Following Vince McMahon’s shocking retirement in July of 2022 amidst an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and hush money payments, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were named co-CEO’s of the company.
However, following Vince’s return to the WWE Board of Directors in early January in order to facilitate a sale of the company, Stephanie McMahon handed in her resignation, leaving Khan as sole CEO of the sports entertainment giant.
Speaking on the fourth quarter 2022 earnings call, Nick Khan was asked whether or not Vince McMahon would be willing to step down when it came to the sale of WWE. Khan made it clear that Vince has no problem relinquishing power if it’s in the best interest of the shareholders.
“Yes. Without question. He’s declared it to the board. He’s declared it to us in management. It’s all about shareholder value. Obviously, he is a shareholder. So it’s not about what role he’ll have. It’s about maximizing that value opportunity.”
Nick Khan Described The Necessary Qualities Of A Potential WWE Buyer
With the shocking news that WWE is up for sale, a list of potential buyers has emerged, including the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Comcast, and even AEW owners Shahid and Tony Khan. In mid-January, rumors swirled that the company had already been sold to the Saudi Investment Fund, but those rumors were premature as no deal has been struck as of yet.
In the fourth quarter earnings call, Nick Khan described what the company is looking for in a potential buyer, noting that it takes more than simply a lot of money to be a good candidate.
“A partner that has more than simply deep pockets. So a partner that understands the media business, that’s in the media business, that understands how to further monetize the media business. [Also, a partner] that certainly understands our product, our intellectual property, what we’re doing with it, what can be done with it. Media rights, both domestically and internationally.
“We see the international growth opportunity is huge. So these are folks, in terms of choosing the right partner, these are all things that we’re going to be looking at in terms of who can accelerate our business. Again, what’s the best value for our shareholders?”
In a separate interview, Nick Khan said that he believes WWE’s sale will happen soon, indicating that it would be within a matter of months.
h/t Fightful