]

I think if you're really looking to boost ratings with the WWE, the McMahon's have to come back. Because Stephanie has already managed SD, she could either go back there as GM and fire Vickie, or stay on Raw as GM, then Shane GM the other. Battle of the siblings which has HHH and Stephanie united for SD at WM25 versus Shane and one of the main eventers from Raw on the otherside. Mr McMahon turns up and there's some big news for who ever loses has to be the Assistant GM to the other, while Vince takes over the now vacant GM position...

 

[RBH]

I think that Vince is slowly retiring from on screen roles for himself so the on screen roles of the McMahons will have to go to Shane and Stephanie. Linda could always make an occasional appearance btu I believe that we are done seeing all four of them on at the same time for the moment. Shane does have a wife though (Marissa) She could be a character if she ever wanted to. In a few years if the McMahons and WWE are still alive, the kids can be characters. But truthfully, without the McMahons, the WWE would have died a long time ago. They have a great influence and are great businesspeople and that is one reason why I believe that no one but them could have kept the WWE afloat as long as they have.

 

[jeffhardyno1619]

Well quite frankly i dont find wwe could survive without the mcmhaons they built this buisness they made it what it is today without the mcmahons it wouldn't be the same so my answer is no i dont think wwe would survive without the mcmhaons

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

I cannot say anything in regards to Linda McMahon and Shane McMahon, as I do not how vital they are to WWE's operations and financial management. However, I will have to say that WWE could easily survive without Stephanie McMahon while it could also, under one condition, survive without Vince McMahon.

In my opinion, I fail to see, relative to other people, anything of worth that Stephanie McMahon brings to WWE. She has headed WWE creative since 2006 and I have yet to see something come from creative during this time that parallels what WWE has offered prior to this point. In my opinion, they could probably bring in someone for a fraction of her cost, keep her with the same salary but with less power, and still get much better results (i.e., better product whose financial benefits would more than offset the costs incurred for hiring a seemingly superfluous additional head of WWE creative). So, in response to the question originally posed, I counter with this question: Can WWE Survive with Stephanie McMahon?

On the other hand, Vince McMahon, apart from the fact that he owns an overwhelming majority of WWE, has played an integral part in his company's success. However, I think his contributions have little to do with ingenuity and innovation than with his decisiveness, drive, and questionable business practices. For lack of better words, Vince McMahon is a modern-day robber baron.

So, to recapitulate my post, I believe that, in order to for WWE to survive, Stephanie McMahon must play as little a role as possible in the company's creative direction. In regards to Vince McMahon, WWE could survive without him if someone with similar qualities took his place.

 

[Thomas_Argyle]

You'd have to be as dumb as an empty box of Kraft Dinner to drive the WWE out of business.....they have an insane amount of international expansion set up, own and pimp out almost every piece of wrestling footage ever recorded, and make record profits despite flailing viewership.

WWE could survive easily without the McMahons, whether it would prosper is another story. The question is far too hypothetical and would come down to whether somebody who understands the nature of the "business" were to be in charge, or instead a random "suit".