WWE Talent Were Paid Roughly 15% Of Company Revenue In 2022 According To Court Filings
According to court filings, WWE spent $195 million on talent, including developmental wrestlers, which was roughly 15% of the company’s overall revenue of $1.29 billion.
The data comes via a report by Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling.
The report notes, “WWE spent an implied average of about $1.5 million per main roster talent in 2022,” though that number might be skewed by top earners.
The documents were filed publicly as part of the ongoing merger shareholder lawsuit. One specific slide named 15% of company revenue as the projected rate of talent compensation through 2028.
Compensation of specific wrestlers was not shown in the filings, but it was alluded that “Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes, and Braun Strowman were among the key talent who received contract renewals that totaled $15 million. Brock Lesnar’s contract renewal amounted to $4 million. Bianca Belair, the Street Profits, Gable Steveson, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and Baron Corbin were among the key talent who received an annual contract step-up that totaled $2 million.”
According to the filing, main roster talent compensation for 2022 totaled $175 million, increasing to an expected $195 million in 2023 while developmental talent pay for 2022 was reported at $14 million, increasing to $16 million in 2023. WWE reported about 130 main roster talents, about 130 NXT talents, and about 20 NXT UK talents.
Celebrity compensation was reported at $6 million in 2022 to an expected $3 million in 2023, due to Logan Paul moving from “celebrity” to “main roster.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in 2023, alleges that McMahon predetermined the transaction with Endeavor to secure his continued role at the company in light of the sexual misconduct scandal surrounding him, rather than shopping WWE to maximize shareholder value.
