Column – Paying to Play – Nikita Allanov

Recently a subject came up in a conversation with some friends of mine within the wrestling business, and only days later I saw it pop up in a conversation online amongst a group of wrestlers. So, since I have some thoughts on the matter, I thought it would make a good subject for a column. So here goes.

One of the guys that I trained to wrestle recently was accepted into a “tryout camp” for World Wrestling Entertainment. Upon his acceptance, he tweeted his news. Shortly after that a series of congratulatory remarks were posted in response, followed up by the inevitable derogatory comments. Soon the thread degenerated into another individual attending the same camp telling the guy he was wasting his time, while another individual told him he was wasting his money. Soon everyone started bickering back and forth, and my protege finally said he was doing this to follow his dream, and didn’t really care what they thought.

The thing that caught my eye about the whole conversation was the fact that the individuals in the conversation were bickering about wasting money to attend a tryout, and how much the camps cost, and so forth. I found it quite odd that one guy who was accepted to the camp was ripping on another guy for going to the same exact camp. But, what intrigued me more was that these guys were essentially paying for the right to go on a job interview.

This is part of the problem with professional wrestling. Not just at the top level, but at all levels. I have been racking my brain, and I cannot think of one single profession where you have to pay to try-out, or to be considered for a position. McDonald’s does not have an application fee. The NBA doesn’t charge individuals to tryout. I am unfamiliar with any casting directors who charge actors to audition. I am unfamiliar with any bands who have had to pay to play. Look at the thousands upon thousands of people that attend American Idol auditions – do these people have to pay?

So, why then in professional wrestling, is it common practice and readily accepted that you have to pay for a tryout? I honestly cannot fathom any reason how this became an accepted practice, or why it still occurs, but it is mind blowing. Sure, actors might have agents they have to pay to get their foot in the door for auditions, or an athlete might depend upon an agent or a coach to get them camp invitations and such, but it seems inconceivable to me that a guy in training camp trying to earn a roster spot with the New York Yankees would have to pay a fee to attend. Can you imagine if you were looking through the want-ads in the paper, trying to find a job to put food on the table for your family, and it cost $1000 to apply for a job?

I understand why the hosts of these tryout camps do this – because it makes them money. But, does it not kill the credibility that these camps are of any use?

Recently the Cincinnati Reds (my favorite pro sports team!) won a bidding war to sign heralded left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman – a Cuban defector who was on the free agent market. Chapman had a number of professional teams bidding for his services, even though he has never thrown a pitch in the Major Leagues. After he defected to the Netherlands last year during the World Baseball Classic, Chapman hired an agent to help him secure a deal to play in the major leagues. While I am certain that the agent is getting paid via commission for his services, I never heard anything in any news reports regarding Chapman having to pay a tryout fee to the Reds, Angels, Yankees, or Major League Baseball as a whole, to be scouted.

I do not understand how professional wrestling organizations can do this, and get away with it. There is a difference between charging someone to attend a camp as a way to be coached – that happens at many levels. Corporations often pay for their employees to attend training seminars. Individuals often pay to take classes to stay competitive in their fields. Even at the youth sports levels, there are camps that athletes can attend to improve their skills.

No, there is a distinct difference between having a wrestling camp where you evaluate talent, to perhaps be signed to contracts by your organization, and having a training camp designed to teach. If these camps that are advertised as a chance to be scouted by the WWE are in fact just training camps, then it is very misleading to say that the WWE will be there to evaluate talent.

The fact of the matter is, there are a limited number of jobs in professional wrestling, and there is an overabundance of people wanting those jobs of all skill levels. While you can argue the merits of who WWE/TNA/ROH sign to contracts, the fact is that wrestling is one of the few fields where worthless hacks that have no business being in the business to begin with, can stay in it for years if they have enough money to be of use to someone. There are no agents that sign prospects and get them the things they need to get to the next level. Why? WWE does not negotiate with agents. Why? Because it is easier to give someone an unfair contract if they do not have anyone to negotiate for them. Think of it this way: Professional wrestlers have to pay their own travel expenses. Players in the National Football League do not. Plus, there are 1664 players under contract in the NFL – not counting practice squad or injured reserve players. How many guys are under contract to the WWE at one time? 100, maybe? NFL players sign exclusive contracts for one league/team – why are they not considered independent contractors? But, wrestlers will put up with that, and even pay someone for the opportunity to be scouted, because they want to be a wrestler that bad. It is as nonsensical as you can possibly imagine.

The truth of the matter is this – the best way to get work in professional wrestling is through who you know. Word of mouth and references mean more than anything. While camps like these can certainly help you get your name out there, the truth of the matter is if the WWE is interested in signing you, they are going to approach you about working for them. Only in professional wrestling are you required to spend your own money to show how deep your desire is. I guess Vince McMahon has issues with making money off of “superstars” who do not sacrifice their pocketbooks to show how badly they want to be a star. Pumping steroids into your veins, sacrificing in the gym and the ring, and giving up any kind of normal social life isn’t enough.

The wrestling business is full of shady carny “businessmen” – and none are more shady and carny than the ones at the top. Until wrestlers smarten up and clean up this business and quit letting ourselves be taken advantage of, no one will think twice about having to pay for an audition to the “WWE Universe”.

To read more about Nikita Allanov, or to leave feedback on this column, check out his official MySpace page at www.myspace.com/nikitaallanov.