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***Headliner*** · 06-04-2007, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Stephanie Wins Battle Over WWE.com, Another Firing

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The latest sign in what insiders are seeing as Stephanie McMahon and Triple H running WWE as they see fit is in her recent takeover of the official WWE website. Not only has Stephanie taken over the talent side, but she is now overseeing WWE.com as well.

There is a major philosophical difference on how the site should be run between Shane McMahon and Stephanie & Triple H. Shane feels that pretending wrestling is real and not delivering real news, when wrestling websites such as rajah.com do, makes the site a laughing stock. On the otherhand, both Stephanie and Triple feel that the site should soley be for storyline advancement and to sell merchandise. But with Stephanie put in charge of overseeing the site, with Michael Cole running it, the Steph/Triple H vision has won out. The effects are already starting to sink in because you don't see as much shocking insider stuff on the site as much as you did in the past. A good example of this is that today, WWE is playing up RVD's possible departure from the company due to the second storyline concussion he suffered at last night's pay-per-view.

TV producer Kevin Dunn will be running the site from a business standpoint (setting the budget, hiring & firing workers), but Stephanie will be setting the creative & reporting direction of the site. She will throw anything out that may compromise the characters or storylines. Furthermore, Chris Chambers, who put up a lot of insider stuff on the site (like reporting when Stephanie had a baby and listing Triple H's real name), has been forced out of the company. You're not going to be seeing that type of stuff on WWE.com anymore. The baby announcement greatly upset the dynamic duo and his duties of running the website were subsequently taken away a few weeks later (March 2006). They kept him on the payroll for the better part of another year, but he has since been let go.

Furthermore, the feeling is that Stephanie & Shane will be publicly portrayed as a brother & sister duo running the company, but in actuality, Big Steph has all the power. Shane will be the McMahon who represents the company to the public and goes to business meetings. His strong suit is that he's very personable and he gets along with people quite well. Stephanie isn't bad at representing the company, Shane is better socially and Steph is more like Vince when it comes to business decisions.

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Once again, Shane always seem to have the better ideas but they get rejected by Vince, Steph or both. From what is being reported, Shane will be the face of a company that he doesn't even have major influence over. Good in a way since he's great at business. Bad because he could be blamed for things he had nothing to do with.

Trying to save kayfabe is even harder since we live in an internet world. I have no idea when Steph and HHH will realize that.

**Role Model** · 06-04-2007, 05:35 PM

I can see why they want to keep the site Kayfabe, but in todays world, that shit just isn't going to work.

**Boss Holt** · 06-04-2007, 05:37 PM

Really not surprised, this isnt the first time Shane's great ideas have been killed. Shane wanted ECW to be like the original and run it in small arenas, not after smackdown

**Highwind** · 06-04-2007, 05:37 PM

Shane is way better than Stephanie. I mean DX was his idea. I really don't see why Vince is letting her run it. And Triple H should just stay with wrestling. I sorta like the site like it is, but it will be a little hard to sustain.

**Pyro™** · 06-04-2007, 05:38 PM

Steph and HHH are right. WWE is a scripted show, therefore their website should reflect that. Everyone knows it's fake but for the website to make itself real while the entire show is kayfabed is insanity. They have to play up the illusion it's real, and since they use the site on tv...well, yeah.

Unless on the rare occasion like Edge's title win when they need ratings.

But I do agree that Shane is more sensible from an overall perspective.

CaliGula · 06-04-2007, 05:39 PM

I wouldn't mind this very much if Stephanie was still hot.

**Simmo2008** · 06-04-2007, 05:40 PM

That site is bullshit anyway, So when people are released, what happens? If the site gets less and less hits, hopefully Shane will get a bit more power.

**FSVengardR** · 06-04-2007, 05:40 PM

I've yet to see it happen, but i do think that the WWE could build storylines effectivley through WWE.com. I don't, in all honesty see the point in shifting away from the kayfabe side of things. If they're trying to sell a product to people, every aspect of the business should be directed towards that very thing.

For the WWE to act as if the wrestling product is real while producing a televised event, and then enter something onto the website that completely contradicts that is completely stupid.

I can see benefits to both sides but the logic doesn't quite add up. Leave the real wrestling reports to Gerweck, PWI, etc. That's where it belongs.

Hollywood Shelton · 06-04-2007, 05:41 PM

I don't buy Stephanie being THAT important overall because Shane is older and there is no real proof of him being overrun. Stephanie heading talents is a already a death kneel notice but her and HHH? That's the end of watching WWE for me in the not too distant future.

Cowie · 06-04-2007, 05:41 PM

Sounds like a fancy job title but no actual job. What? She'll be given a list of potential stories each morning and she'll yay or nay them?

I can't see how saving keybabe can work anymore. It's time for a big change in direction. As you say Headliner, it's harder in the internet world now, it's only going to get harder. WWE don't really like the IWC but the best way to beat them is join them. While ever this reporting style is on WWE.com, rajah.com and many many others will boom with business.