WWE Merges Their Creative Teams, Paul Heyman Demoted from Creative

WWE announced that they have merged their RAW and SmackDown creative teams into a single team going forward.

Paul Heyman has been demoted from his role as the Executive Director of the RAW brand and will now be working primarily as an on-screen talent.

SmackDown’s Executive Director Bruce Prichard was announced to be in charge of the company’s newly merged creative team.

WWE’s statement:

“In an effort to streamline our creative writing process for television, we have consolidated both teams from Raw and SmackDown into one group, led by Bruce Prichard. Paul Heyman will concentrate on his role as an in-ring performer.”

In an effort to streamline our creative writing process for television, we have consolidated both teams from Raw and SmackDown into one group, led by Bruce Prichard. Paul Heyman will concentrate on his role as an in-ring performer. https://t.co/KOahV2sO5q

— WWE (@WWE) June 11, 2020

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that one of his sources stated that this decision was made by Vince McMahon, who had been “very upset” and openly “frustrated” over Raw and its declining viewership.

Paul Heyman had been the Executive Director of RAW since June 2019. Bruce Prichard had been the Executive Director of SmackDown since replacing Eric Bischoff in October of 2019.