Top WWE Executives Cash In Big Time for 2022

The year 2022 was a tumultuous year for the WWE. The company saw Vince McMahon resign as Chairman only to return a few months later. However, under Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan’s leadership, WWE thrived last year and some of the top executives received hefty compensation packages.

Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics is reporting that Vince McMahon earned $12.4 million in 2022, but he forfeited $11.3 million in stock awards when he resigned. Stephanie McMahon earned $14.3 million, but she also forfeited $10 million in stock awards when she resigned. Paul “Triple H” Levesque earned $11.6 million, while Frank Riddick earned $3.2 million.

However, Nick Khan was the highest-paid WWE executive who earned a whopping $24.9 million in 2022. Nick Khan joined WWE in August 2020 as the President and Chief Revenue Officer, and he was instrumental in negotiating several lucrative deals for WWE, such as the Peacock streaming deal and the Endeavor acquisition. Khan also received a special equity grant of $16.5 million as part of his compensation package.

Nick Khan’s pay was 237 times more than the median WWE employee compensation of $105,283 in 2022. The SEC requires companies to report the median pay compared to CEO pay, and Khan’s ratio was one of the highest in the industry.

“New WWE exec compensation table. In 2022 they were paid: Vince McMahon: $12.4M but he forfeited $11.3M in stock awards when he resigned Nick Khan: $24.9M Stephanie McMahon: $14.3M but she forfeited $10M in stock awards when she resigned Paul Levesque: $11.6M Frank Riddick: $3.2M.”

Stephanie McMahon and Triple H received performance fees, royalties, and related minimum guarantees for their appearances on WWE programming. Stephanie McMahon earned $717,253 as a talent, while Triple H earned $807,595. Shane McMahon who only worked one match at the Royal Rumble, earned $827,559 as a talent.

WWE’s financial performance in 2022 was impressive, as the company reported revenue of $1.3 billion and operating income of $283.3 million for the second quarter of 2022. The company also reported an adjusted OIBDA of $384.6 million for the same time period.

WWE’s future under Endeavor is uncertain, as the company plans to merge WWE and UFC into a new entity that will leverage both brands’ global fan bases and content offerings. However, some fans and analysts have expressed concerns about how Endeavor will manage WWE’s creative direction and talent relations.

What are your thoughts on the WWE executive compensation packages for 2022? Do you think they are fair and justified, or do you think they are excessive and unfair to the other employees and talent? Share your opinions and reasons in the comments below.