Major Vince McMahon WWE rule seemingly thrown out; it was "his religion" - Reports

WWE has changed with Vince McMahon not being around to call the shots, and the latest reports now suggest an old rule of his has been discontinued regarding having sponsors at ringside.

Ever since Nick Khan took over as the President and Triple H took over as the CCO of the company, WWE has been more open about having brands sponsor specific matches.

The Slim Jim Battle Royal at SummerSlam is just one recent example of the company allowing a brand's name to be prominently featured during a match.

While speaking on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio episode, Dave Meltzer revealed that Vince McMahon was previously quite strict about a rule about keeping the ring clean of any brand endorsements.

It was noted that, for McMahon, the rule was like a "religion" that WWE followed without any exceptions. During his regime, the digital screens, ring apron, and mats never had any sponsors, but that's now a thing of the past.

Here's what Meltzer stated about the Vince McMahon rule being thrown out of the window with the 78-year-old not having the decision-making power in WWE anymore:

"It was his religion. I think it was like a religion to Vince; you don't advertise on the mats; you keep it clean. That's no longer going to be the case." [From 6:45 onwards]

Why has WWE decided to move on from Vince McMahon's rule?

WWE's merger with the UFC has significantly impacted how the professional wrestling giant has done business.

When UFC was taken over by Endeavour years ago, they multiplied their sales and sponsorship figures by allowing brands to advertise all around the Octagon, which Nick Khan highlighted during an interview with 'LightShed Live' in April.

The WWE President noted that from making $35 million prior to Endeavour's purchase of UFC, the Dana White company now rakes in nearly $200 Million from endorsement deals.

Khan explained that WWE was also keen to follow the model as the wrestling company has a lot of "real estate" during live shows. Whether it was the ring mat, apron, or turnbuckles, Nick Khan said WWE was ready to feature the right product that fits with the theme and isn't too distracting.

WWE, of course, does not plan on overdoing it with its apparent commercialization, as only some matches will follow the particular route. However, now that WWE has a chance to make some good money, the long-standing Vince McMahon rule has become redundant.

Do you like WWE's sponsorship idea? Sound off in the comments section below.