According to Fightful Select, Ric Flair’s deal with AEW is reportedly similar to Randy Savage’s old WCW contract from the mid-90s. When Savage signed with WCW, he brought with him a lucrative sponsorship deal with Slim Jim. Having the deal with Slim Jim paid for a significant amount of his salary during his time in WCW.
Flair’s AEW deal is structured the same as Savage’s old WCW contract, using his Wooooo! Energy drink. Part of signing Flair including procuring a deal with his energy drink which is said cover a significant portion of Flair’s salary, or his entire salary that he will be receiving in AEW.
Fightful Select concluded by noting that they reached out to AEW sources to ask what the promotion’s motivation was for signing Flair. AEW said that new merchandise was a potential key factor, which includes video games and action figures. AEW also said that they could see Flair as selling such merchandise.
AEW announced on Thursday that Flair signed a multi-year year deal with the company. As part of the deal, his Wooooo! Energy drink is also the official energy drink of AEW.
Flair and his business partner Chad Bronstein revealed on a special Thursday edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, that Flair signed a two-year deal with AEW.
Flair made his surprise AEW debut back on the October 25 episode of Dynamite, as Tony Khan’s gift to Sting. Flair told Sting he will be by his side for his final run, leading up to his retirement match at Revolution this coming March.