Eric Bischoff has formally damaged down how WWE’s complicated royalty system works—and why some checks barely crack double digits.
In the course of the January 23, 2026 episode of 83 Weeks, Bischoff responded to the web uproar after Marc Mero revealed he acquired simply $71.47 in royalties from WWE, regardless of his “Wildman” character producing over $39,000 in income throughout This autumn 2019.
“There’s a system,” Bischoff defined. “I get those self same royalty statements to this present day and I don’t even have a look at them. I would look at which class I’m making essentially the most cash in—extra out of curiosity than something.”
Bischoff revealed that royalty funds are based mostly on very particular metrics, together with how lengthy a wrestler seems in a video or product—and that temporary cameos don’t end in huge cash. The previous WCW president made it clear these royalty funds are extra of a bonus than a paycheck, saying they arrive quarterly and are hardly ever anticipated.
“I may present up for 10 seconds of a 90-minute video on The Rock,” he mentioned. “Possibly there’s a clip of one thing I did, and I’m there with Hogan. Okay, I’m going to get 20, 30, possibly even 50 cents out of that. Each time I get a quarterly royalty test, I overlook that it’s coming,” Bischoff famous. “To me, it’s all simply gravy.”
He additionally addressed the significance of contract negotiations, suggesting that expertise who anticipated larger payouts later ought to’ve secured higher offers once they signed.
“When you believed in your self and also you needed extra merchandise cash 20 years later, you need to have negotiated for it on the entrance finish,” Bischoff mentioned. “Marc was good. He needed the money. He made the fitting resolution.”
In line with Bischoff, WWE’s royalty statements even embrace breakdowns exhibiting which DVDs or streaming specials expertise seem in—however fee is strictly tied to utilization time and the worth assigned to that kind of content material.
“You possibly can be featured in one thing, however in case you’re in a gaggle shot or a flashback, you’re solely incomes based mostly on the seconds you’re proven. That’s simply how the system works,” he added.
Whereas Mero’s test sparked outrage, Bischoff’s rationalization provides a actuality test on the monetary construction behind WWE’s large library of legacy content material.
What’s your take—ought to WWE change how royalties are paid, or does Eric Bischoff make a good level? Pontificate under and be a part of the dialog.
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