Official WWE/ECW/WCW/TNA talk, or whatever v2

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Giving these guys a monopoly will be awful for wrestlers.

Just like it was last time.

[rubecube]

BD gets it.

While playing up AEW’s identity as a “challenger brand” rather than a legitimate competitor, Danielson continued to act mystified by the approach TKO/WWE is taking toward his current employer. But he did lay out one reason many believe the larger outfit wants to limit AEW’s growth or end their existence entirely: wrestler compensation. In the process, he makes a big claim about how much of its revenue AEW pays out to talent:

“AEW existing and being this challenger brand and being as successful as we’ve been has changed the landscape for wrestling for the wrestlers themselves.

“Wrestlers are being paid more now than ever. From a sports rights perspective — so for example, most major sports in the United States, the players get anywhere between 40% to 50% of the revenue. And WWE was paying their wrestlers nowhere close to that…

“AEW does pay that 40% to 50% of their revenue to their wrestlers and despite making much less money. I mean, our TV rights deal was incredible, but we’re still the challenger brand catching up on however many years WWE’s had. But they do have to pay more, because if they don’t, the talent is going to leave and go to AEW. AEW does pay that 40% to 50% of their revenue to their wrestlers. You know, despite making much less money. I mean… our TV rights deal was incredible, but we’re still the challenger brand catching up on however many years WWE has.”