Backstage Details on AEW Budget and Salary Scale

– During today’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported details of the AEW budget and salary cap. Also, Meltzer reported that there were two Superstars who attempted to get competitive big-money offers from AEW, but they didn’t pan out because the money was apparently not there in AEW’s budget to work out a deal.

Meltzer stated that AEW has a high salary scale to compete with WWE and bring top names over, such as Adam Cole, who is said to be making “way more” in AEW than he would’ve if he had re-signed with WWE last year. He also mentioned that some good talents in WWE are interested in signing with AEW.

Additionally, Meltzer stated Bryan Danielson had to have gotten a competitive deal from AEW and “isn’t working anywhere for less than several million a year.”

Meltzer indicated that AEW is looking for their next TV rights deal to hopefully bring in some more revenue to sign some big names to similar competitive deals as WWE. He continued, “I can tell you they [AEW] absolutely, 100% have a budget. And I also know that there were these two people who tried to get an offer and were kind of told — they were not really given a huge offer. And I think the basic gist of what I heard, if and when this next television deal comes in, which would start in 2024, and they can get a big increase, then they’ll spend to get guys.”

As previously reported, Cody Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes announced their exits from All Elite Wrestling earlier today. It’s rumored that they left the AEW after being unable to secure new big-money contracts with the company.