It has been reported that WWE SVP of Talent Operations & Strategy James Kimball has been let go by the company.
The report from Fightful Select states that Kimball was let go last week for an “HR violation.” This violation led to his being fired with immediate effect. Kimball joined WWE two years ago after spending much of the previous decade working for UFC. He left his role as Vice President of Operations at the UFC Performance Institute to join WWE.
Upon joining WWE Kimball worked extensively on the company’s NIL program, trying to unearth the next generation of Superstars.
WWE Sale Speculation Continues
WWE remains up for sale with a recent report stating that Vince McMahon has slapped a whopping $9 billion price tag on the sports entertainment giant. McMahon returned to the company in January after ‘retiring’ back in July. The Executive Chairman’s exit came as he was engulfed by allegations of serious sexual misconduct. It was also alleged that McMahon made hush money payments totaling well over $10 million in an effort to suppress these claims.
It was stated that at the time of his return that McMahon was only taking a place on the Board of Directors in order to facilitate the sale of the company. However, recent reports have claimed that McMahon’s presence has proved to be a “hindrance” to the process.
WWE is currently riding the quest of a wave with the storyline between Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn, and Cody Rhodes proving a big hit with fans. In the process, Zayn has become one of the most popular wrestlers on the planet receiving standing ovations every time he appears.
Despite this, a recent report suggested that morale backstage is actually falling due to speculation surrounding a potential sale.
With regard to a sale, CEO Nick Khan recently stated that he expects the process to be “quick” with a deal being done within three months.