Matt Hardy on His Issues on How Pro Wrestlers Unionizing Could Put Smaller Companies Out Of Business

A recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy podcast featured co-host Matt Hardy giving his thoughts about the recent debate of pro wrestlers needing to unionize in response to TKO Group asking WWE talents to take pay cuts to stay in the company despite TKO executives getting huge pay increases and TKO itself making record setting revenues.

“Wrestling is so different [to traditional acting]. Like with WWE and AEW, with the financial backing that those two companies havee, that is something that could be feasible [unionizing], it could be possible there and I could see where they could unionize to a degree. But, it would be hard for other companies to do that…some other companies would be just out of business because they wouldn’t be able to to handle that. They wouldn’t be able to cover all that…covering a certain amount of insurance.“

Hardy also gave his thoughts about his belief that a pro wrestlers union could mean a change in how “independent contractor” status at smaller promotions are handled and might need to be truly independent contractor type deals in order for it to work.

“As far as being able to have some sort of unionization, where there was some sort of control and people were regulated, that would be great. The smaller companies, I feel like they would have to kind of carve out their own niche where you would have to be independent contractors, but you would truly be independent contractors. I feel like myself and Jeff, we are like the epitome of independent contractors right now at TNA. As long as we do their TV dates, we’re all good. We can do whatever we want.”

Transcript h/t: F4WOnline.com