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Paluka 03-16-2006 02:51 PM

WWE wrestlers salaries
 
I don't know anything about wrestling, but I found these compensation #s interesting. Do these seem high or low to most people?

Below is the World Wrestling Entertainment talent roster payroll that was taken from October of 2004 until February of 2006. The shown dollar amount beside each wrestler is the grand total that they earned from World Wrestling Entertainment in a one year period (downside guarantees, bonuses, and merchandise shares). Some wrestler's were given special privileges and bonuses in their contracts which can also be seen beside their total pay. All wrestler's contracts begin and end at different months of the year, there for each shown amount is what that particular wrestler earned in a 365 day time period between October 2004 and February 2006 (or however long they have been with the company). All dollar amounts were rounded up/down (Example: $244,766 would be $245,000)

- 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 Dam: $220,000 (Only received downside and royalties due to injury)
- Rosey: $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

Sponger. 03-16-2006 02:55 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
I'm interested in this and haven't watched wresting in 10 years. Cool stuff.

Now you if you could just find me information on how much sportscasters or ESPN anchors make that'd be great.

-Skeme- 03-16-2006 02:56 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Why does Triple H get so much money? He was always a douche.

amplify 03-16-2006 02:57 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
The following are wildly overpaid:
Bob Holly
Snitsky
Cena
Bradshaw
Orton
Rene Dupree
Rob Conway
Rosey
Simon Dean
Viscera
Undertaker

The Following are underpaid:
Benoit
Angle
Mysterio
Probably Trish Stratus

GambleGamble 03-16-2006 02:58 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
its amazing the range of salaries on these, I assumed Triple H made the most as seen here with the most perks, but I can believe Ric Flair doesnt make more than that, John layfield makes more than him and I dont even know who that is

amplify 03-16-2006 02:58 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
John Layfield is Bradshaw - JBL

elwoodblues 03-16-2006 02:59 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Does this mean that for most wrestlers they aren't paying hotel accomodations? I have a hard time believing that.

GambleGamble 03-16-2006 03:00 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
Why does Triple H get so much money? He was always a douche.

[/ QUOTE ]

You obviously havent watched inthe passed 10 years, I actually watched a lot from 1998 - 2001 and he was king of the WWE then, I know he started as a retard in the X clan or whatever the f it was but he came out of there and was huge, even "marrying" vinces daughter at one point

fatmanpoker 03-16-2006 03:01 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
anyone know what the salaries of bam bam bigelow, jake the snake, macho man, bret hart, or yokozuna?

bringing it back...i still have that game on my NES system. yeah, i still play it.

amplify 03-16-2006 03:02 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
HHH is actually married to Stephanie McMahon who is currently pregnant with their first child. HHH is the most brilliant backstage politician since Hulk Hogan and will probably break Flair's record of 16 World Titles because of it. I would say he probably deserves what he gets paid. But yeah, he is a douche.

GambleGamble 03-16-2006 03:02 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
yokozuna?



[/ QUOTE ]

He got paid in sammiches I believe, and he has also died I believe

Paluka 03-16-2006 03:03 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Are all these guys on roids and going to die early like World's Strongest Man competitors?

deadbody 03-16-2006 03:06 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
keep in mind for all the guys that don't have paid tix everywhere, they have to pay all their own travel expenses. I'm surprised at how little some of them made.

HHH is the most wildly overrated and horribly booked character in WWE. He is the only person responsible for it though and singlehandedly is bringing the company down. Marrying Steph was his coup de grace in making sure that he always got whatever he wanted.

Soul Daddy 03-16-2006 03:07 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
Does this mean that for most wrestlers they aren't paying hotel accomodations? I have a hard time believing that.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, it's true. As ridiculous as it sounds, almost all wrestlers are responsible for their accomodations and rental cars when on the road. They have almost no benefits, as they are considered independent contractors. WWE picking up the bill for those obviously is a huge bonus.

