Report: WWE To Start Taking Over Wrestlers' Twitch Accounts
The next step in WWE's third-party ban kicks in this month.
WWE is set to begin the process of taking control of its performers' personal Twitch accounts, reports Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc.
Per the writeup, Vince McMahon emailed his independent contractors to remind them of a 2 October deadline to sever "unauthorised business relationships" with third-party platforms, adding that failure to comply would result in a fine, suspension, or termination. This comes following September's news that WWE had told talent they could no longer use these services under their ring names.
Performers were told earlier this week that WWE will now be taking control of their Twitch accounts over the next four weeks. Talent will still receive a percentage of the revenue against their downside guarantees, though WWE will own the accounts.
Politician Andrew Yang, who has previously vowed to push for widespread reform in the wrestling industry if Joe Biden is elected next month, has spoken out on the matter:-
Yang had previously told Wrestling Inc. that he has had a lot of wrestlers contact him personally, afraid to speak out publically against McMahon using the controversial "independent contractors" terminology to control their activities.
WWE is yet to release a public statement on the matter.