WWE Once Considered Buying Playboy

WWE once considered buying Playboy, according to influential backstage figure Bruce Prichard. 

Per Prichard, WWE weighed up the possibility of purchasing Playboy (prior to transitioning to a PG-rated product in the spring of 2008).

Discussing the idea during a recent edition of his Something to Wrestle podcast, Prichard said:

"We were winding down the Playboy association. And again, we were in transition. We were transitioning to a more PG-themed product. But there was a point in time where we were negotiating to actually purchase Playboy. That was an interesting time as well. I think that anytime that you can be on newsstands in front of the public, whether they bought it or not. When you would walk by a newsstand, you would see your stars on the cover. Whether they bought it or not, they saw those stars on the cover of Playboy and that was like 'Oh hey - wow, that's a huge celebrity'". 

Several WWE stars graced the cover of Playboy during the magazine's almost decade-long association with WWE, including Sable, Chyna, Torrie Wilson, Christy Hemme, Candice Michelle, Ashley Massaro and Maria Kanellis.

Other stars - including Trish Stratus and Stacy Keibler - were approached about posing for the magazine, but turned the offer down.

H/T Wrestling Inc.