Promotion Allegiance

Guest column by the MIT Comparative Media Studies program:

I cannot help but notice the strange relationship that has always existed between the wrestlers and promotions. For the guys on the top of the card, it makes sense to stay until the money dries up. But what makes wrestlers who are not getting a major push stay with a promotion?

Above all else, professional wrestling exists because there is money to be made. It's a business. Once a wrestler signs a contract, he needs to honor it like any other employee. If he doesn't have one, his allegiance should be trying to make as much money or getting seen by the right people. On the other side of the coin is the promotion itself, which strives to acquire the best talent and house them under one roof.

For most organizations, like the NWA in the 1950s, a wrestler emerged who could carry the organization, and the NWA World Heavyweight Title, for almost a decade. Lou Thesz held the title for seven years straight, in a relationship that was obviously beneficial for both parties. The NWA had a credible champion, one that could withstand most double-crosses, and Thesz was a national wrestling icon. As long as the two stayed together, the money continued to flow. WWE was able to create a similar experience in the 90s where as WCW faltered. Times of success in this business are usually produced by creating consistent allegiance to a brand.

Still the question remains: how much allegiance does a wrestler owe his promotion? This is a question that the TNA is trying to answer now. They recently issued a memo that all wrestlers under contract must get approval before doing any public interviews, and also warned against making any statements criticizing the promotion.

When TNA starts getting the TV ratings that WWE does, and when they work the number of dates WWE does, then the pay rate can compare. If I were TNA, I'd offer low-end contracts with performance incentives (for both talent and bookers). Will they have wrestler's allegiance at that point? Maybe some, maybe not. That's going to be the case at any point, really. Few wrestlers showed allegiance during the most popular and highest paid era of wrestling - the "Monday Night Wars." If TNA is lucky, it will be able to enjoy such a rivalry with the WWE. Even in this, the best case scenario for TNA, allegiance will be hard to come by.


Article written by the MIT Comparative Media Studies program, Article edited by Benjamin Zeidler