Vince McMahon retires as WWE CEO after sexual misconduct probe

World Wrestling Leisure CEO Vince McMahon introduced Friday that he was totally retiring after many years of main the corporate based by his father, a transfer that comes after it was revealed in June that the WWE’s was investigating allegations of sexual misconduct in opposition to him.

Earlier this month, The Wall Road Journal reported that the married McMahon had paid greater than $12 million to 4 girls, all of who had been affiliated with the WWE, over the previous 16 years to cowl up claims of sexual misconduct and infidelity.

McMahon is by far the best-known promoter {of professional} wrestling in the USA, following within the footsteps of his father Vince McMahon Sr., and his grandfather Jess McMahon, who had been main promoters of the closely scripted occasions within the northeast United States.

The youthful McMahon, upon taking on management of the WWE from his father in 1982, remodeled what had been a regional promotion into a global, multi-billion-dollar phenomenon, that includes stars together with Hulk Hogan and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

On the heels of a Journal report in June that he paid a former WWE paralegal $3 million to maintain her quiet a couple of relationship with him, McMahon had mentioned he was stepping again from his position as CEO and chairman of Stamford, Connecticut-based firm whereas the board’s probe proceeded. His daughter Stephanie McMahon was put in as interim CEO.

However he mentioned on the time that he would retain management over artistic content material on the firm, the place he stays the bulk shareholder, with about 32% of its inventory.

On Friday, McMahon introduced that Stephanie and WWE President Nick Khan have been taking on as co-CEOs, and that his daughter would change into chairman of the corporate.

McMahon additionally will not have any position involving artistic content material.

“As I strategy 77 years previous, I really feel it is time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE,” McMahon mentioned in an announcement.

“I wish to thank my household for mightily contributing to our success, and I’d additionally prefer to thank all of our previous and current Superstars and workers for his or her dedication and fervour for our model,” he mentioned.

“Most significantly, I wish to thank our followers for permitting us into your properties each week and being your selection of leisure.”

McMahon’s spouse Linda, a former WWE CEO herself, served as head of the Small Enterprise Administration underneath then-President Donald Trump from 2017 by 2019.

Trump is a WWE Corridor of Fame inductee. Earlier than turning into president, he participated in wrestling reveals placed on by the corporate.

In 2007, at WrestleMania 23 in Detroit, Trump and McMahon picked a wrestler apiece to “combat” on their behalf in what was dubbed “The Battle of the Billionaires.”

After Trump’s wrestler, Bobby Lashley, bested McMahon’s proxy, Umaga, Trump used electrical clippers to shave McMahon’s head.

On the heels of Vince McMahon’s retirement announcement, WWE’s inventory value didn’t markedly change in after-hours buying and selling, which noticed a low quantity of shares altering arms.

On the shut of standard buying and selling Friday, WWE had a market capitalization of about $4.9 billion.

– Extra reporting by CNBC’s Alex Sherman