WWE Star Embarrassed Company Into Changing Negotiation Tactics
One WWE star did their own digging into the details and, in the process, forced the company to change how they negotiate contracts.
The saga of Karrion Kross, Scarlett, and their wrestling future has made headlines for weeks now. Kross and Scarlett have left WWE at the end of their contracts, but despite that, there are still persistent rumours that the pair will make a quick return.
Kross opened up about his brief contract negotiations with WWE, where he asked why they were willing to pay him the amount he was offered and what metrics went into that offer. WWE was unable or unwilling to answer that question and pulled their offer after 24 hours.
And according to another ex-WWE star, there’s a good reason that WWE couldn’t answer Kross’ queries.
WWE Caught Out In Contract Talks
Speaking on Sirius XM’s Off The Ropes show, Baron Corbin – now known as Bishop Dyer – explained how WWE changed tactics when it came to contract negotiations after being caught out by a current star:
They have no answer to why you are paid what you are paid. For a brief period, they brought measurables to the table, ‘Well, these are your social media numbers, these are your merch numbers, these are your interaction numbers.’
I know somebody on the roster who said, ‘Well, these don’t look right to me.’ They had someone do some serious digging and they countered everything that was being presented to them with facts and then they got a way better contract. That was the last time that they brought those things to the table.
Corbin noted that WWE will take talent off TV ahead of their contract ending to try and devalue them when they leave:
When you get closer to your contract ending, ‘Hey, I’m six months from my contract being up, and I’m now I’m not on TV.’ It’s not a coincidence. It’s written that way. ‘Well, we don’t have much for you.’
So now, when they present you the contract, they go, ‘Well, you haven’t been on TV in two months.’ Yeah, but I was two and half years prior to this. So, they lowball you. Like, it’s a business. I get it, it is what it is. It’s the nature of the beast.