WWE Shareholder Lawsuit Against Vince McMahon Over His WWE Return in 2023 & Sale to Endeavor Update – WWE Talent Were Paid Around 15% Of Company Revenue In 2022

As noted before, a group of WWE shareholders filed a lawsuit in November of 2023 against former TKO and WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon over claims that McMahon had engaged in a “sham sale process” for WWE’s sale to Endeavor. WWE directors and officers were ordered by the court this past December to turn over documents related to federal investigations into McMahon’s conduct. McMahon, WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE President Nick Khan, and others have been accused of destroying evidence related to the lawsuit. A judge had ruled this past March for redactions in the lawsuit to be removed.

Post Wrestling and Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston reported that recent court documents revealed that WWE had spent $195 million on their talent, both main roster and developmental in 2022.

Thurston reported that this would represent around 15% of WWE’s total revenue of $1.29 billion for that year.

Thurston also reported that this would breakdown to an average of around $1.5 million per main roster talent in 2022 but this number might be skewed by top talent earners.

The filings also revealed that the 15% of WWE revenue was the projected rate of talent compensation through 2028.

Thurston reported that compensation for specific wrestlers were not listed but it was alluded that Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, Logan Paul, Cody Rhodes, and Braun Strowman were among the key talent who received contract renewals that totaled $15 million.

Brock Lesnar’s contract renewal reportedly amounted to $4 million while Bianca Belair, the Street Profits, Gable Steveson, Rhea Ripley, Asuka, and Baron Corbin were among the key talent who received an annual contract step-up that totaled $2 million.

The filings reportedly revealed that WWE’s main roster talent compensation for 2022 totaled $175 million and increased to an expected $195 million in 2023. Developmental talent compensation for 2022 totaled $14 million and increased to $16 million in 2023. WWE reported that they had around 130 main roster talents, around 130 NXT developmental talents, and about 20 NXT UK developmental talents.

Thurston reported that celebrity compensation was stated to be at $6 million in 2022 and declined to an expected $3 million in 2023. Thurston stated that this decline was due to Logan Paul moving from “celebrity” to main roster” talent.