There are many ways that WWE Superstars make money aside from their annual salaries. For the very biggest names, royalties from merchandise and other associated products can be a seriously lucrative source of income.
WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin estimates that he made an eight-figure sum in royalties from his iconic Austin 3:16 shirt alone. However, not every performer is as blessed as ‘The Texas Rattlesnake’ when it comes to their cut of products bearing their likeness.
While it is not hard to find stories of Superstars grumbling about their payoffs, particularly after they have the promotion, it is rare that they disclose proof of what they were paid. That, though, is exactly what one Attitude Era Superstar has done.
The Attitude Era Helped Spark WWE Into A Global Powerhouse
The Attitude Era was a massive turning point for the company, with then-boss Vince McMahon making the decision in late 1997 to present an edgier product in order to compete with rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and ultimately win the duel between the two promotions known as ‘The Monday Night Wars’.
Fans loved the more risque presentation, and it is still fondly remembered by those who were watching at the time. It won’t come as any surprise that the likes of Stone Cold, The Rock, Mick Foley and The Undertaker bank a considerable sum on an annual basis off the back of their work in the Attitude Era.
Although the main event performers were a huge part of the company’s success, the Attitude Era worked so well because there were such a wide variety of characters and storylines for fans to enjoy.
One Superstar from the time period recently took to Twitter to highlight just how little they received in royalties for their efforts.
Former WWE Superstar ‘Can’t Believe’ How Small His Royalty Payments Were
Marc Mero wrestled for WWE from 1996 to 1999. A former intercontinental champion, Mero was best-known during the Attitude Era for working with his then real-life wife, Sable, under the name ‘Marvellous’ Marc Mero.
Even though Mero was never a consistent main event performer, he still frequently appeared on both Raw and pay-per-view events during 1998. The now 65-year-old recently discovered one of his royalty statements and told his followers that he found it “hard to believe” how small his cut of the revenue he had helped generate was.
“I left the WWE years ago, and more than 20 years later, in 2019, I came across an old royalty statement. When you look at how much money many wrestlers help generate versus how little they’re actually paid, it’s honestly hard to believe.”
Mero went on to state that he had helped generate $39,590.81 in revenue, but his royalty payments were a mere $71.47. He then included two images of royalty statements showing the figures.
It is worth bearing in mind that the above royalty payments were made before current owners TKO acquired WWE, but Mero still clearly feels that more should be done to compensate legends of the past for their contributions to the industry:
“We helped build the brand, the characters, and the moments fans still watch today, yet the compensation rarely reflects the value that was created.”
Mero wrestled his last match for WWE in December 1998 and retired more than 20 years ago. Many of his matches, though, are still part of the pay-per-view archives that are now available to stream on Netflix in most parts of the world.
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