CREDIT: QUOIPOURQUOI & www.WrestlingForum.com
The 1996 Contract
Hart continued to wrestle after WrestleMania XII on the overseas tours for which he was advertised, but he was technically a free-agent who could’ve signed with the WCW. In late September, Bischoff met with Hart unannounced and asked for a number. Hart’s asking price was "the exact same contract as Hulk Hogan, plus one penny." Eventually Hart told Bischoff he would need "$3 million a year and a lighter schedule" to even consider WCW.
Two days later, Bischoff offered $2.8 million per year for three years. Vince McMahon, knowing about the offer, told Hart that he couldn’t match it financially. Instead, McMahon offered Hart an incentive-laden contract, which gave Hart full compensation in case of an injury and creative control over his last thirty days of employment.
Just like in 1993, the WWF sent Hart a contract without any of the perks, and he had to have them draw up a new one on the day he appeared on RAW to announce that he had re-signed with the WWF.
This is the second time the WWF tried to screw him over on a contract.
The final numbers worked out like this: $1.5 million per year for three years as a wrestler. $500,000 per year for seven years as a senior advisor. $250,000 per year for ten years as a company standby.
It would have taken Hart twelve years into his WWF deal to earn what he would have made in three years with WCW. That means that had Hart never left, 2008 would’ve been the year that he finally would have earned with the WWF what WCW had offered, assuming the WWF was still around (after all, the WCW was in better shape, and they were gone within five years).
Continued on page three …
