The Wrestling World without Vince McMahon
Let's face it: Without Vincent Kennedy McMahon the Wrestling Business would look very different today. Vince McMahon took the Wrestling Business to the promise land. After he optained the WWF-Promotion from his father Vince McMahon Sr. he went out and crushed all his competition in the United States and erased the traditional territory system from the landscape. After that he took on the only real competition which later was called World Championship Wrestling and also won that battle in 2001. Since then the company, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment, became the biggest promotion in wrestling history, with no competition close to them. Basically WWE became 'wrestling'in the eyes of the mainstream. But with 72 years old, the mastermind shows like WrestleMania and MondayNight RAW, Vince McMahon, his best years are behind him. But, because he's Vince McMahon, he won't step down. He is behind the curtain of every televised show, controlling the entire production and every creative decision has to got through Vince McMahon's hands, still. He has got a lot of weight on his shoulders, but what is going to happen when these shoulders are not there anymore? The time is ticking and we can't say for sure what is happening when he's gone. But let's take a look on current developments and how they will effect the future.
The XFL Relaunch
The XFL is supposed to have 'nothing to do' with WWE and therefore with the wrestling world, but it is a new business venture for Vince McMahon, who will be 74 when the new football league launches. In a press conference Vince McMahon said he will 'leave everything' to people who have an actual clue of American Football, but in the end he will remain the man in charge. With the XFL he is trying to take on the NFL, who are the only long-time established football league in the USA and probably have no fear when the XFL launched again. McMahon tried this before in 2001, which was his biggest business failure ever for him. Now he's coming back to make it right, but almost 20 years after his first try, not much has changed it seems. The question is: When the XFL fails again, how much will the WWE suffer and will McMahon be around to call the shots to save it? And if the XFL is going to be an actual success this time? How long until the WWE and XFL would work together?
Another rumour: Vince McMahon might sell the WWE to bring more money to the XFL. It sounds crazy, because the WWE is Vince's baby, but some people believe that McMahon would even go that far and the entertainment business is changing anyway. Disney just recently bought Fox and they already own Marvel and LucasFilm and it looks like they are also interested in the WWE, as are other companies like Warner Brothers. The success of the XFL and the vision Vince McMahon is having for it might determine the future of the WWE.
Global Localization
As i mentioend earlier WWE has no real competition, but that doesn't mean there are none. New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor and the UK Promotions are going strong, but WWE isn't sleeping. At a recent business meeting the WWE announced the 'Global Localization' of their NXT brand. The developmental brand is set to expand to South America, Europe, the Middle East, India and the China/Japan market. It looks like the territory story from the 1970s is repeating itself again, but this time the WWE is conquering the world. The future is going to see a WWE base everywhere around the world, making sure that WORLD Wrestling Entertainment is not just a name. So WWE could become a very different company after Vince McMahon is not in charge anymore, repeating his biggest risk, but now a 100-times larger than before.
The Power Struggle
Before 2016 is seemed to be safe to say that one day Vince McMahon's son-in-law Triple H and the Chairman's daughter Stephanie McMahon will be in charge after the VKM-Era. But then WWE's highest paid employee, the man in charge for the television presentation in WWE, Kevin Dunn went and put Shane McMahon back on the map. Shane, Vince's son who left the WWE in 2009 to launch his own business in China, was contacted by Dunn because Dunn believes he would lose his position when Stephanie and Hunter take over and with Shane back into the mix, he'd be safe. Since then Shane made up with his dad and it actually looks like Shane McMahon has interests in becoming Vince's successor again. Shane McMahon and Triple H/Stephanie both have different visions for the companies future. I believe it would be better if they share the weight of the WWE on six shoulders, but i also believe the trio might just not be able to work together because of their different visions. It will be interesting to see who will make it after Vince is no more and how the lockerroom will respond. Are there going to be people not taking orders from someone who isn't Vince McMahon? I can't say for Shane McMahon, but Triple H is already looking at that question and hired people like Jeremy Borash, Road Dogg, Jeff Jarrett and others to have a team he can trust in when The Game takes over. Who will it be in the end? Only time will tell.
What do you think is going to happen after Vince McMahon is not the Chairman of the WWE anymore?
