Why do some wrestlers get extremely little per year?

Question

When you do the math and you compare Trevor Murdoch's sad salary of $48,000 a year with the WWE, he makes literally 20 times less than Big Show's base pay of $1,000,000. And others like Cena, HBK, Undetaker, and yes, Triple H's whopping $2,000,000+ a year, get more than a million a year. (Trevor Murdoch literally gets 40 times less than The Game).


It's extremely unfair in my opinion. I mean, it's bad enough that some of these guys always get released within 3 years, the least they can do is make at least a little something to save up for their future.

I know Trevor Murchoch among others underpaid aren't as well-known or been in the WWE as long as the big names, but under $50,000 is ridiculous. Some people who work in factories make more than that in a year.

(I mean the combined quality of how many times Triple H is in a match and the magnitude of his matches doesn't exceed Trevor Murchoh's by "40" times.)

IT'S NOT RIGHT......
MY OPINION, AT LEAST $200,000 A YEAR.

Answer 1

I agree that some men/women in WWE or TNA are underpaid. I heard a few years back that when Edge first joined the company in 1998 his salary was $25,000 a year and he was performing over 200 shows. This counts the shows we don't see on TV. If that is the exact amount he made, I can't swear. It's just what I'd heard. And yea, guys like HBK, Undertaker and HHH have been there a long time, performed some amazing matches and have done a lot to draw viewers for years. Cena, no comment. And you do have to remember HHH is Vince's son-in-law, so he is bound to get a few perks.

Answer 2

It's sad that Vince McMahon is taking up all the profits and doing with it what ever he wants. Yes, wrestlers get hurt a lot in wrestling and things can go VERY wrong and no according to how the storylines go.. The thing is that Stone Cold Steve Austin got paid about three million a year a couple of years ago, although, the ones that get beaten up every time, every episode gets lower! It's a shame that also the diva's earn a lot of money, yet they barely even wrestle or have any talents! I think Vince McMahon should start paying everyone equally and stop paying the people who are not so active that much, it's ridiculous. But i think it's also because of Cena's, HBK's Undertaker's and Triple H's status, that's why they get paid so much, they do a lot of work and they do a lot of acting and everything, the WWE needs them to stay around instead of leaving, but i do think that Trevor Murdoch should get paid.. WAY MORE THAN THAT!! They don't care if the much lower wrestlers go there because they might as well not get THAT much profit. He might as well become a lawyer and get paid double!

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Answer 3

It's all about keeping the franchise players around. Seriously, what would serve as a bigger blow to the WWE? Trevor Murdoch jumping to TNA or John Cena jumping to TNA? Most big stars get paid to stay around, and they usually make some demands too. Look at Bill Goldberg. Why do you think Goldberg's not in WWE or TNA right now? It's because neither promotion's willing to pay him the ridiculous amount of money he wants, or job their champion to him and let him reign over the promotion, plowing through all opposition like it was a federation of Brooklyn Brawlers, and then leave when he feels the itch in his wallet getting bigger. Where would that leave the promotion? It'd make them look like they have a weak roster.

Anyway, it's all about politics and positioning. Think of the midcarders as extras on a movie set. Do extras get paid the same wages as...oh...lets say....Johnny Depp? Nnnnope...

Answer 4

Didn't you just ask this question and said they should make at least $100,000 a year? Now $200,000? What next, a $1,000,000? Oh wait ... some genius already said that. Who in the world made you their agent? They signed the contract, not you. Triple H is also 40 times better then Trevor Murdoch, but that's besides the point. 1, you really don't know how much they make, don't believe everything you read on the internet. 2, that's the downside guarantee, they make money on top of that for pay per view bonuses and merchandise. And by the way, there are people in this country who make less then 20,000 a year. Last thing, life isn't fair, deal with it and grow up.

Answer 5

well you got to understand they have to work there way up.like take undertaker for example people like him had to work there way up. like theyed hae o dive miles and miles to compete in a match and would get paid 25 bucks. the longer your in the wwe the more of a legend you'll get to be the more of a legend youd get to be the more you get paid and now look what undertakers making now?.
but part of your quetion i do agree that its not far because look at cena for exaple thats not right he came in the wwe a star and got paid a ton from the begining. but hes good at his job.and the fans love him some the more cena shows up the more people will want to watch the more people that watch get micman more cash. as long as micman gets cash hes going to pay cena more to show up. now murdock isnt as popular so micmans not going to put him on as much as cena. you see what im saying?

Answer 6

It's all about the value to the organization. Like any business, WWE conducts polls of sorts and uses statisticians to predict what wrestlers will get the most fans to watch. The more people that watch, the more revenue they can generate with the commercial breaks.

Answer 7

I agree for the most part, but there should be a dignified difference if someone's getting a beating every single week, and someone else is hardly even wrestling.
And I think Eugene should get more than he's being paid now.. he goes through hell with the storylines.

Answer 8

Their pay differs by the impact or how much they do for WWE (such as autograph signings, guest appearences, matches, interviews etc.)

Answer 9

they still make decent living. I think salary is base on popularity and merchanise sell more than talent.

Answer 10

i know its unfair.
and not to mention they have to be jobbers.

its just not fair