Major WWE Executive Departure

Former Warner Bros. Exec Eric Pankowsi is out as WWE’s head of creative and development, according to former WWE writer Court Bauer on Twitter.

Pankowsi was hired in January 2012 to head up WWE’s TV creative development, including reality and kids programming. His duties included managing the creative team as well well as overseeing the sale of programming to networks, studios and other distributors. He spent twelve years at Warner Bros.

WWE is already looking to replace Pankowsi as they posted a job opening for a new Vice President of Creative Writing. Pankowsi was in fact relieved from the position. The move doesn’t come as a surprise as he didn’t exactly have a reputation of getting along with talent. The biggest surprise was the move took place this close to Wrestlemania. Pankowsi completely took over the WWE writing team when Brian Gewirtz was removed from his post in October 2012. He was given the position by Stephanie McMahon as she was said to trust him. The word making the rounds is that Pankowski wasn't receptive to ideas beyond his own and that eventually cost him allies within the company. He was described as not knowing how to deal with personalities while in a position that required him to deal with a LOT of eclectic personalities.

There were a few instances of Pankowski and wrestlers getting into arguments over what would work and what wouldn't on WWE programming. It was described to me as a "Hollywood mindset not adapting to the pro wrestling mindset, and instead trying to force the opposite."