Are some Wrestlers overpaid and others underpaid?

[Fansince1992]

I don't know how much exactly WWE superstars earn a year but it does seem certain Wrestlers are massively overpaid compared to others.

Will use 2 examples of Wrestlers yearly earnings that i have heard about.

Brock Lesnar and Chris Benoit are the 2 Examples.

It has been stated on here a few times that Brock is earning a whopping 5 million dollars for his current 12 month contract. Now track back to 2007 at the time of Chris Benoit's death, it said on the news that Chris was earning half a million dollars a year working for WWE. This means that Benoit would have to bust his ass for 10 years to match Brock's earnings for 30 ish appearences and probably 3-4 matches over 12 months.

It's understandable that Lesnar would earn more than Benoit as Brock is probably considered a Megastar and Benoit was only really considered a Hard Hitting average type of Wrestler, but a 4.5 million difference seems a LOT. Maybe Benoit was seeking to become a megastar himself and pushed himself to hard giving himself the serious injuries he suffered which led to the July 2007 Tradgedy.

Half a Million Dollars a year certainly isn't what any of us on here would consider Underpaid, but if you scale it up to a Fame perspective then you could say Benoit was Underpaid and Lesnar is Overpaid.

You can't blame Brock for his earnings i'm sure we would all dream of that sort of Salary! If Lesnar signs another contract next year will he bleed WWE again? or would they refuse to pay him that sort of money again.

I'm not sure if these salary figures are 100% accurate as they get extra Perks, Bonuses and Advertising aswell.

Does anyone know roughly how much other superstars earn? i'm quite interested to know.

Should their earnings be a bit more evenly matched?

Could it be dangerous if a Wrestler is underpaid that they might push themselves to hard to become a Megastar and suffer serious injuries like Benoit?

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Entertainment is all about drawing power. Benoit never really had it. He had the eyes of the fans that were going to show up and watch anyway. Guys like the Rock and Lesnar give the WWE exposure outside of the die hard or even the casual fan. Some might argue that they are the ones that are actually underpaid. Vince would probably argue that everyone is overpaid.

As awful as this sounds, while hard work and loyalty are wondeful attributes to have: working smart, some luck and knowing when to push back and challenge your boss is more likely to help you succeed financially.

And no, earnings in the entertainment industry should be what they are. It is not exactly like WWE is paying their talent an unliveable wage.

 

[Defekt]

The WWE pays wrestlers based on how they perceive their drawing power. If the WWE is paying Brock $5,000,000 a year, it's because they think he will earn them double or triple that.

$500,000 a year for Benoit seems low. In Jericho's book he said he made between $900,000 and $1.3 million a year. I'd imagine Benoit's salary was more along those lines.

Should their earnings be a bit more evenly matched?
Brock isn't going to work for $200,000 a year, and Alex Riley isn't worth $5,000,000 a year. I think it's a better idea to pay them based on what they bring to the company.

Could it be dangerous if a Wrestler is underpaid that they might push themselves to hard to become a Megastar and suffer serious injuries like Benoit?
The same could be said about any employee in any industry. Indy wrestlers do shows for hot dogs and nachos. Even the lower card WWE guys get 6 figure salaries. I don't think it's something to worry about.

 

[Xumer]

The WWE pays wrestlers based on how they perceive their drawing power. If the WWE is paying Brock $5,000,000 a year, it's because they think he will earn them double or triple that.

This all day. Simple basic economics. I think the real question is just HOW do they break that down to know who drew what on a full PPV card? Personally I think Brock is making waaaaaay too much for the few dates on his contract.

 

[Shivan]

Allow me to post what I do know. The past Tough Enough winners specifically Nadia and Maven were given a $52,000 1 year contract or $1,000 per week. This was the "prize" for them winning. I also know they did the $1,000,000 Tough Enough but the specifics of how they paid off are not released to my knowledge.

As independent contractors, the talent are responsible for their own expenses. Those being food, hotels, and even transportation. This explains why so many veterans have stories of "I was riding with..." as they would do this to save expenses.

I've also heard that Big Show started a trend of sorts by buying/leasing a tour bus because of his issues with flying in part to his size. So the expenses are what the individual makes them.

There was also a time where workers were given PPV appearance bonuses based on the buy rate (read: PROFIT) the event made and the draw power of the worker.

Those facts said, I'd have to wonder how they do judge the draw power. Being the WWE has the control of who rises and falls based on who they write into the shows they ultimately have control over the draw power.
That brings me to further opinion on the Brock/Rock/Undertaker/Austin/HBK deals. Certain superstars have grown to a draw power outside of WWE to where they can take less risks and profit more by doing things outside of WWE. The Rock can make movies and spend MONTHS on a shooting location with low risk to injury and low costs to his finances. UT/SCSA/HBK are so over as names that their appearances alone make the costs worth it for WWE to bring them in. Brock went to MMA. MMA is a blame for the loss of viewers in WWE. So what better way to bring those fans back to WWE than to pay Brock the 5mil for the few dates and use his MMA power to try and bring those fans back? This is noted in the "new" move set that we saw Brock use against Cena. It was plain that WWE was using the MMA style with Brock in order to make the match seem more "legit" The WWE fans saw a "shoot fight" the MMA fans that wanted to see Brock saw Cena have to "work".
So if Brock achieves to bring some MMA fans back full time and increases PPV buys then the 5mil was more than worth it

