5 possible directions for Vince McMahon after retiring from WWE - Compete with Tony Khan in another territory, revisit his old dream
A few weeks ago, Vince McMahon stepped back from his position as WWE Chairman and CEO amid allegations of misconduct.
However, last Friday, the 76-year-old announced his retirement from WWE, leaving his daughter, Stephanie, as the new Chairwoman and Co-CEO, alongside Nick Khan.
Following his retirement, McMahon could go in a few different directions, including investing in other sports altogether, or even possibly pursuing a new career.
Here are five possible directions for Vince McMahon after retiring from WWE.
#5. Vince McMahon could reinvest in football
Besides WWE, Vince McMahon has previously invested a few times in football. The former CEO started his own football league, the XFL, 21 years ago, aiming to compete with the NFL in the United States. Nevertheless, the project failed, and the XFL got shut down after a single season.
In 2020, McMahon rebooted the project. He reportedly planned to invest nearly half a billion dollars to keep the XFL afloat in its first three seasons. Although the XFL seemed to be headed for success this time, everything changed when the pandemic hit.
After just five weeks of play, the league was prematurely suspended. About a month later, the XFL filed for bankruptcy. In August 2020, Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock), alongside his partners Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, purchased the league's ownership rights for 15 Million USD.
Now that he is no longer in WWE, McMahon could revisit his old dream of investing in football.
#4. Vince McMahon could buy a soccer club
WWE owner Vince McMahon to buy Newcastle United FC , aiming to host wrestling matches at St James' Park http://t.co/G0xnVZSVF6
Nearly eight years ago, rumors suggested that Vince McMahon was interested in buying English Premier League side Newcastle United from then-owner Mike Ashley.
According to reports, the former WWE Chairman believed it was the perfect opportunity to expand his brand into the United Kingdom. In an interview with Winner Sports, a top Newcastle source stated that McMahon was keen on purchasing the English club.
"Vince McMahon has been sniffing around the club and seems keen to pursue his interest. He sees England as an untapped market for his wrestling empire. He has even indicated he could put on wrestling bouts at St James’s Park. Obviously it is very early days but there is hope the fans may get what they want with Ashley leaving. Buying a club like Newcastle would throw him into the spotlight in England which is just what he is looking to do," the source said.
Although McMahon never bought the club, he could now invest in soccer. Newcastle is no longer for sale, as Ashley recently sold it to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, RB Sports & Media, and PCP Capital Partners. Nevertheless, the former WWE Chairman could purchase another Premier League side.
If McMahon decides to buy a Premier League club, he could reignite his rivalry with AEW's Tony Khan, who is currently Vice Chairman of Fulham FC.
#3. Vince McMahon could start a production company
Under the umbrella of his wrestling company, Vince McMahon created WWE Studios to produce movies starring the promotion's superstars. The film studio has produced several movies, including Dwayne Johnson's The Scorpion King, John Cena's The Reunion, and Steve Austin's The Condemned.
McMahon could now continue on that path, establishing his own production company away from WWE. With his experience and resources, in addition with the help of the likes of Dwayne Johnson and John Cena, the former Chairman could find success in Hollywood.
The 76-year-old's daughter-in-law, Marissa Mazzola, founded her own film production company, Kamala Films, in 2005. She has participated in producing several movies, including A Private War and Anamorph.
#2. Vince McMahon could pursue a career in politics
USA President Donald Trump with his best friend and business partner Vince McMahon, the WWE has been allowed to continue with its shows and declared an essential service. https://t.co/2XEmsYrGuS
Over the years, Vince McMahon has been close to several political figures, especially former United States President Donald Trump. The McMahons have been strong supporters of Trump. Over the past decade, the Trump Foundation has received approximately 5 million dollars from McMahon and his wife, Linda.
The McMahon family are no strangers to politics themselves. Linda McMahon ran for the United States Senate as a member of the Republican party. However, she lost the elections in Connecticut in 2010 and 2012. Linda was also the Administrator for the Small Business Administration in the Trump cabinet between 2017 and 2019. She is currently the chairwoman of the pro-Trump Super PAC, America First Action.
Linda's husband also got a taste of politics when Trump appointed him to an advisory group aiming to kickstart the US economy in 2020. After his retirement, McMahon could now follow in his wife's footsteps and pursue a career in politics. However, it seems a little unlikely due to his age.
#1. Vince McMahon could rest
For over 40 years, Vince McMahon has been hands-on running WWE. The 76-year-old worked around the clock and wore several hats inside the company. Hence, he barely slept.
In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek in 2012, the former WWE Chairman disclosed that he did not like to sleep.
"I average about four hours of sleep. I don't like to sleep. I'm missing something when I'm sleeping. From a personal standpoint, I'm aggressive by nature and I'm truculent by nature," he said.
Now that he has retired from WWE, McMahon could decide to rest instead of working on other projects.