Cena fined for saying "ass"

[jpkof]

How WWE (and others) is working?

As a french guy, my wrestling culture is not that huge. So I have few questions to you, americans who are deeply involved in this.

Are matches prepared long time ago? I mean by that is there any space for improvisation by the wrestlers?
Are the ref involved in matches preparation?
Are wretlers friends or really enemy? (more obvious is that they're friends but who knows)
How much does a ticket to see live show cost?
How much a wrestler can earn?

If you have any interesting informations, it'll be pleasure to read it.

 

[Soulpower]

For the most part the wrestlers know about the matches a couple of days before, so they can go over the spots and what they're going to with each other. I believe the ref is involved in the preparation and he can also work as a bit of a guide during matches, more often that not the ref gives the "go home" signal which means its time to end the match.

Some wrestlers don't like each other in real life, but for the most part there's no problems. THe price of a ticket depends on what show you're going to see and on the lineup of matches in each show... As far as what they earn, I don't know and I don't want to know.

 

[CenaMark54]

Wrestlers actually don't make that much, relatively speaking if you take other professions like athlete/acting into consideration. Its a lot for people like me but you would think they would make more.

I read an article about it some time back and only a select few actually made over a million dollars per year. Those were Triple H, Show, HBK, Taker and Cena. the next tier included people like Angle, Orton, Batista, and JBL in the 700,000-900,000 range. They also get certain percentages of merchandise sales and PPV buys. You must also take into consideration that most wrestlers have to pay for their own plane flights, hotel rooms, health insurance, etc unlike a baseball player or football player. I think only people like HHH, Cena and HBK actually get room and board paid for on the road.

I also read that HHH got to use the company Jet when he wanted, but thats more along the lines of who he is married to.

 

[jpkof]

You must also take into consideration that most wrestlers have to pay for their own plane flights, hotel rooms, health insurance, etc.

:eek5:

 

[Montana]

im not sure on this, but i think health insurance is covered. At least in the wwe that is.

Also, i dont tihnk guys really go over their matches that much before hand. They mostly talk it out before hand with a road agent. Like you do this, ill do that. Go over a couple combinations, Opening segment, and the ending segment, which is told to them. Road agents script most of the match i believe.

 

[The King]

ive got a question, since this is basically the thread to do it in:

how many creative people are there on the staff, and how do you get the job and such.

 

[monkeystyle]

ive got a question, since this is basically the thread to do it in:

how many creative people are there on the staff, and how do you get the job and such.

To your first question. I have no idea, but its a creative team that's for certain.

As to applying for employment through the WWE, you can go here http://www.wwe-careers.com/wwe/jobboard/ListJobs.asp to see what jobs they have available.

 

[Switchy]

1) i'm english but it doesn't matter
2) they come up with the storylines and then chose the matches to go with it. the refs havenothing to do with it. the wrestlers practice it if they have to do moves they have never done before or just if they have a bit of ring rust.
3) some of the wrestlers have real life issues but most of them are fake. most are friends so they have chemistry.
4) i don't know but in england it is around £50
5)it depends on how "big" they are. if they are like undertaker theycan earn loads like millions but jobbers don't earn as much like half or a thrid

 

[btman]

I also saw the page on paychecks and free airplane rides and things... It was on Wikipedia but I can't seem to find it...

 

[Rob Franklin]

im not sure on this, but i think health insurance is covered. At least in the wwe that is.

Also, i dont tihnk guys really go over their matches that much before hand. They mostly talk it out before hand with a road agent. Like you do this, ill do that. Go over a couple combinations, Opening segment, and the ending segment, which is told to them. Road agents script most of the match i believe.

WWE wrestler's health insurance is covering in the most part by the Wellness Plan.

This is the average WWE salary bracket, according to prowrestling.com:

$50,000-$99,000 per year

Most performers who are employed just for television, such as Terri Runnels and Tori, are in this wage bracket.


$100,000-$249,000 per year

In this wage bracket are such wrestlers as Jacqueline, Too Cool, Viscera & Midian. Each of these earns in the neighborhood of $200,000 a year.


$250,000-$499,999 per year

This is what most mid-card wrestlers in the WWE earn. In this bracket are Mark Henry ($300,000 per year until 2006), Taka Michinoku ($250,000) , X-Pac, Val Venis, Road Dogg & Chris Jericho.


$500,000-$999,999 per year

This is what some of the bigger stars in the WWE earn. In this bracket are Mankind, The Undertaker & HHH. Also in this bracket is The Rock ($600,000 a year 'downside' until 2005) but his actual earnings exceeded $2 million in 1999.


$ 1 million + per year

These are the big money earners in wrestling. In this bracket are Big Show ($1 million per year until 2009), Ken Shamrock ($1.1 million per year until 2001) & Steve Austin earned over $6 million in 1999.

I would assume that a more up-to-date version of this list would have Triple H in the $ 1 million along with the Undertaker.

As a french guy, my wrestling culture is not that huge. So I have few questions to you, americans who are deeply involved in this.

Are matches prepared long time ago? I mean by that is there any space for improvisation by the wrestlers?
Are the ref involved in matches preparation?
Are wretlers friends or really enemy? (more obvious is that they're friends but who knows)
How much does a ticket to see live show cost?
How much a wrestler can earn?

If you have any interesting informations, it'll be pleasure to read it.

1) Some are, some aren't. For instance, the John Cena/HBK match will have months of preperation behind it, whereas a Raw match, like Hardy vs. Flair or something will probably have around a week or less.

2) To some extent, yes they are. the refs do things such as tell the wrestlers when to end the match, and even have been known to "blade" a wrestler (cut with a razor blade to make them bleed).

3) Most wrestlers get along nicely, but as with any working environment, there are exceptions.

4) Er...Depends on a lot of tings. I'd say anywhere from $30-60
for good WWE seats, and indy shows can be way lower, some are even free.

5) See above

I hope i answered your questions, PM me for more help.

 

[xtremebadass]

Well, preparation as for storylines are prepared months before they actually happen, and the matches are planned out either by the wrestlers and/or creative

 

[jpkof]

Thanks for all those informations

 

[Captive8]

I think Rob Franklin did a pretty good job of answering most the questions in here.

As far as an example of improvision, look no further that this year's New Year's Revolution Match between Rated RKO and DX. Triple H tore his quad again and had a hard time finishing the match. Because of that Shawn Michaels had to improvise and bring steel chairs into the ring and cause a bloody and very nasty no contest finish to save the match.

Some people are friends backstage like Shawn Michaels and Triple H, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, Ric Flair with DX, etc. Some are enemies like Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, Ric Flair and Mick Foley, etc.

 

[the dark knight]

yo guys . the refs do get involved in the matches . they direct the match when to end and things like that . its not a coincidence that the show lasts for the same amount of time every week .

 

[Wrestling Station]

^^^ Dont forget about the promos and advertisments. This also included to fill in the gaps to make the 2 hour show or something.