Why WWE Forgave Hulk Hogan

by Andy H Murray
Hulk Hogan, whose given name is Terry Bollea, waits in the courtroom during a break Wednesday, March 9. 2016, in his trial against Gawker Media in St. Petersburg, Fla. Hogan and his attorneys are suing Gawker for $100 million, saying his privacy was viola
Steve Nesius/AP

In March 2015, four months before Hogan's demise, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon famously tweeted that "philanthropy is the future of marketing, it's the way brands are going to win."

The message was simple: WWE don't give a damn about anything but money.

The Be A STAR anti-bullying campaign, their affiliation with the problematic Susan G Komen organisation, the Women's Revolution's supposed progressiveness: it's all done for capital gain, not through any genuine desire to do good. The same applies to Hulk Hogan's return.

WWE have no problem whitewashing their wrestlers' problematic backgrounds if there's money to be made. Before the WrestleMania 34 battle royal controversy, The Fabulous Moolah was celebrated like a women's wrestling deity. They happily welcomed The Ultimate Warrior, an unapologetic homophobe, back into the fold in 2014. The Attitude Era's biggest star, Steve Austin, was charged with domestic abuse. The list goes on.

If there's commercial value in these people, WWE will look beyond their flaws, for better or worse. Hogan's situation is no different to those listed above. Vince McMahon has decided that ample time has passed for the outrage to dissipate, and that he can finally resume making money with the most iconic sports entertainer of all time.

Like it or not, the moment when 'The Hulkster' does return to WWE programming will be huge. The company will parade him like a returning hero at the end of a long redemption arc, and the fans, lost in the moment, will lap it up. On top of this, Hogan reportedly agreeing to voluntary work with young people as part of his reintroduction gives WWE the opportunity to, once again, use philanthropy as marketing. This story is almost too perfect for their ghoulish PR machine.

Outrage is futile. This is what WWE do, time and time again. The Hogan situation gave them the chance to change this by jettisoning him forever, but removing him from the Hall of Fame was likely always calibrated with this precise moment in mind.

This isn't about "embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds," as WWE's statement cynically read, but cold, hard cash.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.