If Vince Gets Accused of Sexual Misconduct...

[Allie Kitsune]

Nov 5, 2017 13:50:12 GMT -5 @akeemresurrection said:

I said this in some other thread a while back, but it's only a matter of time until wrestling is brought into the discussion re. sexual harassment/assault. The rumors have been there for years, and there was some seriously shady stuff going on back during the Rita Chatterton/ring boys scandal time frame. If it is true and ever comes out it's going to ruin the fandom of a lot of a lot of people because it's not just Vince that has ever done things like this in the WWF/E.

As for the question: Stephanie will take over as it would be good PR to have a female in charge and Vince would still be behind the scenes contributing wherever he could.  Whether the WWE would survive this is another discussion entirely.

If Big E is even half the creeper backstage as he comes off as on camera...

[fw91]

He wouldn't be the only one.

[RareTradU]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. With all the Hollywood types being outed now as sexual assailants from 20+ years ago (Spacey, Hoffman, Weinstein, etc), what would happen if the doors of the wrestling industry were kicked open. Back in the 80s and early 90s wrestling 'stars' were pretty crazy. To think that it didn't happen in the WWF or WCW would be ridiculous. I could easily believe that McMahon, Hogan, Hall, Hart, HBK, etc. were all in some way 'offensive' to women. Sure, there are rats that are there for that reason but still all it takes is one person to come out and accuse to open Pandora's box for more to make their way in. Hell, the WWF had a huge sexual scandal back in the early 90s about young teenage boys being molested and nothing really happened back then. In today's society people would boycott WWE and shareholders would be leaving in droves.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

I was reading a thread about all the Hollywood accusations on Reddit, and someone actually brought up WWE and this exact scenario. To paraphrase my favorite response to it: Yeah that shit wouldn't come into fruition in how f***ed up a company the WWE can be.

[Cyno]

The prudent thing would be for Stephanie to succeed Vince in his role in the company, if only to create the illusion that a woman's in charge now.

But that might be putting a band-aid over a gunshot wound if anyone digs deeper. Especially since one of the most infamous figures in that regard WAS a woman in Moolah.

[Slammy Award-Winning Cannibal]

Nov 5, 2017 14:49:19 GMT -5 Cyno said:

The prudent thing would be for Stephanie to succeed Vince in his role in the company, if only to create the illusion that a woman's in charge now.

But that might be putting a band-aid over a gunshot wound if anyone digs deeper. Especially since one of the most infamous figures in that regard WAS a woman in Moolah.

I mean, if someone was to accuse him of it, I’m sure it would’ve been before 2010, when the CEO wasn’t Vince — it was Linda McMahon.

[Hit Girl]

They should appoint Marissa McMahon as nominal CEO, if they need a woman as the boss.

[Chainsaw]

I'm honestly amazed it hasn't happened yet, with everything that's been going on. This is something that's crossed my mind a few times the last few weeks.

[nisidhe]

If Vince or others within the WWE hierarchy were accused of specific acts of sexual harassment and/or assault, I can see WWE Films going pear-shaped in short order for starters. Nobody in Hollywood would be willing to work on a WWE Films production either because they'd object directly to the behaviour or because they'd be worried about repercussions for working with WWE. You'd see huge, _HUGE_ pressure from the unions to organize the in-ring talent and the production crews, with the board members over a barrel to let it happen or else be seen as condoning the abuses of a non-union shop. The product itself would have to change to resemble actual sport more closely - storylines would need to be watered down considerably and some tropes eliminated entirely. This could seriously impact WWE's relationship with USA Network and would almost certainly mean a major loss in revenue, to be made up for by trimming production costs and cutting the roster. That could put a chill on booking fees in the indies. The board of directors might face pressure to replace Vince with someone not named McMahon, just to eliminate any appearance of Vince potentially pulling the strings. Kevin Dunn would likely need to be removed from the production team.

Just some random thoughts about implications. WWE would end up a much smaller company when the dust settles from something like that.

