WWE Nearly Sold To FOX?
Freddie Prinze Jr has the scoop on why FOX executives didn't buy WWE outright.
Ex-WWE creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr told listeners on his 'Wrestling With Freddie' show that FOX turned down the chance to buy the company outright back when they were negotiating terms to air SmackDown.
According to one of Prinze Jr's friends, who works as an executive at FOX, Vince McMahon's asking price was just too high - the network knocked back the chance to pursue a full purchase, and instead decided to license SmackDown for a still-hefty sum.
There had been chatter back in 2019 about FOX potentially moving to buy WWE, but it's incredible to hear that McMahon was so willing to cede control of his baby. Freddie also said that he'd been sitting on that story for a while, but couldn't resist telling it "because it has been long enough" since FOX were in the running.
Older wrestling fans may still struggle with the thought of Vince selling WWE. There was a time when that seemed impossible, but it's interesting to learn that he has a (rather high) figure in mind for the organisation.
That number was definitely too big for FOX.