Thanks to Ted Turners big money contracts in the mid and late 1990s, the business end of the wrestling world went through a major change. Vince McMahon and his World Wrestling Federation didnt offer guaranteed deals at the time, often working on a verbal agreement and a handshake. This left the door open for Turners World Championship Wrestling to offer large sums of money to many of the WWFs top stars and steal them away -- much like they did with Lex Luger, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall. Eventually, the Federation had to change and began offering similar contracts for guaranteed money. These deals have now become the norm for WWE. Its not uncommon to hear or read about some of the companys top stars earning six figures a year. There are even a handful of guys that earn somewhere in the seven figure range. However, not everyone is offered such a lucrative contract to work for WWE. Specifically, the developmental talents found in NXT are often working for far less money. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently reported on the figures that these talents are earning. Generally speaking, according to Meltzer, a typical WWE developmental contract is for around $24,000 - $25,000 per year. Furthermore, the deals are usually for a two or three year period. While this number is supposedly the customary amount, its not completely uncommon for some stars to earn more. Apparently, if the company has high hopes for a certain superstar, or that competitor is considered a top name on the independent or international scene, then they are likely to earn far more. Meltzer stated that good name indie guys are typically paid around $60,000 a year. Meanwhile, he indicated that some really top level talent and well established indie competitors can earn even more than that. These lower money deals make sense in the world of WWE, as the company is always talking about how superstars are given an opportunity. Thats what WWE is all about -- opportunity. Furthermore, these developmental contracts are likely done away with and re-structured when and if a superstar is called up to the main roster. Let us know your thoughts on the pay for WWEs developmental talents in the comments below.
Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.
