Chavo Guerrero Jr. Explains How the Industry Used to Shun Wrestlers Having Agents

Speaking to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, former WWE Superstar Chavo Guerrero Jr. discussed launching a new talent agency to represent pro wrestlers in the industry and entertainment world with Brad Small. During the conversation, Guerrero explained how the industry used to look down upon wrestlers having agents. Below are some highlights:

Chavo Guerrero Jr. on How Promoters Didn’t Want To Deal With Agents in the Old Days

“Back in the day, they did not want to deal with agents, period. It was almost very shunned; they did not want to look at or even deal with you if you’re dealing with an agent. My take was always like, hold on, did JR or Johnny Ace or Vince McMahon write this contract? No. Their lawyers wrote this contract. So, for me just to read it as a law student, it doesn’t make sense. So, you have to have a lawyer look at that. The reason why we’re getting paid, Brad and myself as their agency, is because we’re trying to get them the best deal. If we get them the same amount of money that they would’ve made without us, well then there’s no need for us. But if we’re making them money, okay, well, there you go. That may possibly work in the future.”

On Things Agents Can Negotiate Besides Wrestler Pay

“It’s not just money; it’s your three-month no-compete; it’s so many other things in there that wrestling contracts have definitely changed. They continue to change, but the first time someone got their rental cars paid for, or the first time they got their hotels included, or the first time they got a guaranteed paid, that wasn’t standard in the industry. My grandfather didn’t have that, my father didn’t have that, uncles didn’t have that, nobody had that. Then, WCW came around, and we started having that. That changed the game for WWE; they had to start giving guaranteed downsides. It just really changed the way that wrestlers are treated, you know?”