WWE tried to sell SmackDown to FOX a few years, but the deal did not go far. Also, those hired by Triple H seemed to the ones released earlier in the week.
WWE Tried To Sell SmackDown
The entire WWE landscape has changed in two years. We are still dealing with the pandemic and WWE has released over a hundred employees.
With all the departures, there has been talk of WWE being sold. Several names were tossed around with Nick Khan being one of the top ones listed.
Well, former WWE writer and actor Freddie Prinze Jr notes how there were other plans. On the Wrestling with Freddie podcast, he spoke about WWE’s deal with FOX.
In 2018, SmackDown made a billion dollar deal with FOX. Basically, FOX would air SmackDown and introduce the company to a new world of fans.
If you believe Prinze, WWE actually wanted to sell a large chuck of their company. In particular, they were trying to see if FOX would take complete ownership of SmackDown.
“I was talking to a dude who was interviewing to be their COO or the dude they wanted to interview,” said Prinze. “They ended up going with Nick Khan, [my friend] had passed, [he] just wanted to talk to me about the company.”
“We were talking about the brand and he goes, ‘They wanted us to buy the whole product.’ He was an executive at FOX.”
“‘They wanted us to buy the whole brand, but the number they wanted wasn’t a number we were going to pay, so we licensed SmackDown instead.’ I said, ‘Were you even considering the job?’”
“‘No, I just wanted to talk to you and make sure I wasn’t crazy and losing my mind.’ ‘It’s a crazy place to work.”
“You have a nice job in LA, your family is in LA, stay in LA.’ I knew they were going to sell a long time ago off that and that hit me like a ton of bricks.”
Latest NXT Releases Involve Triple H
Source: @Ordeal_CEO, Twitter, Screenshot
Wednesday was not a good day to be part of the WWE family. In particular, the developmental system saw wrestlers, coaches and more shown the door.
NXT no longer looks like the same product Triple H started and built as a compelling brand. Therefore, most of those seen on TV are new names.
WWE has released a bunch of people, with speculation about NXT. Fightful Select, reports the latest departures were to remove those hired by Triple H.
“Unanimously, the talent and staff familiar with the PC, NXT, and NXT 2.0 have said this is directly to remove numerous Triple H hires, with the exception being Allison Danger,” the report stated.” WWE officials we spoke with didn’t deny this, and even said as much in their statement, in kinder terms.”
Shawn Michaels taking control of NXT like: pic.twitter.com/b1cCAj9r4p
— Dandy Orton (@TheShiniestDan2) January 5, 2022
There is no telling what is going on with WWE. Although, we can agree that the WWE from two years ago is gone.
In conclusion, such dramatic changes means additions or subtractions from that at the top.