["American Cream" Dusty Loads]

I feel like even in today's cultural climate and wrestling being a little more mainstream than its been post-attitude era, wwe isn't on pop culture's radar and as a result, they get away with a lot of shady shit. Just look at that article about ultimate warrior that came out recently. Aside from his wife making a statement, it hasn't made as many waves as it would if it were about someone outside of the wrestling business.

[Allie Kitsune]

Nov 5, 2017 16:29:04 GMT -5 nisidhe said:

If Vince or others within the WWE hierarchy were accused of specific acts of sexual harassment and/or assault, I can see WWE Films going pear-shaped in short order for starters. Nobody in Hollywood would be willing to work on a WWE Films production either because they'd object directly to the behaviour or because they'd be worried about repercussions for working with WWE. You'd see huge, _HUGE_ pressure from the unions to organize the in-ring talent and the production crews, with the board members over a barrel to let it happen or else be seen as condoning the abuses of a non-union shop. The product itself would have to change to resemble actual sport more closely - storylines would need to be watered down considerably and some tropes eliminated entirely. This could seriously impact WWE's relationship with USA Network and would almost certainly mean a major loss in revenue, to be made up for by trimming production costs and cutting the roster. That could put a chill on booking fees in the indies. The board of directors might face pressure to replace Vince with someone not named McMahon, just to eliminate any appearance of Vince potentially pulling the strings. Kevin Dunn would likely need to be removed from the production team.

Just some random thoughts about implications. WWE would end up a much smaller company when the dust settles from something like that.

I don't think anybody outside the McMahon family owns enough Voting Class Shares to have the McMahons (including HHH) all removed. All the shares that Stephanie and Shane sold off instantly became non-voting the moment they sold it off.

[BigAl]

Nov 5, 2017 13:17:10 GMT -5 @kn said:

That might be the one name out of this whole entertainment sexual assault rise that I don't have a response towards. I don't know what'll happen but I get a feeling the company, most wrestling fans and the wrestling industry around the world would sweep it under the rug. Hell, even if the entertainment industry lit a fire under the WWE I doubt they'd change anything. Wrestling fans and the wrestling industry are too loyal. Vince could kill someone and he'd still be welcomed back as sad and pathetic as that is. After that Hogan bullshit and seeing people welcome him back I wouldn't be surprised.

This is true, wrestling fans are royal, I remember rhar day when benoit was found to be a murderer the forums for heated with many defending benoit or saying he is still my favorite and will still watch his match, or just refusing to believe the report and started to argue with members who was being logical to the police reports, so yeah they will be many who will refuse to believe Vince getting accused

[Deleted]

Nov 5, 2017 17:26:29 GMT -5 BigAl said:

Nov 5, 2017 13:17:10 GMT -5 @kn said:

That might be the one name out of this whole entertainment sexual assault rise that I don't have a response towards. I don't know what'll happen but I get a feeling the company, most wrestling fans and the wrestling industry around the world would sweep it under the rug. Hell, even if the entertainment industry lit a fire under the WWE I doubt they'd change anything. Wrestling fans and the wrestling industry are too loyal. Vince could kill someone and he'd still be welcomed back as sad and pathetic as that is. After that Hogan bullshit and seeing people welcome him back I wouldn't be surprised.

This is true, wrestling fans are royal, I remember rhar day when benoit was found to be a murderer the forums for heated with many defending benoit or saying he is still my favorite and will still watch his match, or just refusing to believe the report and started to argue with members who was being logical to the police reports, so yeah they will be many who will refuse to believe Vince getting accused

I wasn't on wrestling boards around then but man once that Benoit stuff came out I know IRL everyone was shocked. I believe that though. I'm glad I wasn't on wrestling sites then.

[Allie Kitsune]

Nov 5, 2017 18:34:25 GMT -5 @kn said:

Nov 5, 2017 17:26:29 GMT -5 BigAl said:

This is true, wrestling fans are royal, I remember rhar day when benoit was found to be a murderer the forums for heated with many defending benoit or saying he is still my favorite and will still watch his match, or just refusing to believe the report and started to argue with members who was being logical to the police reports, so yeah they will be many who will refuse to believe Vince getting accused

I wasn't on wrestling boards around then but man once that Benoit stuff came out I know IRL everyone was shocked. I believe that though. I'm glad I wasn't on wrestling sites then.

