How WWE’s Royalty System Really Works for Former Talent

TLDR

Eric Bischoff explained WWE's royalty system on the January 23, 2026 episode of 83 Weeks, responding to Marc Mero's revelation that he received just $71.47 in royalties despite his character generating over $39,000 in revenue during Q4 2019. Bischoff revealed that royalty payments are based on specific metrics including how long a wrestler appears in a video or product, with brief cameos resulting in minimal payments sometimes as low as 20-50 cents. He emphasized that these quarterly payments are bonuses rather than significant paychecks and suggested that talent expecting bigger payouts should have negotiated better deals upfront.