Estimated Annual Payrolls

[Richie Cult]

Since none of us really know how much each wrestling promotion really pays out each year in wrestler salaries (not referees, crew, etc.), please give me your best guesses. Use the promotions listed below and add others if you want. I went through the WWE's most recent corporate filings (public company, listed on internet for all to see) and even though they do not have to disclose how much they pay to wrestlers, I had a general idea and I will give my estimate after I get a few guesses from WrestleZone loyalists. Just round it to the closest million, or less in JCW's case.

WWE (Raw, SmackDown, new ECW)

WCW (original from 80's & 90"s)

TNA (North America)

ECW (original from 90's)

JCW (Juggalo)

AAA (Mexico)

CMLL (Mexico)

New Japan (Japan)

NOAH (Japan)

All Japan (Japan)

Big Japan (Japan)

Dragon Gate (Japan)

Zero-One Max (Japan)

Michinoku Pro (Japan)

D.D.T. (Japan)

World Japan (Japan)

Osaka Pro (Japan)

WAR (Japan)

I am sure there are many of these organizations that nobody has heard of, so if you got no clue, just skip it. Japan has many different promotions for such a small country, eh?

I am currently reading the Bischoff book "Controversy Creates Cash" and "The Death of WCW". I won "The Rise & Fall of ECW" and "Hardcore History" on eBay and will read them soon. It got me curious about annual payrolls of existing and extinct promotions / organizations. Thanks!

 

[Richie Cult]

Since I am not getting any bites, these are my estimated annual payrolls for wrestlers from the various promotions (including defunct). Please correct me if anybody sees anything really off the mark.

WCW (original from 80's & 90"s) = $ 60 million
WWF / WWE / new ECW = $ 55 million
TNA (North America) = $ 28 million
New Japan (Japan) = $ 23 million
NOAH (Japan) = $ 23 million
All Japan (Japan) = $ 15 million
Big Japan (Japan) = $ 15 million
AAA (Mexico) = $ 14 million
CMLL (Mexico) = $ 14 million
ECW (original from 90's) = $ 7 million
Dragon Gate (Japan) = $ 7 million
Zero-One Max (Japan) = $ 7 million
Michinoku Pro (Japan) = $ 5 million
D.D.T. (Japan) = $ 5 million
World Japan (Japan) = $ 5 million
Osaka Pro (Japan) = $ 3 million
WAR (Japan) = $ 3 million
JCW (Juggalo Championshit) = $ 500,000

 

[Nate DaMac]

Not hatin, as I am a Juggalo, but I guarantee you're off by about $450,000 with JCW.

 

[Richie Cult]

After some feedback from WrestleZone members and other wrestling sources, I modify my estimates as follows:

WWE / new ECW (if still existing) / FCW = $ 55 million
WCW (original from 80's & 90"s) = $ 48 million (lowered because even though Bischoff paid "superstar WWF wrestlers" 10% more to entice them, their total roster was smaller than WWE's current roster, including developmental)
TNA (North America) = $ 24 million
New Japan (Japan) = $ 17 million
NOAH (Japan) = $ 17 million
All Japan (Japan) = $ 9 million
Big Japan (Japan) = $ 9 million
AAA (Mexico) = $ 7 million
CMLL (Mexico) = $ 7 million
ECW (original from 90's) = $ 3 million
Dragon Gate (Japan & U.S.A.) = $ 3 million
Zero-One Max (Japan) = $ 3 million
Michinoku Pro (Japan) = $ 1.6 million
D.D.T. (Japan) = $ 1.6 million
World Japan (Japan) = $ 1.6 million
Osaka Pro (Japan) = $ 600,000
WAR (Japan) = $ 600,000
JCW (Juggalo Championship Wrestling) = $ 50,000 (what was I thinking with my first estimate? Thanks F.A.T.!

Many numbers lowered after I had a reality check. Thanks!

Has anybody or does anybody have any friends that wrestled in Mexico or Japan who can give me an idea of their pay scale in those places?