WWE's backstage environment is better under Triple H - Reports
WWE's backstage environment and the morale of the talent have been on a high ever since Triple H and Stephanie McMahon replaced Vince McMahon as the Head of Creative and co-CEO, respectively.
Mr. McMahon stepped down from all positions in the company in July of this year due to an investigation into claims of sexual misconduct and misappropriation of company funds against him. Since then, The Game has stepped up as the face of all the changes WWE has made in the past three to four months.
The Stamford-based promotion seems to be on a roll, with not only fan perception and viewership being higher than under the previous administration, but the quarterly numbers and stock price for the company have been higher than before.
The good news doesn't stop there, as Fightful Select has now reported that backstage morale has improved "significantly" under the current regime.
An unnamed talent has spoken about working in WWE as it is now more "fun and easygoing" compared to the Vince McMahon era. This might be because people are not in perpetual fear of getting fired, which was a real threat under Mr. McMahon.
The talent went on to say that wrestlers are given a little more freedom to improvise, which in turn has boosted backstage morale.
This is an interview I’ve wanted to do for years.
One-on-one with @TripleH. 75 minutes long for @btsportwwe.
We talked about his new role as head of creative, his vision, his massive health scare and some potential returns.
Fascinating stuff.
Enjoy: youtu.be/3VkyADt4XZk https://t.co/EM5XQR454t
As the on-screen product is noticeably better than before, and WWE is doing stable financial numbers too. The initial doubts about how Triple H's new regime would handle the functioning of a billion-dollar company have all but disappeared by now.
Is Triple H in negotiations with Sasha Banks about her making a return?
Another staple of Triple H's regime has been the returns of previously released superstars. Johnny Gargano, Braun Strowman, Dakota Kai, Dexter Lumis, Karion Kross, and many more have made their way back to WWE after previously having been released.
One name fans are eager to see added to that list is Sasha Banks, whose wrestling status is still unknown.
As is common news at this point, Banks, and Naomi, then Women's Tag Team Champions, walked out of the company on May 16 tapings of Monday Night RAW due to reportedly having a creative dispute over the tag titles booking.
The duo have been publicly active ever since, appearing at Hollywood red carpet events, walking the ramp at New York Fashion Week, and hosting meet and greets. But there is no significant update on their WWE return.
Naomi & Sasha Banks at NY Fashion Week. They're making big moves. https://t.co/mfTrcPVbwj
Many fans were expecting The Boss to make her much-awaited return at last night's Survivor Series. However, during the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE and Sasha are still engaged in contract negotiations, with the hold-up being a monetary issue.
"Well, you know, I mean, they are in contract talks, you know. The last I heard, it was a money situation. That was a long time ago, so I don't know where it stands right now," Meltzer stated. [51:00 - 51:23]
Now that Vince McMahon is no longer in the picture, will Triple H be able to bring Sasha Banks and Naomi back into the fold?