How Much AEW Spends Annually On Their Talent Roster Revealed

A ballpark figure of how much All Elite Wrestling spends annually on contracts for their talent roster has been revealed.

AEW recently filed forms for tax credits in Nevada following the May 25 episode of Collision and the Double or Nothing pay-per-view on May 26. Among the list of expenses for the tapings was $2 million for talent, with Dave Meltzer noting in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this would put the total amount AEW spends on their talent roster around $104 million per year. The actual figure is ultimately below this due to the terms of how AEW pays their talent but it isn't greatly below $104 million per year.

Someone familiar with how AEW pays their talent told Meltzer that some wrestlers have a per-match figure in their contract and the talent budget in the tax credits filing was higher than a typical week due to Double or Nothing and most of the promotion's top guys being booked for the pay-per-view.

Meltzer reported there are a "dozen or more guys" in AEW earning over $1 million per year while the company's top stars make "well over $2 million."

Chris Jericho, as of February 2024, was believed to be the highest-paid wrestler in AEW. The former AEW World Champion has been with the promotion since it was founded in early 2019. Jericho re-signed with AEW in 2022 and he is under contract through December 2025.