– During a recent interview with The Takedown on SI.com, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle discussed his career, the contract payouts when he got into the business, and more. Below are some highlights (via WrestlingInc.com):
Angle on the people in his era who could get million-dollar guarantes: “Back then, there were only a handful of people — Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Undertaker, Triple H, a couple other guys, me — we were the only ones that had million-dollar guarantees.”
On his first contract offer from WWE: “So, I called the WWE and I asked if that contract from 1996 still stood, and they said ‘No, but you can come up and try out. They offered me a contract, but the contract was only $75,000 a year, and let me tell you, that’s not a good contract.”
Kurt Angle on not understanding how to sell merchandise: “I was horrible at it [selling merch], I didn’t come up with ideas, I wish I would have! You know, Stone Cold Steve Austin was great at it, he got it right away. He said ‘I’m going to make a character and I’m gonna make a lot of money with this character.”
On his mindset when he came into the wrestling business: “I didn’t come in with a business mindset, and I should have. I should have had a better business mind when I started, because I could have made a lot more money, definitely sold a lot more merchandise!”
