At WWE’s Payback pay-per-view, fans were expecting a decision from Vince McMahon regarding which of his children would have control of RAW – Shane or Stephanie. Because of the way RAW drives the WWE story as a whole, this control essentially means controlling the direction of the company.
When the time came to make the call, though, Vince chose to put both of them in charge and tasked them with figuring out how to make that work. While that seemed like a silly route to take at first, there are several reasons why it’s “best for business” for the WWE.
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Natural next step
Shane and Stephanie controlling RAW together might initially seem like an awkward creative choice, but in reality, it’s the most logical way to go. In fact, it might be the path that is closest to what would happen in real life.
Ignoring the illogical way Shane got control after losing his match with the Undertaker, the shows he’s put on since have been great. And while it would only make sense that Stephanie would want control back, it would also make sense that Vince would want both of his kids involved in the company somehow.
Feud for HHH
Since Triple H lost his World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 32, “The Game” has been absent from WWE television. That was largely expected, but it would be hard to believe that’s going to be a permanent arrangement.
When he does come back, he may want to get back in the ring, and we’ve seen that him feuding with current superstars may not for the best. And who would be better for him to face off against than the brother-in-law that’s trying to take over the company he hopes to run himself one day? Even if the McMahons are working together for now, one can only expect that won’t last forever.
Authority tension
Another angle that can be expected when Triple H returns is tension among the company’s Authority figures, mainly the “Cerebral Assassin” and his father-in-law, Vince McMahon. With Vince having given Shane the control he didn’t earn against The Undertaker, Triple H is bound to be upset.
This could inject some much-needed life into what had become a stale story with the Authority. Tension in a stable or group always adds to the intrigue, even if the people in the group are a real-life family. And if either McMahon sibling had sole control, we might not get that tension.
Flexibility
It’s no secret that when the McMahons get involved in the storylines, unexpected alliances and betrayals often follow. Because of that, Shane and Stephanie sharing control of the company’s creative direction provides a lot of flexibility.
Will the two siblings learn to coexist and create their own Authority-type group? Will they work together to run their father out of the company? Will they create warring factions that fight for supremacy? How will all that affect the matches that fans get to see? Those questions create lots of options for the next few months.
Potential for chaos
Hopefully, this power struggle within the McMahon family will end with an actual on-screen battle for control of the company. Knowing how long the Authority or Corporate angles generally take, this could culminate with some sort of Survivor Series match later this year.
If that’s what happens, WWE television could get chaotic leading up to that match or whatever event plays host to the final fight for control. Fans could see locker-room clearing brawls like we haven’t seen in a while, with each wrestler aligning with the sibling or group of their choice.
