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Questions continue to swirl after rumors of WWE selling to Saudi Arabia circulated this week. Among them: would wrestlers still sign with the company?
Rumors of WWE selling to the Saudi Arabia Investment Fund consumed professional wrestling fans on January 6, as several insiders reported that a deal had been reached. WWE selling to Saudi Arabia turned out not to be the case—the sale of a publicly held company isn’t something that can just happen overnight—but the ash from that eruption of hearsay continues to cover the landscape. Dozens of questions remain unanswered. Fans likely won’t gain insight into what’s happening (and what went on) until a sale is completed. However, one of the preliminary inquiries that seem to be on the minds of the WWE universe is how wrestlers would respond to a possible sale.
It’s been reported that some wrestlers backstage are prepared to walk out in the case of WWE selling to Saudi Arabia. Dave Meltzer offered the following perspective in the most recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. “In most cases when it comes to athletes, and understandably so, most will go where the most money takes them. Wrestling in recent years has also shown some major examples where that isn’t always the case.” The longtime wrestling insider also noted that Saudi Arabia bankrolling WWE could lead to an increase in salaries. So much so that the “pay disparity… could hurt New Japan a lot and perhaps AEW.” As Meltzer wrote, some big names may not be interested in pursuing the biggest payday. Yet it’d be tough to ignore the kind of money the Saudi Arabia Investment Fund would likely be willing to throw around for big-ticket free agents or one-offs.
Clash Of Morals & Money Would Leave WWE Talent In A Tough Spot
A climate where Saudi Arabia owns WWE would leave talent in a thankless and impossible position. Choosing between monster paychecks and what most would consider the right moral thing—walking away—would be remarkably complex and challenging. For some wrestlers, leaving WWE would be the only option. Others would have to consider what’s best for themselves and their families before making the call. Fightful has reported that some WWE talent have stated they’d walk out in the event of a sale to Saudi Arabia, but leaving six figures on the table in the name of the perceived moral high ground is easier said than done.
As all of this unfolds, it’s important to remember that members of the WWE roster aren’t video game characters or the personas they play on television. These are real human beings with medical needs to consider, families to take care of, and mortgages to pay. For fans on the outside looking in, the choice made look easy, but the realities that a sale to Saudi Arabia would bring aren’t that simple.
Of course, it’s worth keeping in mind that a sale to the Saudi Arabia Investment Fund hasn’t been finalized, and there are other companies in the mix. Sources that Meltzer spoke to even indicated that Saudi Arabia isn’t considered the favorite to buy WWE at this time, but that can all change following one offer. For now, fans need to stay smart about where they’re getting their information while also remembering that everyone involved is a person and not just a WWE character.
Sources: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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