Vince McMahon has been trying to sell World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for months now, and it looks like the frontrunners to purchase the long-standing company are Disney and Comcast Universal.
WWE is the longest-running professional wrestling organization in the world, having existed under various names since 1953. It has turned WWE stars into international icons such as Hulk Hogan, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista. The entire time, the company has been owned and operated by a member of the McMahon family.
The most famous McMahon tenure was served by Vince McMahon. He has owned the company since 1982 and led it through its most prosperous times. Vince McMahon stepped away from the company in July 2022 due to internal investigations and sexual assault allegations.
However, McMahon returned to WWE on January 5, 2023, eventually reinserting himself into executive chairman with the sole intent of selling the company for an estimated $9 billion instead of passing it along to his children, Stephanie McMahon and Shane McMahon, and Stephanie’s husband Paul Levesque AKA Triple H.
Since then, there has been much speculation regarding which outside company will purchase WWE. According to Bookies.com, the odds favor Comcast Universal and Disney.
Disney and Comcast Duke It Out for WWE
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The favorite to purchase WWE is Comcast Corporation. Not only do they have the finances to afford the high asking price, but Comcast already has a relationship with WWE.
While WWE had its own streaming service, the WWE Network, now everything is on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming platform. This includes episodes of Raw and Smackdown, all legacy content, and premium live events.
This purchase makes the most sense and would be the simplest to play out. Money can change hands, and nothing has to be done to move the massive library of matches already on Peacock.
However, there’s one company you can never count out: Disney.
When it comes to bringing other franchises under its banner, no one else can compete with Disney. Since 2009, Disney has absorbed Marvel, Star Wars, and Fox, as well as numerous other properties.
While it may seem strange to see a less family-friendly product like WWE join Disney, the sports entertainment company is still one of the most prominent brands in the world and is one of the more financially successful entertainment companies in the United States.
However, it seems a bit more unlikely now that Disney is going through its own financial troubles.
Disney and Comcast Aren’t the Only Contenders
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While Disney and Comcast are the clear frontrunners, other contenders are still waiting for their chance.
Amazon and Netflix have the financial power behind them to make the purchase and successful streaming services. Then there are others like the multimedia company Liberty Media and UFC’s parent company Endeavor.
Then there are the real wild cards like Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which already has a relationship with WWE, and Tony Khan, the owner of rival wrestling promotion AEW.
All of these entities have expressed interest in purchasing WWE. But just like professional wrestling, you never know what will happen.
Who do you think Disney will purchase WWE? Let us know in the comments below.