Note On WWE Covering Rehab Costs For Wrestlers Employed By Rival Promotions

[Buffy]

WWE has reportedly covered the rehab costs for Impact Wrestling talents.

It was recently noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE would pay for former talents to enter rehab, even if they were currently working for a rival promotion, such as Impact or AEW, because that is the nature of the program.

While it’s unclear if WWE has ever paid for any AEW talents to attend rehab, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE has paid for Impact wrestlers to undergo various rehab treatments.



WWE began distributing its rehabilitation assistance offer, titled “The WWE Former Talent Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Assistance Program,” to all former contracted talents back in September 2007. WWE has stated that the goal of the initiative is to help any former talent that may have a substance-related dependency problem, and that goes for wrestlers who may be working for other promotions when they need the help. WWE sends out an annual letter to all former talent notifying them of the program, and they have a confidential hotline where former talent can call and seek admittance to a certified treatment center, with all costs covered by WWE. The company also maintains regular contact with talent who have entered a rehab program or reached out to WWE for assistance.

There’s no word on updated numbers, but two years into the program, as of March 2009, 3.1% of former talents had accepted rehab assistance from WWE.

Source: https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2...s-for-wrestlers-employed-by-rival-promotions/

That is very nice of them to help out former talent with their issues with drugs and alcohol abuse.

 

[Chris]

Never considered it, but it makes sense with how I've heard how the program works. I assume they wouldn't pay for AEW talent bc they would simply not apply through the program if TK has his own shit to cover it but good to hear they aren't petty af with Impact

 

[Hidden Blaze]

I give them a lot of shit for somethings, but this is one of the few I give them praise for. Really nice of them to do this

 

[Dale]

I'd be super curious to know if anyone from AEW has taken it up and whether they have a program or not.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

as of March 2009

sounds like rather dated information. Also for the record, the rumors that wwe paid for mox's current rehab has already been deemed false.

 

[Chris]

as of March 2009

sounds like rather dated information. Also for the record, the rumors that wwe paid for mox's current rehab has already been deemed false.

Well the new news here is that they've paid for Impact contracted talent's rehab, not just indie-employed former talent. And I'd guess most if not all of those instances were after 2009 bc I kinda have a hard time believing they would have when they were still competitive lol I believe Thom Latimer was one of them off the top of my head but that's only cause he was just tweeting about his sobriety, timeline may be off as well and he may not have been with Impact whenever he went to rehab

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Well the new news here is that they've paid for Impact contracted talent's rehab, not just indie-employed former talent. And I'd guess most if not all of those instances were after 2009 bc I kinda have a hard time believing they would have when they were still competitive lol I believe Thom Latimer was one of them off the top of my head but that's only cause he was just tweeting about his sobriety, timeline may be off as well and he may not have been with Impact whenever he went to rehab

I see, I just didn't see any mention of recent talent in any of the quoted OP. Still nice they offer it to anyone though, but yeah I don't see any actual new facts here I guess

 

[Chris]

That 3.1% number is pretty sad now that I think about it, I know it's technically low but fuck that's too many people in one industry needing rehab, and this is just the ones that took it up

 

[Chris]

I see, I just didn't see any mention of recent talent in any of the quoted OP. Still nice they offer it to anyone though, but yeah I don't see any actual new facts here I guess

The new facts are that Meltzer is saying they've paid for Impact talent lol unless he's lying, that's something never been reported

 

[Hidden Blaze]

That 3.1% number is pretty sad now that I think about it, I know it's technically low but fuck that's too many people in one industry needing rehab, and this is just the ones that took it up

Yeah like that’s a low number, but not really low for one industry.

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Oh I see, it's a very small line in there after mentioning aew. I'm gonna go ahead and say regardless there is about 0% they've paid for contracted AEW wrestlers still. The impact thing is surprising but I'm guessing it may have been when Impact were not so hot. unless impact just straight up are cheap/cant afford rehab

 

[Canadian Dragon]

That 3.1% number is pretty sad now that I think about it, I know it's technically low but fuck that's too many people in one industry needing rehab, and this is just the ones that took it up

quite honestly, 3% in the wrestling industry full of what we know happened in the 80s and 90s alone seems very low to me. but yes, its very very sad

 

[Chris]

Oh I see, it's a very small line in there after mentioning aew. I'm gonna go ahead and say regardless there is about 0% they've paid for contracted AEW wrestlers still. The impact thing is surprising but I'm guessing it may have been when Impact were not so hot. unless impact just straight up are cheap/cant afford rehab

Impact literally never cared when they did have money about wrestler health, they let Jeff do Jeff things in the main event of a PPV, and now they might but I doubt they'd pay for anyone's themselves still on their budget. I'd be shocked if any AEW peoples have been paid for tho, I think Moxley would be the only one possible anyway unless there's some secret ones I forgot about

I just Googled bc i was curious tho and on page 1 I see Justin Credible, Dustin Rhodes, Shannon Moore, and Maven talking about how it saved their life.....and then Sunny talking about how they only paid for hers to make Linda McMahon look good

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Impact literally never cared when they did have money about wrestler health, they let Jeff do Jeff things in the main event of a PPV, and now they might but I doubt they'd pay for anyone's themselves still on their budget. I'd be shocked if any AEW peoples have been paid for tho, I think Moxley would be the only one possible anyway unless there's some secret ones I forgot about

I just Googled bc i was curious tho and on page 1 I see Justin Credible, Dustin Rhodes, Shannon Moore, and Maven talking about how it saved their life.....and then Sunny talking about how they only paid for hers to make Linda McMahon look good

Man thats fucking sad (from Impact perspective) thank fucking god WWE took some sort of moral responsibility. kind of makes me mad at Impact tbh, and your 100% right i didnt even think of Jeff hardy, and then there's the whole Angle thing too

 

[Canadian Dragon]

All that to say yes WWE does shady capitalist things but I would never accuse them of being shitty when it comes to other wrestlers health (outside that cm punk incident lol). they were pretty generous with the two kanellis's as well if were being real