The big thing I remember about the Benoit incident is that a good number of people believed that Kevin Sullivan did it and framed Benoit. And even more people didn't exactly believe that, but wanted that to be true.

[Deleted]

Nov 5, 2017 18:46:03 GMT -5 Allie Kitsune said:

Nov 5, 2017 18:34:25 GMT -5 @kn said:

I wasn't on wrestling boards around then but man once that Benoit stuff came out I know IRL everyone was shocked. I believe that though. I'm glad I wasn't on wrestling sites then.

The big thing I remember about the Benoit incident is that a good number of people believed that Kevin Sullivan did it and framed Benoit. And even more people didn't exactly believe that, but wanted that to be true.

ho
ly
shit

[EvenBaldobombHasAJob]

Nov 5, 2017 13:38:33 GMT -5 Urfarkendarf said:

Nov 5, 2017 13:17:10 GMT -5 @kn said:

That might be the one name out of this whole entertainment sexual assault rise that I don't have a response towards. I don't know what'll happen but I get a feeling the company, most wrestling fans and the wrestling industry around the world would sweep it under the rug. Hell, even if the entertainment industry lit a fire under the WWE I doubt they'd change anything. Wrestling fans and the wrestling industry are too loyal. Vince could kill someone and he'd still be welcomed back as sad and pathetic as that is. After that Hogan bullshit and seeing people welcome him back I wouldn't be surprised.

It would be impossible to sweep it under the rug if something like Weinstein was levied at Vince. Wrestling fans and the "wrestling industry" don't matter in this regard. Kevin Spacey still has supporters right now, do you think Netflix is giving a crap about what they think when they cancelled one of their anchor shows? It's advertisers and stockholders that matter and with WWE, USA Network matters the most because their bread and butter is still the TV deal. I guarantee you if enough noise was made, WWE would lose sponsors immediately and USA almost certainly have an outclause in their deal with WWE for things like this (Id be shocked if they didnt after Benoit) and could threaten the TV deal. It would be bad for Vince, but WWE would survive. Just as its bad for Weinstein (who was once thought untouchable) and Spacey. WWE has positioned themselves in the entertainment industry for years now. WWE Films etc, would all be potentially adversely affected. It's not 1985 anymore.

It's pretty clear what would happen. Vince is in his 70s now. He'd likely step down and Stephanie would be named in his place. Vince would continue to have influence in the background because he's Vince, but he wouldnt have direct leverage in the legal respect.

Basically what I was going to post. This isn't something you can just sweep u see the rug. I'd go further and say I don't even think it'd end up as cut and dry as "well Steph would just take over" either. Depending on the severity they could lose their tv deal, the product could end up radioactive. Vince is synonymous with the company.

[Urfarkendarf]

Nov 5, 2017 13:48:11 GMT -5 @kn said:

I don't care if they don't matter, I'm still saying wrestling fans and the wrestling industry would still take Vince back and I'm saying that in a negative light. I wouldn't take Vince back if this situation came out but I'm mentioning those already in wrestling and the fans in general. After that Hogan bullshit that's just how it is. As for what happens outside of wrestling fans as in the entertainment industry and what they've do, sponsors and shareholders, in my post I mostly wasn't even talking about them. Hell I said "if they lit a fire under the WWE" as in if they responded to the backlash against Vince IE "if they want to take him down."

Basically I wasn't really talking about how the entertainment industry would respond, I was talking about fans and those in the industry. I'm not saying "the entertainment industry wouldn't do a thing to Vince" and this is furthermore highlighted by the fact I said "if they lit a fire under the WWE." They probably would respond back.

