WWE Superstars Would Be Insane Not To Unionize Following $2 Billion TV Deals

[Toe Jay Simpson]

This would make an awesome storyline, and not that Occupy Raw crap they did

 

[TheWhackMamba]

Foley test big show and shamrock byke!!!

 

[MenacingMonk]

If anyone tried this they'd get deavored ASAP. Next stop the Impact Zone.

 

[Mike the Executioner]

These wrestlers are independent contractors forced to work with a bunch of idiots and weirdos in charge, while also having to travel nonstop and work constant dates turning their brains into mush. They even have to work through the holidays now, and they get paid in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Vince McMahon might be one of the greatest goons to ever live.

 

[Homer Simpson]

Not gonna work, half the wrestlers would stab their own mother in the back to win the intercontinental championship at a Backlash.

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Y'all are pessimistic, but these are different times. All these guys are on Twitter. Yeah many of them are rednecks or Republicans for tax purposes, but this signal is getting louder.

 

[Nintendough]

Yeah the problem is that someone is gonna drop a dime for the brass rings. Won't happen.

 

[Slystallion]

They can make them salary and not have to unionize...i would fight that battle first since it's easier cuz a real independent contractor would be able to make thier own hours and work where they please... Clearly wwe treats them like employees... If CM punk was really about the rebel life this is the battle he would have waged

 

[Rell Lauren]

Even the top WWE stars are terribly underpaid (not counting the Lesnar deal if that number is even accurate). The Forbes list showed top wrestlers like Reigns and Rollins only made like $2-3 million. There needs to be at the very least some type of pay scale in place that can't be micro-managed and manipulated in order to undercut someone who certain people backstage "don't like", get lazy with in booking, etc.

just to play around with an idea for a reasonable system,

Example of what should change (talking about WWE roster only, not NXT),

- Flight, Hotel, and transportation paid for by the company
- 25% share of all merchandise profits (not the current ridiculous 2.5% theft going on right now)
- Bonus pay for amount of shows worked ($100k bonus for 100 shows worked, $250k bonus for 150 shows, $500k bonus for 200 shows, etc.)
- Bonus pay for every time wrestler is used in commercial advertising, billboards, etc.

Base Pay for ALL full-time wrestlers male and female
- $750,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 1st year
- $1,250,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 2nd year
- $1,750,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 3rd year
etc.,etc.


and for anyone who thinks that WWE isn't capable of paying those salaries, look again. even if the average salary for every wrestler was $4 million (at say 50-70 wrestlers) and counting the travel cost that still wouldn't even total but maybe 25-30% of LAST YEAR'S revenue. The NBA, MLB, etc. revenues are split like 52% to owners and 48% to the players.

75% for WWE and 25% for the wrestlers is more than reasonable and with the new $2 billion TV deals it would be a crime for them not to pay these men and women more appropriately.

Your base pay numbers are absurd.

 

[Apex]

This would make an awesome storyline, and not that Occupy Raw crap they did

This would be the most fresh storyline in 20 years.

 

[Crimson_Dynamo]

Y'all are pessimistic, but these are different times. All these guys are on Twitter. Yeah many of them are rednecks or Republicans for tax purposes, but this signal is getting louder.

Nah. For the last 30 something years the GOP literally compared unions to anti american communism. With a good chunk of the locker room being trumpets they would rather die broke, broken down and ruined home lives than to vote union just like most right wing whites. The ones that would be for a union wouldn't say so out in the open for fear of losing their job or would be deavored and made persona non grata.

 

[TL15]

Even the top WWE stars are terribly underpaid (not counting the Lesnar deal if that number is even accurate). The Forbes list showed top wrestlers like Reigns and Rollins only made like $2-3 million. There needs to be at the very least some type of pay scale in place that can't be micro-managed and manipulated in order to undercut someone who certain people backstage "don't like", get lazy with in booking, etc.

just to play around with an idea for a reasonable system,

Example of what should change (talking about WWE roster only, not NXT),

- Flight, Hotel, and transportation paid for by the company
- 25% share of all merchandise profits (not the current ridiculous 2.5% theft going on right now)
- Bonus pay for amount of shows worked ($100k bonus for 100 shows worked, $250k bonus for 150 shows, $500k bonus for 200 shows, etc.)
- Bonus pay for every time wrestler is used in commercial advertising, billboards, etc.

Base Pay for ALL full-time wrestlers male and female
- $750,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 1st year
- $1,250,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 2nd year
- $1,750,000 guaranteed base for wrestlers in 3rd year
etc.,etc.


and for anyone who thinks that WWE isn't capable of paying those salaries, look again. even if the average salary for every wrestler was $4 million (at say 50-70 wrestlers) and counting the travel cost that still wouldn't even total but maybe 25-30% of LAST YEAR'S revenue. The NBA, MLB, etc. revenues are split like 52% to owners and 48% to the players.

75% for WWE and 25% for the wrestlers is more than reasonable and with the new $2 billion TV deals it would be a crime for them not to pay these men and women more appropriately.

I never said that unionizing shouldn't happen, nor did I say there isn't a fair way to do it. Your premise is very fair.

The issue is that the NFL, NBA, MLB, UFC, FIFA, etc. are competitive sports that are based on merit
The WWE is a TV show. Not insinuating you personally and I mean no disrespect, but I don't understand why people don't understand that. "Merchandise sales" for example is totally different than NFL jersey sales. If Aaron Rodgers goes and breaks the NFL season touchdown record, it's on his own professional merit against others who are trying to stop him. If (and when) John Cena wins his 17th title, it's because it was written in a creative writing room. Two utterly and completely different industries and accomplishments.

 

[Crimson_Dynamo]

They would need a professional Salter (agitator) to sneak in and get hired with the sole purpose of starting a union. But then the McMahon' s would probably hire a union buster...

 

[Slystallion]

What others stated before...since pro sports leagues are actual competitions, the compensation base would likely have to be more similar to SAG acting type union agreements or make everyone a salaried worker, since there is no way they are really contractors because if that were the case they would be free to perform for damn near any company, but if you look at Brock he's made a contract where he performs only certain dates or certain amount of times a year and has been allowed to fight in UFC...so he's more like a real independent contractor and he has negotiated it based on his clout....

but a court would just say why doesn't the other talent try to negotiate their contracts to terms that may find work for them like Brock and rule in favor of WWE unfortunately.

 

[Superkick Party]

Yeah the problem is that someone is gonna drop a dime for the brass rings. Won't happen.

Someone like Orton, Cena or even Roman would let Vince know immediately