 

[2Sweet_4Life]

Below are the salaries of various wrestlers over the years:

Ashley Massaro: $131,000
Batista: $813,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Big Show: $1,000,000 (Base salary)
Bob Holly: $217,000
Booker T: $375,000
Candice Michelle: $64,000
Carlito: $319,000
Chavo Guerrero: $206,000
Chris Benoit: $488,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Chris Masters: $253,000
Christian: $396,000
Danny Basham: $130,000
Doug Basham: $126,000
Eddie Guerrero: $372,000
Edge: $704,000
Eugene: $189,000
Funaki: $124,000
Gene Snitsky: $292,000
Gregory Helms: $277,000
John Cena: $1,743,000 (First class flight tickets, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation paid for every week)
John Layfield: $786,000 (Five star hotel accommodations paid for every week)
Jerry Lawler: $204,000 (First class flight tickets, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation paid for every week)
Jillian Hall: $52,000
Joey Mercury: $134,000
Johnny Nitro: $143,000
Jonathan Coachman: $175,000
Kane: $ 851,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Ken Kennedy: $133,000
Kid Kash: $62,000
Kurt Angle: $1,023,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Lance Cade: $118,000
Lilian Garcia: $90,000
Lita: $286,000 (Mostly downside paid due to lack of wrestling)
Maria: $41,000
Mark Henry: $300,000 (Base pay)
Matt Hardy: $322,000 (Missed over $70,000 of pay due to firing)
Matt Striker: $43,000
Melina: $155,000
Mickie James: $72,000
Nunzio: $186,000
Orlando Jordan: $145,000
Paul London: $177,000
Psicosis: $122,000
Randy Orton: $711,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Rene Dupree: $289,000
Rey Mysterio: $414,000
Ric Flair: $508,000 (First class flight tickets paid for every week)
Rob Conway: $186,000
Rob Van Damn: $220,000 (Only received downside and royalties due to injury)
Rosie: $105,000
Shawn Michaels: $1,045,000 (First class flight tickets, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation paid for every week)
Shelton Benjamin: $366,000
Simon Dean: $132,000
Stacy Keibler: $178,000 (Only downside paid during absence)
Steven Richards: $94,000
Torrie Wilson: $260,000
Trevor Murdoch: $48,000
Triple H: $2,013,000 (Allowed the personal use of company jet (10) times per year. First class flight tickets, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation paid for every week)
Trish Stratus: $618,000 (Receives 20% of all Trish Stratus merchandise sold)
Tyson Tomko: $127,000
Undertaker: $1,811,000 (First class flight tickets, hotel accommodations, and ground transportation paid for every week)
Val Venis: $210,000
Victoria: $275,000
Viscera: $130,000
William Regal: $225,000


These are true but HBK only gets $1million a year whilst HHH gets double that is ludicrous, But we know why. Although i find it weird Trish earnt more than Booker T & Christian.

I think the pay salaries are going to differ because you won't pay Heath Slater $5million a year because he won't get record buys at Wrestlemania but The Rock or Brock will.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

From an idealistic point of view, the answer is yes. From a realistic point of view, that's just how things are. It's not only that way in WWE, but in every other job in every other field of employment. My grandfather worked for 40 years as a coal miner, but he was never going to make as much money as a heart surgeon. Even though he worked hard & often did put his life in risk to feed his family, and may have deserved to make as much as a heart surgeon, that's not how it turned out.

Some wrestlers are going to make more money than others because they bring more to the table. To me, this is a similar thread as those that ask who "deserves" to be pushed to the main event or who "deserves" to be World Champion. Everybody can't be a main eventer or World Champion for practical puproses alone, such as there's just not enough room or time for everyone to be there. There's also the fact that not everybody should be a main eventer or World Champion because they don't have the ability. Sometimes, some wrestlers don't get the credit or attention they deserve, sometimes some get too much. Again, just like every other area of employment, that's something that you just can't really get around. Some guys get chosen and some get passed over. Sometimes it's the right choice, sometimes it isn't.

To me, this is something that's much more noticable in TNA. If the reports are true, then most of their roster works on a paid by appearance basis. A lot of talented wrestlers on the roster, allegedly, only make a few hundred bucks per appearance, many of which can go for months on end without being used. Also, allegedly, TNA is said to be very reluctant to lend their talent out to work at indy shows. When they do, it's said that they charge a pretty large fee for allowing their wrestler to go but, much of the time, they don't allow them to work other shows. I don't know if that's all true or if part of it is, it's just something I've read about off and on the past few years.

