Freedom and independence… two pillars of America. Same thing used to apply to Professional Wrestlers but a funny thing happened along the way… wrestlers had their freedom and independence taken away. When WCW and WWE were competing over talent and Ted Turner had his checkbook out, guaranteed money and contracts entered the industry.
I want to give everyone their freedom back and at the same time, alleviate the WWE’s burden of finding budget cuts to the reported tune of $10-20 Million.
My plan would turn the whole industry on its ear. If I was in charge of the WWE, I would release everyone from their contracts. Yes, John Cena included… Release them from the guaranteed money and re-sign them to “per event” or short-term deals with bonuses factored in based upon financial performance.
But Kevin, wouldn’t this allow TNA to swoop in and sign the biggest stars of the WWE?
If you were a big star in the WWE, would you sign with TNA? Seriously… Every wrestler I know treats offers from TNA like the last resort but they all would jump at the chance to go to the WWE. Only WWE is going to give you, as a wrestler, the chance to make good money and do something of consequence.
Besides, TNA couldn’t afford to sign everyone. Throwing a glut of free agents on the open market all at once would bring down everyone’s price but that only would affect the independents, that would greatly benefit from such a move. Wrestlers would welcome the freedom… just ask Matt Hardy, AJ Styles and others who are independents now.
The point is what does WWE have to worry about if they released everyone? The only one they would have to worry about is Cena but I don’t think he would go to TNA, no matter how much money they offered him. Orton, Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose, Uso’s… all of them… Cesaro, Heyman, Lesnar. Big Show, Mark Henry. Daniel Bryan? Yes! CM Punk? Yes! All the Diva’s? Yes!
The WWE would also benefit from having a fresh rotation of talent. In order to keep costs down, they would only book who they would need and force themselves to write beginnings, middles and ends to storylines. Not everyone would be on TV each week. Everyone would get some time off. Win, win, win!
WWE has to realize that they won the War… they destroyed WCW and bought the company in 2001 for pennies. There is no need for guaranteed money any longer. They’ve blown up the PPV model and are still concocting a formula based around WWE Network revenue. With reportedly needing to cut up to $20 million from the operating budget, what else can they do?
Make the McMahon’s fly coach?
Perish the thought…
What are your thoughts? Send them to me on Twitter @RealKevinKelly
