Vince McMahon, the Chairman of WWE, former CEO, principal owner, and current head of creative, has announced his retirement from the company on Twitter.
“At 77, time for me to retire,” he wrote. “Thank you, WWE Universe. Then. Now. Forever. #WWE #thankful.”
He then released a full statement via WWE, which reads as follows:
Vince McMahon today released the following statement:
“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment,” wrote McMahon.
“Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervor, dedication, and passion as always. I am extremely confident in the continued success of WWE, and I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”
Bryan Alvarez, host of Wrestling Observer Live, reported on Twitter that, “Vince sent out a message to talent confirming his departure, noting they wouldn’t be seeing him but he’d be watching them, and then concluding with a plug for Smackdown tonight.”
Vince McMahon retires: A legendary career
The retirement comes as the long-time leader of the company and arguably most important figure in the history of professional wrestling/sports entertainment has been embroiled in a scandal covered extensively in the Wall Street Journal.
Earlier in the day, McMahon’s son in law, Paul Levesque, known for his stage name Triple H, was named EVP of Talent Relations. His Daughter, Stephane McMahon, has been serving as CEO.
Vince McMahon retires: Fans react
McMahon’s tweet was met with thousands of reactions, with many in disbelief.
I speak for all real pro wrestling fans when I say that WE stand with Vince McMahon!” one user wrote.
“Are you still running creative?” another wondered, as he maintained his creative role after stepping down from CEO in recent weeks.
More to come.