WWE has detailed what the "unexpected loss" of Vince McMahon would mean for the company in its fourth-quarter earnings report.

There are a great many wrestling fans who don't particularly like the creative direction WWE is currently headed in. That's one of the reasons why promotions away from WWE are doing better than they have done for almost 20 years. Some of the fans who have been swearing they'll never watch Raw again every Monday night have finally been following through with the statement, as is being demonstrated by the show's ratings decline.

Back in 2011, CM Punk uttered the words "maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead." It may seem like a horrible thing to say, but there are likely some fans who are genuinely starting to believe that. You need look no further than what Triple H is doing for evidence of what the company as a whole might well become once Mr. McMahon is no longer in charge.

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Shockingly, despite the chairman likely believing that he will live forever, WWE recently acknowledged how the company might be affected if something were to happen to the boss. It addressed the hypothetical situation in its fourth-quarter earnings report, as reported by Ringside News. The section of the report mainly focuses on creative direction but also touches on WWE's stock price.

The report reads that if Mr. McMahon were to leave his position for any reason it "could have a material adverse effect on our ability to create popular characters and creative storylines or could otherwise adversely affect our operating results." It also details the negative effect that might happen if the upcoming XFL takes too much of the chairman's attention away from WWE.

There is no question that Mr. McMahon is largely responsible for where WWE is today. Over the course of three decades, he has taken the promotion from a wrestling territory to a worldwide company. There has to come a time when even the most creative people realize that it is time to step aside, though. Or at the very least, hand over the majority of the power and decision making to those who will eventually take their place.

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