Impact/Killer Kross update

[octopus]

PWInsider:

"For those who have asked about Killer Kross, who has not appeared on Impact Wrestling programming since last month's Slammiversary PPV, we are told he is not injured and simply has not been booked by the promotion since his back and forth over a contract re-negotiation earlier this summer, leaving him contractually bound to the company, but not being utilized.

The word among Impact talents is that Kross was actually in Toronto on family business the same time Impact taped there a few weeks back, but the company opted not to book him for the tapings. It should be interesting to see whether he is utilized for the September TV Tapings, given that he lives in Las Vegas where they are being held. Among talents, there is a sympathy for Kross as a family situation precipitated Kross pushing for a higher-end deal and instead, he's stuck in suspended animation.

As PWInsider.com first reported earlier this summer, Kross had requested a release from the company after seeking a better financial deal from Impact, which offered a reworked three-year contract that was far below the six figure deal Kross was shooting for. Impact sources, at the time, told PWInsider.com that a release would not be granted but that everyone was still working together and was being professional.

During an interview with Petey Williams' podcast in June, Kross noted that he liked everyone at Impact and everyone had been professional with him, but intimated that when he signed his deal, he did so after being led to believe there were not other opportunities for him elsewhere. Now that he's learned there are, and he's aware of what others within Impact are getting paid, he sought to be paid something on that level or be allowed to be released and leave in order to have the chance to prove he could draw and earn that money elsewhere. Kross noted that he has family members he is responsible for and as a man, it's on him to provide for them. During that appearance, Kross noted that he wanted to stay with Impact if everything could be worked out. He made it clear it was not a case of trying to run and grab money elsewhere, but that his family situation left him with no choice but to push for a better deal.

Instead, Kross has not been booked of late and his t-shirt has been moved to the clearance area of Impact Wrestling's merchandise website. Kross would have the option of wrestling independently outside of Impact, with the obvious exception of nationally televised promotions. Meanwhile, the two sides remain at a standstill in terms of repairing their relationship, at least for now."

[Natural Born Farmer]

They mention a family situation a couple times and offer that as a reason Kross HAD to push for a better deal. I’d have more sympathy for his situation if maybe he’d care to elaborate on what that is. Right now he looks like he just told Impact “more money or release me”, and the company decided to make an example of him.

[Mozenrath]

There's no real good reason to keep him.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Aug 26, 2019 20:39:08 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

There's no real good reason to keep him.

Except that he stepped to management and they decided “we aren’t doing this” and treated him as such.

[Mozenrath]

Aug 26, 2019 20:51:59 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 20:39:08 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

There's no real good reason to keep him.

Except that he stepped to management and they decided “we aren’t doing this” and treated him as such.

What benefit is it giving them to keep him? They get to pay him to sit home, to what, intimidate anyone else to not ask for more money or a release? Historically, what has that ever done for wrestling companies besides shitting up morale and writing checks out of spite?

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 17:25:28 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

They mention a family situation a couple times and offer that as a reason Kross HAD to push for a better deal. I’d have more sympathy for his situation if maybe he’d care to elaborate on what that is. Right now he looks like he just told Impact “more money or release me”, and the company decided to make an example of him.

He doesn't have to go public with his family's personal details just to make it 'okay' that he tried to push for more money. There's zero reason for a company to throw its weight around and "make an example" of anyone, and the fact they're now keeping him from even making the not-enough money he was making isn't a good thing. The sentiment of "I don't have any sympathy for him unless he proves a company shouldn't be f***ing with him solely to frighten everyone else they pay into keeping their mouths shut" is an utterly baffling one.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Aug 26, 2019 21:01:32 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Aug 26, 2019 17:25:28 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

They mention a family situation a couple times and offer that as a reason Kross HAD to push for a better deal. I’d have more sympathy for his situation if maybe he’d care to elaborate on what that is. Right now he looks like he just told Impact “more money or release me”, and the company decided to make an example of him.

He doesn't have to go public with his family's personal details just to make it 'okay' that he tried to push for more money. There's zero reason for a company to throw its weight around and "make an example" of anyone, and the fact they're now keeping him from even making the not-enough money he was making isn't a good thing. The sentiment of "I don't have any sympathy for him unless he proves a company shouldn't be f***ing with him solely to frighten everyone else they pay into keeping their mouths shut" is an utterly baffling one.