KneeCo 03-16-2006 03:07 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Haven't watched in a long while, still interesting stuff though. I wouldn't be surprised if the average pro wrestler salary has gone way done since WCW closed up shop and the WWF became the only show in town.

-Skeme- 03-16-2006 03:07 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
but he came out of there and was huge, even "marrying" vinces daughter at one point

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I remember this, she was passed out in the passenger seat, they showed the vid while she was marrying Edge or Christian or whoever. He sucked back then, too.

junglewarfare 03-16-2006 03:08 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are all these guys on roids and going to die early like World's Strongest Man competitors?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have to imagine they are.

A lot of the guys towards the bottom seem underpaid to me. It could just be that they didn't do much actual wrestling, or they only "performed" in a couple shows. Wrestling brings in a huuuugggee amount of revenue, I would expect the average and median pay to be pretty decent.

edit- re accomodations, i thought the people with stuff in parentheses just got first class tix and 5 star hotel accomodations instead of the coach/average rooms which everyone else got. kind of screwed up if the average guy doesn't, the retirement plan and stuff has got to suck too.

amplify 03-16-2006 03:10 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Also factored into this is that since the brand split into Raw and Smackdown, all of these people perform and travel about 2/3 to half of what they did before so that was a big benefit as well.

Russ M. 03-16-2006 03:16 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Haven't read the replies, but Angle is monsterously underpaid (same as Big Show? WTF?). Benoit could use a raise. Eddie was underpaid.

Also JBL is being paid about twice as much as he's worth.

RVD paid as much as Val Venis? Get a new agent, Rob. (unless that's ONLY his salary because he missed time and his actual salary is much more)

I like John Cena. However he is grossly overpaid.

No surprise that Triple H is the highest paid. Same for Taker.

PartyGirlUK 03-16-2006 03:16 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
How often do these guys perform in a typical year?

canis582 03-16-2006 03:17 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
It should be noted that the source on this is "some message board"

http://the-w.com/thread.php/id=29173

JBL held the Smackdown strap for most of 2004.

Also, many wrestlers die young not only from roid abuse, but also from pain killers, etc.

This is an awesome book about pro wrestling:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...60846?v=glance

-Skeme- 03-16-2006 03:17 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
How often do these guys perform in a typical year?

[/ QUOTE ]

A LOT.

fryKing 03-16-2006 03:21 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
the guys make the really low salaries are kind of like actors making scale. You could replace them with another unknowm wrestler, and hardly any fans would even notice or care. They also aren't on the big shows and don't have any merchandise.

This has nothing to do with how talented they are at their job, hitting it big in wrestling is mostly a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

fryKing 03-16-2006 03:26 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
these make sense to me. HHH makes the most becaue he's married to the bosses daughter. Undertaker makes the second most because he's been around forever. He also probably works the lightest schedule of any major wrestler. Cena makes a lot because he's their newest "star" and sells a ton of merchandise, has a record album, etc.
The salaries are lower than you might think in general, because there's no other wrestling company that's competition, and also business has been down the last 4 or 5 years. The company itself is fairly profitable despite that because they have been able to keep costs down.

In "the good old days", I would guess Steve Austin made closer to $10m/year in around 99-2000.

fryKing 03-16-2006 03:27 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
probably about 150 shows a year.

Jack of Arcades 03-16-2006 03:27 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are all these guys on roids and going to die early like World's Strongest Man competitors?

[/ QUOTE ]

pretty much. it's obvious even the smaller guys like rey are roiding. eddie guerrero was disgusting how much he was juicing.

Soul Daddy 03-16-2006 03:27 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Also, those on the true low end of the scale are valets, jobbers, or people that haven't been with the company for the entire year. A decent chunk of the payoffs come in the form of a PPV bonus, where if you wrestle on the PPV you get money. The higher your profile on the PPV, the higher your payment. Obviously, those that don't wrestle on the PPV get zip.

