WWE Trades Ruthless Aggression For PG | Wrestling Timelines

May 20, 2008 | Vince Speaks To Stockholders

Vince McMahon Livewire
WWE

Something has to change, and Vince McMahon, the king of the empire, promises precisely that in a meeting with shareholders.

He speaks about the Benoit tragedy, surmising that nobody could have seen it coming. Deflecting responsibility, he says that the term for what Benoit did is “going postal” - a term coined following multiple massacres perpetrated by USPS workers since the 1980s. WWE should not have received criticism if the post office doesn’t, Vince reasons. He expresses his belief that the media has treated WWE unfairly, but concedes that his company must build a better relationship with the press. In typical McMahon fashion, the mask slips throughout. He says WWE does not need the written media because the promotion reaches its audience through television in one breath, but in another says that he needs to educate the media about a product they do not understand. McMahon also expresses his intent to cultivate corporate relationships in order to increase the value of the WWE brand.

Vince is a volatile man who once threatened to blow up an Accord live on WWE television when Honda pulled sponsorship from the first game of his doomed XFL national football league. This is not something he can possibly hope to do personally - he claims that he can’t be defensive anymore, when October 2010 happens - but WWE is a publicly-traded company with an intricate org chart staffed by legitimate professionals who know what they are doing. Some WWE fans over the years hope in vain that Vince will hand over the creative reins.

This does not happen, but he does cede responsibility where it matters.

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Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!