Eric Bischoff On Why He Thinks Shane McMahon Left WWE In 2009

Why did Shane McMahon leave WWE?

On October 16, 2009, WWE published a statement from McMahon announcing his resignation from the company, and also issued an official press release stating that the resignation was tendered effective January 1, 2010. No specific reason was given for the resignation, although McMahon said in the press release, “Having been associated with this organization for the majority of my life, I feel this is the opportune time in my career to pursue outside ventures.”

On the latest edition of the Bischoff On Wrestling, Eric Bischoff offered his thoughts on what led to McMahon’s departure from WWE in 2009.

“When Shane left WWE he left under, I think, contentious circumstances. I don’t think it was like people were throwing him going away parties or anything like that. I think there was some tension in the family and it was a tough decision. I wasn’t there, I haven’t talked to Shane about it but I have talked to people that were close to Shane at that time and were there. So I have a little bit of a second or third-hand perspective. I was kind of shocked that Shane left but I understood as well having worked with Shane and having seen the inner workings from my perspective backstage,” Bischoff said.

In August 2010, it was announced that McMahon had signed a deal to become the new CEO of China Broadband Inc., a provider of cable broadband services, as well as other digital and analog related services, in Shandong province of China. Bischoff offered his thoughts on this.

“I wondered when Shane made that move to China initially and I heard about the people he was working with … I kind of wondered if it wasn’t a well thought out plan more than anything else. If he was going to leave the company at least he was going to go and learn, make in-roads and build out his Chinese Rolodex so to speak so that he could bring assets to WWE,” Bischoff said.

“I don’t know if it was by design or coincidence but clearly, WWE is planting a major flag in a very, very important market. Doing business in China is incredibly difficult because you’re not generally just doing business with companies. You are doing business with the government. It’s a communist government at that. Hats off to them.”

During a “Tell All” podcast interview hosted by Mick Foley on the WWE Network last year, McMahon explained why he left WWE.

“It stopped being a collaboration [with Vince McMahon] and stopped being fun. When that happened … you know the WWE defines my father, and I wasn’t going to allow a deteriorating business relationship to affect our personal lives and that’s exactly what was happening. So I decided ‘you know what, I’m not going to do this.’ I love him too much. And I decided to leave,” McMahon said.

“Also I think there’s a lot when you are a child of a successful parent, you want to know can you stand on your own two feet? Can you do it on your own, or are you always “the boss’ kid” or whatever. And I got to do that, and I’m very proud of the accomplishments I’ve made out there. It’s also given me an amazing look at the business now because I was able to back up away from it and look at it with fresh eyes. In the business currently, a lot of the creative team and Vince for that matter, sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees.”