In the NFL, the “free agent market” is determined by the prior year’s contracts. If a quarterback is signed to a multiyear deal and it’s worth X amount of dollars, then a comparable quarterback the next year will want the same or more money. We could be seeing a live shift in the pro-wrestling free agent market.
Let’s Talk Contracts
He is now business partners with @youngbucks in The Elite, and tonight it’s official: @rainmakerXokada is ALL ELITE!
Welcome to @AEW, Kazuchika Okada!#AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/LfPVLoWH1r— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) March 7, 2024
Kazuchika Okada, “The Rainmaker,” made his All Elite Wrestling debut recently. The NJPW standout has previously worked with AEW. Once his duties with NJPW and parent company Bushiroad were completed, Okada came to AEW. His arrival and fanfare were met with mixed reviews as he sided with the Young Bucks.
Originally reported by Tokyo Sports, Okada’s contract was worth 2 billion yen. This equates to 4.5 million a year over the three years of the contract. There have been some questions in the reporting, as AEW is a privately owned company.
The questions coming out make up that 4.5 million. Some are reporting that it includes his transportation, visas, and other fees accrued for being an international star, meaning his yearly salary might be a little lower than that initial report.
It’s official: @MercedesVarnado is ALL ELITE!
Welcome to @AEW, Mercedes Moné!#AEWDynamite on @TBSNetwork#AEWBigBusiness pic.twitter.com/Jf1XQ7J8PE
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) March 14, 2024
Mercedes Moné also made her debut in AEW on the most recent episode of Dynamite. The fanfare was grand as the IWC let their opinions be known on social media. The earliest reports on Mone’s contract are $10 million over five years. After year two, the company could opt out after year three. Some are reporting this deal as “groundbreaking” for women’s wrestling.
Charlotte Flair quietly resigned from WWE in 2023. The company reported the contract length and deal as “one of the largest deals in women’s wrestling history.” Flair, like many of her male counterparts, negotiated things like travel and airfare in her contract. Meaning that once she returns, the Queen will be traveling in style.
The makeup of Flair’s contract was reported to be between 3-4 million a year. This includes the underwriting of travel and airfare. Making her contract comparable to Okada’s on the open market.
The Open Market
With Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, and Drew McIntyre all in or entering free agency soon.
McIntyre reportedly clocks in on his current deal a shade over a million a year. This means Drew could be looking for a hefty payday going into his next deal. The Scottish superstar has been with the company for the majority of his career. Due to injuries, WWE extended his contract to WrestleMania.
Comparably, Seth Rollins’s current deal sees him bringing in a crisp 3 million USD a year. This means that when he resigns, Rollins could move the market even more than Okada. If WWE were to match the deal of Okada or beat it, Rollins would become one of the top 2 highest paid athletes in the company, possibly clearing the 5 million dollars a year mark.
Lynch is also one of the highest-paid employees in the company. Clocking in at roughly 3 million USD herself, Becky is a high commodity for WWE. Her annual salary, mixed with perks, could surpass every woman in the company, including Charlotte Flair.
If the wrestling world follows suit with the other major sports in America. 2024 will be a very expensive year in pro wrestling.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
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