Vince Russo says he was consulting for USA Network over the past two years, specifically regarding WWE RAW.
Russo previously worked for WWE from 1992-1999, and he became the company’s head writer during the Attitude Era. Following this successful run, he signed with WCW and became their head writer in 1999. After a controversial run there, he briefly returned to WWE before he started working for TNA Wrestling.
During a video posted on his YouTube channel, Russo stated that he consulted on WWE RAW for USA Network from March 2020 up until WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
“I’ve been keeping a little secret for the last two-plus years that I wanna talk about on this show,” Russo said. “I want to come clean. People tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about. When I start talking about the network, people actually think they know more about the network and where the network stands pertaining to RAW and its audience and its numbers than I do. Well bro, I’m gonna break the news to you on this show. I’ve not said this publicly before. From March, pre-‘Mania, bro, it was right before ‘Mania in 2020, up until this past ‘Mania in 2022, so basically bro for two years, I was consulting for the USA Network, bro. For two years bro, the USA Network paid me very, very, very well.”
He continued by noting that he spoke to the vice president of USA Network, and after they had a lengthy conversation, he latter got in touch with Vince McMahon. He then started consulting for the network on a weekly basis.
“Now if you want to know how this came about, let’s take a couple of steps back and I will explain this to you,” Russo said. “I got in contact with the Vice President at the USA Network who was overseeing RAW. He knew who I was, called me back immediately, and we had a long, long, long discussion. So the first thing he did was, he went directly to Vince McMahon. Now bro, I want to throw out there too, because I always give credit where credits is due, I didn’t want to just give one perspective. That’s why I was paid to consult for them. I knew it was just a matter of time before the gig was gonna be up. So for two years, I was consulting weekly with the USA Network. For two years, I heard the number and the rating, and the viewership, and the return on the investment.”
Russo went on to state that he knows what he’s talking about, given this position where he was working with the network and RAW on a weekly basis. He shared his belief that, whether it’s 1999 or 2022, he knows that the networks are looking for.
“The reason why I coming clean is, bro, don’t tell me I don’t know what the f— I’m talking about,” Russo said. “When it comes to numbers, when it comes to networks, I don’t care if it’s 1999 or 2020, I know where they stand. I know what they’re looking for. I know what’s acceptable and unacceptable because I had communication with them for two straight years. So don’t tell me I don’t know what the f— I’m talking about bro when I am working directly with the network that WWE RAW is on.”
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