10 Bizarre Backstage Rules WWE Forced On Wrestlers
6. The Controversial Third-Party Platform Policy
WWE imposed a controversial ban on the wrestlers in 2020, preventing them from earning additional income from third-party platforms like Twitch and Cameo. The rule stated that wrestlers are not supposed to use their in-ring names, the intellectual property of WWE, to earn revenue through third-party platforms.
While there were already controversies surrounding the "Independent Contractor" nature of wrestlers' employment with WWE, the company's attempts to limit their wrestlers' earning potential, especially during a pandemic, sparked severe outrage.
Several wrestlers even tried to have constructive talks with Vince McMahon to get him to change his mind, but the former boss didn't budge that easily. The company tried to make an example out of Zelina Vega, who ignored the ban by continuing to stream on Twitch. According to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, her opening an OnlyFans account was the last straw, as it led to the company releasing her on the grounds of breach of contract in November 2020, but they ended up rehiring her nine months later.
With the criticisms reaching a boiling point, management worked things out with the wrestlers and lifted the ban in 2022.