The DaveR 03-16-2006 03:28 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Seems low, particularly if most are paying their own travel expenses. What's the average career length? Can't be more than a half dozen years, right?

unlucky513 03-16-2006 03:39 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
HHH is actually married to Stephanie McMahon who is currently pregnant with their first child. HHH is the most brilliant backstage politician since Hulk Hogan and will probably break Flair's record of 16 World Titles because of it. I would say he probably deserves what he gets paid. But yeah, he is a douche.

[/ QUOTE ]


IIRC, HHH is from the "mean streets" of Greenwich, as are the McMahon's. Is his marriage to Stephanie/relationship with Vince the reason he is the "#1 star" and makes so much? Is he even still #1?

I haven't watched wrastlin in YEARS.

Soul Daddy 03-16-2006 03:40 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Good question. I'd suspect that it's higher, just because most of these guys seem to stick around FOREVER. If not in the big leagues then elsewhere. Lengthening their career clearly takes its toll on their life expectancy though.

Sponger. 03-16-2006 03:50 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE

there is some pretty cool stuff on wresting in here and other linked articles.

"The WWF/WCW feud reached new heights in 1996, when WCW offered a contract to Bret "The Hitman" Hart worth up to a reported nine million dollars over the course of three years. The WWF and Vince McMahon countered with an offer worth much less, but for a much longer period of time, with greater creative control. Bret Hart took the offer, but after several months of financial hardship and sharply falling profits, McMahon was uncertain if he could write Hart's paychecks."

-Skeme- 03-16-2006 04:00 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Read about the Montreal Screwjob if you want some real juicy gossip.

Soul Daddy 03-16-2006 04:07 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Yeah, if you find that interesting, take -Skeme-'s advice. Or seek out the DVD "Wrestling With Shadows" which chronicles the whole saga on tape. Pretty fascinating.

-Skeme- 03-16-2006 04:09 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
My brother has a theory that The Montreal Screwjob is just a really intricate and complex work.

Jeffage 03-16-2006 04:09 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
IIRC, they pay for their hotels and rental cars, but the WWE picks up their airfare (first class in the case of the one's mentioned).

Jeff

PartyGirlUK 03-16-2006 04:11 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
probably about 150 shows a year.

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF? A typical wrsetler will attend 150 shows a year? WOW. That is obscenely hard work. I think wrestling is atupid but these guys are extremely good at what they do.

With 150 shows, dont they wrestle the same guy 10 times every year? Are all of these shows televised, or do they do a tour of an area and put on basically the same show 4 nights running, only one of which is televised?

samjjones 03-16-2006 04:12 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Great post, Paluka. FWIW, Mark Henry's albatross contract (he is finishing up the final year of a 10 year deal) is probably pro wrestling's equivalent to Penny Hardaway's max contract in the NBA. Just a colossal waste of money.

I'm pretty sure that Cena's comp is tied into his merchandise...as he has a pretty successful merch line.

Also would be curious to know what Stone Cold and Hogan get paid for their limited appearances.

amplify 03-16-2006 04:12 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
[ QUOTE ]
My brother has a theory that The Montreal Screwjob is just a really intricate and complex work.

[/ QUOTE ]
I have been tempted to believe this myself, but I really don't think that Vince & company are smart enough to pull this off.

samjjones 03-16-2006 04:15 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
They do wrestle a lot of the same guys over and over again. Basically, each wrestler will do at least two or three shows a week. The "television" appearance (either RAW or Smackdown), plus one or two house shows. A house show is very similar to what you see on TV, except its not televised (obviously). A lot of these guys are on the road 250+ days a year, and have to find time to eat/work out/sleep while doing so. Its a tough life.

PartyGirlUK 03-16-2006 04:17 PM

Re: WWE wrestlers salaries
 
Right. I saw a poster for the WWE 4 date tour of the UK (spread out over a week). It advertised it as 'Featuring The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan etc.', and gave the impression that these wrestlers would be appearing on every show. So I kinda presumed that they would be rehashing the same thing every night.


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