Almost nobody starts off at the top earning top dollar. Contrary to what some might believe, multi-million dollar contracts aren't just handed out in WWE on a silver platter to every person that pops up. Cena didn't start out making as much as he does now. Neither did Orton, Rock, Austin, Undertaker, Triple H, etc. The reason why they did ultimately get these big deals is because they were able to show that they were worth it. They took the opportunities they were given, did their best with what they had and proved themselves to be stars. The fact that some wrestlers aren't able to do that and go onto bellyache about it as though the world owes them something can't change that.

 

[mrpops]

Brock is overpaid. Getting 5 million to work 3-4 ppv matches and maybe a couple squash/tag matches on RAW is not worth 5 million a year. Unless his contract says he gets 5 million and no PPV/mania paychecks, no merch sales etc then it doesnt sound so bad.....seeing as HHH gets paid a million to wrestle at mania.

How much does Cena get per year? He wrestles like everyday, is the face of the company and probably only makes half as much as brock.

But for other wrestlers, i think for the most part they get paid fairly. Its just brock is probably the most overpaid guy ever and isnt worth it. Atleast Stone Cold, Rock and Hogan are worth it....Brock isnt.

 

[jacdnwarrior]

That's the problem with working for some one else. They determine your value. They assess how much they can make off you and pay you a fraction of the value you bring in. You never really get a fair value for the work you do or the value you bring into the company.

It's hard to say people are overpaid in the wrestling industry. Trish, for example, brings in a lot thanks to her vids, calendars posters etc. A hot female can drive desperate males to spend their lifesavings on a poster or calendars that shows even the least amount of skin.

The other thing to keep in mind, they don't have health insurance for the most part. One careless act, one injury and it's over for you. Most wrestlers have to pay for their own accomodations when on the road, they have to pay for gas, food etc. If you have a wife or husband and/or children, there's those expenses. You're on the road a lot of days, (it's gotten better but still) and it's a lifetime before they make the big money if at all. I would say that more than anything else, most wrestlers are ridiculously underpaid and it stays that way for far too long.
The gap between those who earn the big money ad those who don't is absurdly huge. It's no wonder that many wrestlers leave the industry altogether.

The work is too difficult and too physically demanding to be paid less than $150 000 - $250 000 per year, imo.

 

[FlairFan2003]

The post with the salary info was very interesting, makes you wonder where that info came from. Ive heard/read various stories over that years that WWE pays most performers a base pay, then their are bonuses for house shows, PPV matches (based on the financial success of the show & said performer's match placement). In his book Jericho talked about feeling his WrestleMania bonus was too low and how he went to McMahon and he gave him more $$. I think the Grantland Article on Flair listed his reported WWE income somewhere around $800,000 in some court filings but that maybe his base pay & bonus $$ combined. I believe performers get bonus $$ pd on merchandise as well.

Someone like Lesnar benefits because of how bad business is right now. He has leverage to command a higher sum than what he is worth because WWE is starved for a big money payoff that he might help provide. WCW did the same thing with Hogan, at one point paying him 1 million per PPV. They were paying base salaries of just $500,000 to Flair & Savage at the same time. Remember, for all the talk of a commitment to a youth movement in WWE, this past WM was built around 2 matches, 1 featuring a semi retired 90s star with ties to Hollywood and another featuring two near 50yr olds who both started in the late 80s w/ a guest appearance as a ref from a retired guy who was old enough to be wrestling for the tag team titles in 1986. Why ? WWE knew those guys, even getting old, were established enough with the audience to draw money.

One other thing I would say is that wrestlers in general dont get much money. When HHH spends most of the past decade as the No. 1 guy and he's your highest paid guy at 2million per year, roughly what The Steelers pay for a back up quarterback, that says a lot about how hard it is to get a pay check in this business.

 

[DirtyD79]

Should their earnings be a bit more evenly matched?

Hell no. If a wrestler's more valuable to a company by all means they should be paid more. Brock Lesnar and The Rock didn't show up out of the goodness of their hearts. Nope, they knew WWE would be raking in a big pay day with their appearances and merch. It's only right they'd feel they deserve a bigger piece of the pie than some goomer who's lucky if he even to gets to job in NXT dark matches.

 

[HBsam31]

Should their earnings be a bit more evenly matched?

This is one of those unfortunate but true aspects of life. Some will get paid what we think is way to much and some will get paid what we think is way to little. Look at pro football. The quarterback gets paid the big time dollars, and the linemen that allow him to do his job and protect him are most times paid much less. The quarterback is usually the face of the team. He is the guy people are paying to see not the linemen. Its the same thing in wrestling. The people that Vince thinks the fans are paying their money to see are going to get the most money paid to them.

Could it be dangerous if a Wrestler is underpaid that they might push themselves to hard to become a Megastar and suffer serious injuries like Benoit?

I suppose this could be a concern, but it goes with the territory. Benoit is an extreme case. Lets look at Stone Cold Steve Austin. he busted his but for years to get to the top when he was perceived by some to be a career mid carder. He worked and worked, and his injury came when Owen messed the piledriver up that broke his neck. It didn't matter if Austin would have worked less hard he still would have gotten that injury. It's a person by person basis, and I don't think wrestlers should stop striving to be on top just because of some extreme cases. We all work hard to make more money, but unfortunately sometimes it takes more than hard work to get to the top.