Right? None of this will matter when everybody goes to AEW to be friends and do backflips over rainbows and get paid in five-star ratings.
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A rep for HBO tells Pro Wrestling Sheet, “The show likes to let the segments speak for themselves and will not be available to comment on this.”
We’ve also reached out to John Oliver’s personal rep to see if he plans to accept the invite.
No comment…
Not defending WWE here but let face the fact, this piece was done too shock peoples that don’T follow WWE by somebody that doesn’T follow WWE. If he did, then i wouldn’T have mention some of the stuff he did or use the old example of wrestlers dying young.
Yes WWE has it’s faults, but they pretty treated their talents as employees even if they aren’t officially that. If they get injured, they pay for their operation and rehab. If they need to go to rehab, they will pay for it. They take care of the legends that ask for help which they aren’t obligated by. In a way, the only think i can say that WWE need to change is the fact that the talent pays for their rental cars and hotel rooms, outside of that, it’s pretty much one of the best company to work for if you’re a wrestlers as you get most of the benefit a employees would get with half the hassle.
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I don’t know any job that pays for drug rehab.
Monsters.
Becky just tweeted. Good thing she’s not an employee, she’d be fired for some breach of contract that goes against WWE policy!! Make em all employees! I’d love to see how talent would respond to being held to employment agreements that restrict everything they do on their own time.
AEW should sign John Oliver to be The Librarian.
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Which is why, as fans, we should want performers to have other options so they dont have to sign illegal contracts. Thankfully, that appears more likely to be happening.
Illegal contracts!!! Are you talking about Lucha Undergrouns? Are you joey Ryan?
Not true at all. For example, if they joined SAG they could set their own parameters.
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have you ever looked at how many SAG members are out of work and get paid a daily stipend or nothing for appearing as extras on shows? That’s one of the most wasteful unions as it’s comprised of mostly unemployed workers who are protected if and only if they land a gig.
The only comps to what Wrestlers could form that works is Players Associations which again work with leagues in a mutually beneficial way. The WWE does not need a single performer and the ones they may need do not want to unionize and forfeit their position in the independent contractor pay scale for reasons I’ve already laid out.
Now IF the WWE unionized it would require WWE recognizing the union and working with them in some form of collective bargaining.
What have we ever seen indicates WWE has any interest in dealing with unionized workers? The company makes more money now without stars and for every star that threatens to walk out is an Indy worker making chump change who would be thrilled to take whatever deal WWE is offering.
Now I’m entirely for unionization and a CBA. I want to see workers be taken care of and provided certain benefits. But people argue to make them employees and then neglect what comes with being converted to an employee. Then they suggest unionize and neglect the fact it’s not that easy and likely not happening unless government intervenes which it won’t.
So when somebody comes up with a real solution let me know. Otherwise spinning a web of misinformed and poorly guided plans is just as much a waste of time as John Oliver’s hit piece was.
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MJ you are on a vendetta here, crazy! In the end it should be about what’s best for the human beings that are working for WWE and busting their ass for our entertainment and I am all for them having a better and LONGER life. The system which is in place at the moment is not a good system and it should change.
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What would it mean for all other companies…wouldn’t they have to provide the same for their performers? And is there any parameters for qualifying for a pension? What if you go work somewhere else? Would EVERY pro wrestling company have to kick in too or is this solely on ONE company?
And how much would a performer have to work to be considered eligible for benefits. Lot of weekend warriors out there, lot of part timers who wouldn’t qualify as a pro wrestler if you made it an industry wide thing or just WWE.
And just like the Lloyds of London policy, what would stop carny workers from milking abd scamming the system?
As I am financially interested in WWE, yes I have bias against the hit piece.
But more than that, I do want to see talent and wrestlers protected and looked out for. In fact I wrote AEW a letter after launch, offering my company’s service to help their talent better take care of their finances. A program we offer that helps employers establish financial wellness as a benefit so employees can have a resource to manage things like taxes, savings, children’s education fund etc.
Surprisingly this topic matters a lot to me so when I see Oliver do a piece that is partially accurate and makes a joke of the matter, it bums me out. Did anyone expect WWE to respond today capitulating? No, they blow it off, say Oliver ignores facts and now have dodged another debate about the topic because Oliver made a poor argument and didn’t highlight aspects that could help, but rather attacked Vince.
Debates are never won with the lowest common denominator - in this case that was calling Vince out for what most people know him to be - an asshole. But did it help the situation? It got people talking for one day and by this weekend the argument dies because Oliver lacked sticking points that aren easily refuted. He doesn’t get into financials or other leagues CBAs. He gives WWE amunition to call his story “fake news” so to speak. So nothing changes.
So counter to my arguments here, I really do want to see this aspect of wrestling change but recognize a hit piece the week of Mania isn’t the way it’ll happen. And the idea of a union is not it either because if it was we would have seen it already.
We need to empower performers and at least AEW seems to be doing that or trying to. We need education for wrestlers to be smart with their money. Not be taken advantage of. We need group benefits to be offered by insurance providers that are willing to deal with a group as if they were an association and not a company, but at discounted company rates. There should be a program to contribute into a 401k even if there is no employee match. None of that requires a union or employment status. It requires smart peopl wanting to help - not make fun of Vince McMahon so that he dismisses the premise entirely.
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Yeah, FOX would just be thrilled if all the performers walked out. That deal is the single biggest thing driving this company. If they piss them off they are fucked.
But all the other companies treat their wrestlers as independent contractors - WWE does not. It’s not complicated, either make them employees or allow them to work anywhere.
LOL comparing the schedules of sporadic shows and even less touring to WWE.
Ofcourse they don’t want them working elsewhere, they need them because they work more.
OMG guys…having a steady job is SOOOOO terrible.
Why? Because because…contracts I don’t understand.
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90% of the roster can be cut and within 3 weeks ratings would probably be the same. I’d bet the first week ratings would skyrocket on intrigue. This isn’t pro wrestling not the NBA. And the difference makers aren’t walking out because they enjoy this structure more than the alternative or they would have unionized behind the top guys who command the leverage.
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We’ll agree to disagree. The TV partner wouldn’t want that type of publicity.
So make them employees then because they’re not independent contractors. Look at the definitions of both under the law. Again it’s not complicated. WWE can’t be half pregnant forever.
Making them employees would fuck over half the roster if not more. But whatever.
Do you have any idea how expensive payroll tax would be in a roster as bloated as WWE? Much less the complications of employing talent who do not perform in one jurisdiction.
What’s better: 200 signed independent contractors making livable wages or 50 employed wrestlers of which half of them were making over $500k under the old model?