Mickie James Says WWE Official Claimed Women's Wrestling Doesn't Make Money
Mickie James was released by the WWE back on April 15, and on Wednesday she spoke out on all of [...]
Mickie James was released by the WWE back on April 15, and on Wednesday she spoke out on all of the frustrations she had with the company on her Grown Ass Women podcast. The six-time Women's Champion was originally brought back to the company in 2016, but was used increasingly less as time went on. She described how after she tore her ACL she was slowly being pushed into retirement or a backstage agent role, but repeatedly pushed against it.
Instead, she pitched a number of programs for the WWE Network. That included a version of the podcast, a game show and even an all-women wrestling brand. She recalled being shut down repeatedly and mentioned a particularly offensive conversation with an unnamed WWE official.
"This one person... he says to me, 'they're never going to do it. Ever. Women's wrestling doesn't really make money.The Women's Evolution pay-per-view, lowest-rated pay-per-view ever in the history of WWE pay-per-views. I get what you're trying to do, but I don't understand why you're fighting so hard for it,'" James said.
Mickie tried to pitch an all female show but.. pic.twitter.com/mLIYs5zipv
— 🌻 (@k2mella) April 28, 2021
James also went into detail about the trash bag incident last week, which resulted in Triple H and Stephanie McMahon both releasing statements.
Thank you Stephanie. I appreciate that as I am equally embarrassed. I know this wasn’t a malicious act. However it did feel very symbolic to how I was presented in the last 3 years. https://t.co/ih99BtNYTD
— Mickie James~Aldis (@MickieJames) April 23, 2021
Upon learning of the disrespectful treatment some of our recently released talent received on behalf of the company, we took immediate action. The person responsible for this inconsiderate action has been fired and is no longer with @WWE.
— Triple H (@TripleH) April 23, 2021
Mark Carrano was fired over the incident, and James confirmed that Vince McMahon personally called to apologize.
— 🌻 (@k2mella) April 28, 2021
"I would like to address this one last time, then we can all move on," James wrote on Twitter last Saturday. "I have so many amazing things on the horizon. The last thing I desire to have any of that tainted with ugliness and negativity. I take zero pride or joy in the fact that someone would lose their job ever. Especially someone I considered a friend. I am confident that Vince & the McMahons had no idea that this is how we were sent packing. It hurt a fragile me much more ten years ago when my belongings arrived on my doorstep, because WWE was my everything."
WWE has yet to hold a second Evolution pay-per-view since the inaugural event in 2018, though wrestlers have repeatedly campaigned for it.