I don't think this is true. Yes, some fans would, but what part of the wrestling industry would? WWE IS the wrestling industry and the only part of it Vince cares about. Any other part of the industry that would "take him back" wouldn't matter. I also highly doubt Vince would even care to be involved with the industry at that point.

And to point to the Hogan BS, look at how the industry has treated Hogan since that happened. He's not even returned to TNA. He's not done anything in wrestling that is even worth pointing to. Its a different world now. 15-20 years ago it'd be a lot different, espc considering the content WWE was putting out which would allow some defenders to say "Oh yeah but look at all the deevers on da Playboy maggazeen", but now? Vince would be toxic. There's always going to be a segment of fans of anything that still lionize awful people after their skeletons are revealed.

[Deleted]

Nov 6, 2017 3:17:10 GMT -5 Urfarkendarf said:

Nov 5, 2017 13:48:11 GMT -5 @kn said:

I don't care if they don't matter, I'm still saying wrestling fans and the wrestling industry would still take Vince back and I'm saying that in a negative light. I wouldn't take Vince back if this situation came out but I'm mentioning those already in wrestling and the fans in general. After that Hogan bullshit that's just how it is. As for what happens outside of wrestling fans as in the entertainment industry and what they've do, sponsors and shareholders, in my post I mostly wasn't even talking about them. Hell I said "if they lit a fire under the WWE" as in if they responded to the backlash against Vince IE "if they want to take him down."

Basically I wasn't really talking about how the entertainment industry would respond, I was talking about fans and those in the industry. I'm not saying "the entertainment industry wouldn't do a thing to Vince" and this is furthermore highlighted by the fact I said "if they lit a fire under the WWE." They probably would respond back.

I don't think this is true. Yes, some fans would, but what part of the wrestling industry would? WWE IS the wrestling industry and the only part of it Vince cares about. Any other part of the industry that would "take him back" wouldn't matter. I also highly doubt Vince would even care to be involved with the industry at that point.

And to point to the Hogan BS, look at how the industry has treated Hogan since that happened. He's not even returned to TNA. He's not done anything in wrestling that is even worth pointing to. Its a different world now. 15-20 years ago it'd be a lot different, espc considering the content WWE was putting out which would allow some defenders to say "Oh yeah but look at all the deevers on da Playboy maggazeen", but now? Vince would be toxic. There's always going to be a segment of fans of anything that still lionize awful people after their skeletons are revealed.

?

You don't have to think it's true, I still stick by my statement. This isn't an argument or debate I'm stating my comments. The wrestling industry and its fans as a majority haven't changed enough or are they mature enough to say "ok this is too far" when it comes to things like this. The Hogan situation proved it, hell you've got people still making gay jokes every once in a while. It is what it is. Keep thinking they are all you want but that's not changing my comments. As for Hogan, they've already been putting him in exerts and mentioning his name. Even WON mentioned it one time stating that the company is waiting for a time to bring him back.

That's just how this company is. If you think they're not like that the think they aren't. That's got nothing to do with me.

[Hobby Drifter]

If? It's inevitable now. If even *half* of the stories about Vince have an OUNCE of truth, ol' Vinnie Mac is up the creek without a paddle. It's just a matter of time before the decades worth of people come forward.

[Jedi-El of Tomorrow]

Nov 5, 2017 18:46:03 GMT -5 Allie Kitsune said:

Nov 5, 2017 18:34:25 GMT -5 @kn said:

I wasn't on wrestling boards around then but man once that Benoit stuff came out I know IRL everyone was shocked. I believe that though. I'm glad I wasn't on wrestling sites then.

The big thing I remember about the Benoit incident is that a good number of people believed that Kevin Sullivan did it and framed Benoit. And even more people didn't exactly believe that, but wanted that to be true.

There were people saying they could see Triple H doing it, but not Benoit. I wish I was making that up.

If Vince were to be accused. The stock would tank, Stephanie might stay on, but there would be new owners, Disney would swoop in and buy it cheap. There would be about 6 months with no WWE, which would allow for rebranding, contracts being rewritten, and all the ducks to lined up in a row.