The WWE has made headlines over the last year plus for a lot of reasons, and many of them for the wrong reasons like an extraordinary amount of releases this year’s groups.
Add to that the restructuring of NXT and many fans had become disenfranchised at the very least.
But it’s part of a bigger, grander plan to reestablish NXT as a true developmental brand, meaning it’s best days could be behind it as an entertainment factor.
In fact, they’re looking to sign young talent with size and Nick Khan has stated they will no longer scour the Indie scene as they want to grow their own talent.
They’ll also own all the rights, which will help come contract discussions, but that’s another article.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani of BT Sports, the WWE’s President and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Kahn shared the reasoning behind the releases and how he deals with fan criticism.
The releases
Many of us were shocked this year as stars like Braun Strowman and Bray Wyatt were released among others for what was reported to be budgetary reasons.
Special thanks to wrestlinginc.com for the following transcripts.
“There’s a collective of us, keep in mind in WWE there’s one boss — that’s Vince, as we all know” Khan began. “Between Bruce Prichard, who oversees the entire creative process, between Kevin Dunn, who oversees all of our production, between Stephanie McMahon, Paul Levesque, all are involved in these decisions with ultimately Vince making the final decision on everything.”
This isn’t a surprise as it’s been an established fact that Vince McMahon is the sole maker of decisions, and the interview switched gears slightly as the topic of the increased number of releases this year was broached.
“I dunno that there’s one explanation for it, I think ultimately what’s looked at — is this person for us? Are they going to move the needle now or in the immanent future? By the way, we had a two-day tryout in Las Vegas, which ended yesterday. Triple H, John Laurinaitis, and Bruce Prichard were all across — as were the rest of us. We’ve signed over a dozen new talent coming out of that tryout and I’m not suggesting, ‘Oh, that’s why we cut the other talent,’ but we’re always looking for what’s next.
“We live in the present, we live in the future, we don’t live in past. So, when people leave and they move on with their life and their careers, that’s good by us. For us, it’s what works for us and our product at that moment in time, and again, what’s going to work down the road. And largely, in-part, the existing roster is based on that.”
On earning the fans’ ire
From the same interview, Kahn spoke about how much fan criticism affects him.
“How I look at things in this business and life, the people who I love and care for, of course, I care about what they think about me as an individual. The people I don’t know, they’re allowed to have their opinions. It does not affect me in any way. I don’t read it. I don’t look at it. It’s not something that I derive any pleasure or pain from.
“It’s nothing that affects what we do, and how I look at things — in terms of getting blamed for things — when something’s a disaster, I want all of the credit, when something’s a hit, I want none of the credit. If I’m blamed for whatever the fans don’t like, that’s good by me. As long as the good folks I work with who are making hard decisions, if it takes some of it off of them, I’m good with it all day long.”
What do you think of Nick Kahn’s response and take on things? Let us know in the comments below.
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