How Much Does A WWE Referee Make?
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If you’re a wrestling fan, you’ve probably wondered how much a WWE referee makes. According to various sources, the average referee salary is $100,000 per year.
WWE Referee Salaries
WWE referees are responsible for the safety of the wrestlers and making sure that the matches adhere to the rules. They are also responsible for calling for timeouts and ring the bell when a wrestler has won a match. So, how much do WWE referees make? The answer may surprise you.
WWE Raw Referees
WWE Raw Referees are paid $500 per show. This may not seem like much, but when you factor in that Raw is a 3-hour show, and there are 52 shows a year, it comes out to $78,000 a year. And that’s not counting PPVs or other special events.
WWE SmackDown Referees
While the announced salary for a WWE referee is $100,000 per year, this is not what they actually take home. WWE does not reveal how much their employees are paid, but it is believed that the majority of this salary is earned through bonuses and incentives. In addition to their base salary, WWE referees can earn up to $500 for each live event they work. This puts their potential earnings at $130,000 per year.
While this may seem like a lot of money, it is important to remember that WWE referees are not full-time employees. They only work when there is a live event, which means that they may only work a few days each month. In addition, they are required to travel extensively, which can be expensive.
NXT Referees
NXT referees are paid in a similar range to WWE referees. According to Payscale, the average annual salary for a NXT referee is $60,000.
WWE Referee Pay Per View Bonuses
WWE referees are paid $500 per event, plus $1,500 for pay-per-view events. In addition to their salary, referees also receive bonuses. For example, if a match goes longer than expected, the referee can earn a bonus.
Royal Rumble
In order to become a referee in the WWE, you must first complete a training course at the WWE Performance Center. Once you have successfully completed the training course, you will be assigned to work matches at one of the WWE’s developmental territories.
After working at a developmental territory for a period of time, you may be called up to referee matches on WWE’s main roster. Referees who work on WWE’s main roster are able to earn pay-per-view bonuses. Bonuses are typically awarded to referees who work matches at WWE’s major pay-per-view events, such as WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam.
WrestleMania
While the base pay for WWE officials is not public, it is known that they make more money when working high-profile events. For example, WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for WWE, and officials are known to receive a PPV bonus for working the show. However, the exact amount of this bonus has not been made public.
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is one of WWE’s “big four” pay-per-view events, along with WrestleMania, Survivor Series, and the Royal Rumble. It is considered WWE’s second biggest event of the year behind WrestleMania.Referees for SummerSlam are paid big bonuses for working the event. The following is a breakdown of what each referee is paid for SummerSlam.
-Main Event Referee: $5,000
-Co-Main Event Referee: $3,500
-Mid Card Match Referee: $2,500
-Preliminary Match Referee: $1,500
Survivor Series
At Survivor Series, WWE officials are in charge of making sure that the match ends according to the planned outcome. They also keep an eye on the wrestlers to make sure that they stay within the rules, and help to keep the crowd under control. For their efforts, WWE referees are paid a bonus of $500 for each PPV event.
WWE Referee Brand Bonuses
WWE referee salaries vary based on experience and position. The average salary for a WWE referee is $100,000 per year. There are also bonus opportunities for WWE referees. For example, if a WWE referee is chosen to be the referee for a high-profile match, they can receive a bonus of $500.
AEW
AEW is a professional wrestling promotion founded in 2019. It is owned by Tony Khan, who is also the co-owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League.
AEW has a partnership with referee brand Bonuses, which pays its referees an annual salary of $100,000.
NJPW
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (日本プロレス, Nihon Puroresu), commonly referred to as NJPW, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in January 1972 by Antonio Inoki. Inoki became the first Asian Heavyweight Champion in WWE history by defeating Bob Backlund in June 1979. Inoki retired from professional wrestling in 1995, but remained with the company as its chairman until 2002. NJPW was dissolved in 2006 when it was integrated into the marketing and talent exchange arrangement between Inoki’s company, ITJ Group, Inc. and McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
ROH
ROH (Ring of Honor) is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2002 by RF Video owner Rob Feinstein. The company’s TV presence is currently syndicated internationally through Comet TV and Rise, and airs on Sinclair Broadcast Group-operated regional sports networks available in markets where Sinclair owns the local broadcast rights to NBA and NHL teams.
ROH has been considered one of the top independent professional wrestling promotions in the world. ROH features a mix of high-flying, hard-hitting junior heavyweight action and a strong technical style throughout its roster. ROH’s live events take place primarily in the United States. The company has also held events in the United Kingdom, Japan, and Canada.
Conclusion
In conclusion, WWE referees are handsomely compensated for their Services. They make an annual salary of $500 thousand and receive additional income from various sources such as merchandise sales and appearances. Although the job of a WWE referee is demanding, it is also very rewarding.