Bruce Prichard’s New Role Not “Well Received”
With the news breaking that John Laurinaitis has been replaced temporarily by Bruce Prichard, a new report sheds light on the reaction in WWE to the move.
With the ongoing investigation going on into past claims of misconduct against Vince McMahon and WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, both men have now stepped back from their roles.
Stephanie McMahon has replaced her father as WWE Chairwoman and CEO on an interim basis and now John Laurinaitis has been placed on administrative leave to be replaced – temporarily – by Bruce Prichard.
Dave Meltzer discussed the switch on Wrestling Observer Radio, and says that the internal reaction to the move has not been positive:
“[John Laurinaitis is] taking administrative leave. So he’s been removed from the position and Bruce Prichard is, for now, the interim Head of Talent Relations. How that goes, what it means…the guy’s got a lot on his plate. A lot of talent not particularly thrilled by it but there’s a lot that’s going on there.”
“It was not a not necessarily well-received bit of news but probably not a shock. I don’t think people expected Bruce to be in that position but he was which is interesting.”
Meltzer went on to add that Bruce Prichard’s appointment to another high-ranking role in WWE points to the fact that Vince McMahon is still very much in charge of his company:
“Another thing about Bruce being in this position pretty much tells me that Stephanie [McMahon] is a figurehead and it’s Vince that’s making these decisions as far as putting Bruce in that position as opposed to hiring someone or putting someone else in that spot.”
“[…] So it kind of tells you when it comes to a big move like that it’s likely Vince making the calls, which is no surprise. I think everybody knows Vince is going to be the guy making all the big calls anyway.”