In the August 14th edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzter suggested that WWE salaries were suppressed before competition from AEW forced them to increase pay.
Meltzer’s assertion sheds light on the delicate balance of power within the professional wrestling industry. For years, WWE has been the dominant force in sports entertainment, with a virtual monopoly on top-tier talent. This position of authority allowed the company to dictate salaries and contract terms, often to the detriment of the wrestlers.
However, the arrival of AEW in 2019 disrupted the status quo. The upstart promotion, founded by Tony Khan, brought with it a new level of competition and a fresh alternative for both wrestlers and fans. Suddenly, WWE found itself facing a legitimate threat to its dominance.
According to Meltzer, a former wrestler had informed him that this increased competition compelled WWE to reassess its approach to talent compensation. The fear of losing valuable performers to AEW forced WWE’s hand, leading to salary increases. Meltzer wrote:
But as one former wrestler noted to us regarding this suit, the fact that WWE salaries have increased greatly once AEW started, and they had to do that to keep talent from going to AEW, it would be the proof that the domination of the market by WWE from 2001 to 2019 did suppress salaries.
Is WWE Merging With UFC?
In a press release on April 3rd it was announced that WWE would be merging with UFC’s parent company Endeavour. The deal to purchase the company is reported to be around $21 billion.