Kogiflame
WWE released a number of their superstars earlier this year as the company took drastic measures to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.
But the £3million Vince McMahon expected to recoup at the cost of 21 wrestlers is only a fraction of the £8m Brock Lesnar pockets as the company’s top earner.
The nine other stars who join the Beast Incarnate in the top ten helped propel the overall gross to a combined £30.6m before taxes in 2019.
Forbes revealed in 2020 that the figure was up on the previous year and they attributed the rising pay scale to the increased competition from AEW as well as lucrative TV deals.
WWE pays each wrestler a baseline income – called a “downside guarantee” – that locks in their minimum salary.
But additional payouts on high-selling events and merchandise sales are likely to take a hit because of the coronavirus crisis.
The report only included active full-time members meaning part-timers John Cena, The Undertaker and Ronda Rousey are excluded.
As is the reported £12m payment to WBC champ Tyson Fury for his Saudi Arabia win over Braun Strowman.
Lesnar is still comfortably WWE’s top earner having said to have been wrestling on a flat rate per appearance since he returned to McMahon’s company 10 years ago.
nytimespost.com
