Most of you know, understand and appreciate what I’m about to say, but some folks need to hear it (and hear it multiple times, at that).
Wrestlers don’t owe you a photo, autograph, handshake or … anything.
And, if they want you to pay for a selfie with them or that autograph you want, there’s nothing wrong with that.
You really have to understand what all goes into being a wrestler before you can evaluate what we charge money for.
The 10-20 minute performance is the easiest part at times. https://t.co/bI8beX8zeM— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) May 30, 2018
I know some of you — the ones who need this reminder — are already scrolling down to the comments, ready to pull the trigger on a “well, actually …” response, suggesting wrestlers do owe you because you “pay to see them.”
Don’t do it.
Especially on the indies, these men and women are busting their asses, taking time away from their families, traveling (often without being paid travel/lodging fees that fully cover their costs) and then performing. Oh, and there’s the cost of gear, the time and/or money for new merch designs, etc.
The merch game provides a major chunk of a wrestler’s income and if they choose to supplement it by charging for selfies or autographs, that’s part of the game, whether you feel like you already “paid for their performance” or not.
On the Bitter Boys Club podcast, I’ve talked to my co-host Ethan Page about this in the past. He has said he doesn’t charge for autographs or selfies in most cases, especially if you bought something else. But that’s his approach. If someone else wants you to pony up $5 for a selfie or to autograph the shirt you just bought, they’re doing it for a reason.
The idea a wrestler owes a fan any personal interaction comes up far too often in “the community,” and it’s usually something like “they didn’t want to talk to me at the airport” or David Starr’s pre-WrestleMania weekend request fans move through the line smoothly and don’t ruin his display of shirts.
Here’s the best part of the arrangement between fans and wrestlers, though: just as they don’t owe you anything, if you don’t like their attitude, you don’t have to give them your money.
It’s a beautiful system, elegant in its simplicity.
- $2.35 billion. That’s what WWE will make over the next five years between their NBCU and FOX deals. The TV rights market is wild right now and WWE and the UFC could not have had their deals come up at a better time. There was also a solid FanPost today with one fan’s hopes for Smackdown on FOX.
- Taking the spotlight back off WWE for the moment, here are some more match recommendations for the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
- OK, but back on the WWE TV situation, Raw did some bad numbers on this holiday Monday. And Total Bellas isn’t exactly on fire these days.
- The CM Punk & Colt Cabana vs. Dr. Amann trial is underway.
- Is NXT suffering because of the UK Championship Tournament? Either way, the brackets are out.
- If you need them, we’ve got Smackdown highlights for you.
- You can also get in on those NXT results and reactions.
- Finally, Daniel Bryan explained what it was like to be on the receiving end of some Titus O’Neil anger after the big man’s infamous Greatest Royal Rumble slip.
I don’t have a clever closing today, so here’s Ricochet doing Ricochet things
Walk up to @VelveteenWWE? Nah, @KingRicochet would rather FLY! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zjmXZlYhpD
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2018
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