WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield (JBL) recently shed light on the challenges WWE faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly Vince McMahon’s controversial decision to continue running shows without a live audience. Speaking on the Something To Wrestle With podcast, JBL defended McMahon’s approach and shared his own experience returning to the commentary desk during this unprecedented time.
The pandemic halted live events worldwide, creating uncertainty across the sports and entertainment industries. Amid this turmoil, McMahon made the bold choice to keep WWE programming going, a decision met with widespread criticism.
JBL revealed how McMahon personally reached out to him, asking for his return to provide a sense of familiarity for fans. “‘During COVID, Vince called me and he said, ‘I need an old voice on television. Are you coming?’ ‘You know I am.’ I said, ‘Where are you?’ He goes, ‘We’re in Orlando. We got no audience. I need an old voice, the old commentary, somebody that people recognize.’”
The decision to continue running shows with familiar elements like JBL’s commentary became part of McMahon’s broader strategy to maintain continuity for viewers during a turbulent time. JBL described the eerie atmosphere of traveling during the pandemic: “There was nobody in the airport… Everybody was sitting up front, first class. I said, ‘I think I’m gonna sit in the back’, like 15 seats on both sides of you because you didn’t know what was going to happen back then. You didn’t know if the whole world is going to die or you’re going to get it and die.” The atmosphere was one of fear and apprehension, as JBL describes, “Everybody thinks they’re going to die?”
Despite internal and external opposition, McMahon held firm. “I can tell you, almost everybody in the company was against Vince running. Everybody was against it. All the press was against it. Everything, it was, ‘This is horrible. How dare he do this?’” JBL stated. However, McMahon saw a bigger picture. “He said,’ If I don’t, I will lose all my TV contracts.’ Those TV contracts of live events became worth exponentially more.”
McMahon’s gamble ultimately paid off. By fulfilling WWE’s live programming commitments, he preserved and later enhanced the value of the company’s TV deals. “You thought they’re gonna be worth exponentially less, is what you thought during COVID, because we didn’t know if the world was ending or not. Everybody wanted out of those TV contracts.” JBL emphasized, “but because he did that, he got these billion dollar TV contracts out of it. He saved the freaking company with that.”
JBL concluded with high praise for McMahon’s foresight, “It was unbelievable what he did by doing all that, Vince, his entire life, has constantly been one step ahead of everything and everybody else in wrestling.”
This behind-the-scenes insight highlights McMahon’s unwavering leadership during a critical time, solidifying WWE’s place as an industry leader even in the face of unprecedented challenges.