One expendable talent asks for a raise, why would every single other one not?

And Kross signed a contact. He was very clear on what he would get. Instead he decided to negate those terms.

Either his word matters or it doesn’t. He still gets to work AAA and indies. To my mind Impact has been remarkably fair in saying they won’t promote him but he can do what he wants.

[Super Duper Dragunov]

My problem isn't that he wants more money, it's that "these options weren't available when I first signed and you gave me a chance, but now they are so pay me more".

Like if you work at the only Burger King in town, and then a Wendy's and Arby's open up and you're like "hey these are here now, they weren't before, I would like a raise" you're gonna get laughed at. If the contract he was offered was enough to take care of things, why all the sudden is it not good enough? Did circumstances change? Or maybe it's that AEW are giving out very nice contracts, and he wants a piece of that pie.

And also find it odd this is the first we're hearing of him having to help his family. At least first for me.
I'm not saying it's not true, but I'm also not saying it doesn't sound like a sympathy play to make Impact look like the bad guys and make himself look more honorable and less douchey.

But I don't know the situation so I'm just spitballing.
On the surface, I think he was unprofessional first.
And something feels off about the whole thing.

Also could've done without the "as a man..." bit.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 21:10:17 GMT -5 Super Duper Dragunov said:

My problem isn't that he wants more money, it's that "these options weren't available when I first signed and you gave me a chance, but now they are so pay me more".

Like if you work at the only Burger King in town, and then a Wendy's and Arby's open up and you're like "hey these are here now, they weren't before, I would like a raise" you're gonna get laughed at. If the contract he was offered was enough to take care of things, why all the sudden is it not good enough? Did circumstances change? Or maybe it's that AEW are giving out very nice contracts, and he wants a piece of that pie.

And also find it odd this is the first we're hearing of him having to help his family. At least first for me.
I'm not saying it's not true, but I'm also not saying it doesn't sound like a sympathy play to make Impact look like the bad guys and make himself look more honorable and less douchey.

But I don't know the situation so I'm just spitballing.
On the surface, I think he was unprofessional first.
And something feels off about the whole thing.

Also could've done without the "as a man..." bit.

The expectation that what he was offered was 'enough to take care of things' is a very bold one. Wrestling is built on letting people f*** you over until you hit the big leagues and get the real money that makes the romanticized struggles along the way okay. Reportedly, he was making pretty much nothing once taxes and travel were factored in to the money he got from TNA. And you might get laughed at for saying 'Hey Burger King, don't pay me peanuts when there's not actually other jobs I can have', but the idea that somehow it's wrong to? Nah f*** all of that. Companies have a vested interest in paying as little as they can to people, slamming anyone for wanting to be paid more when they've proven they have a value beyond that is just bootlicking.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 21:03:28 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:01:32 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

He doesn't have to go public with his family's personal details just to make it 'okay' that he tried to push for more money. There's zero reason for a company to throw its weight around and "make an example" of anyone, and the fact they're now keeping him from even making the not-enough money he was making isn't a good thing. The sentiment of "I don't have any sympathy for him unless he proves a company shouldn't be f***ing with him solely to frighten everyone else they pay into keeping their mouths shut" is an utterly baffling one.

One expendable talent asks for a raise, why would every single other one not?

And Kross signed a contact. He was very clear on what he would get. Instead he decided to negate those terms.

Either his word matters or it doesn’t. He still gets to work AAA and indies. To my mind Impact has been remarkably fair in saying they won’t promote him but he can do what he wants.

Sure, give all the wrestlers a raise. Pay them actual livable wages for the intensely destructive work they do and for the freelance nature that has the company sliding down easy street. Due to not being actually employed by TNA, they're taxed at a higher rate because the company doesn't pay anything in to their taxes like actual employers do. Pay wrestlers more. That's actually a really good idea, I have no idea why this is seen as any kind of a bad thing while the idea of a company holding someone they don't want and who doesn't want to work for them contract hostage isn't.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Aug 26, 2019 21:17:02 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:03:28 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

One expendable talent asks for a raise, why would every single other one not?

And Kross signed a contact. He was very clear on what he would get. Instead he decided to negate those terms.

Either his word matters or it doesn’t. He still gets to work AAA and indies. To my mind Impact has been remarkably fair in saying they won’t promote him but he can do what he wants.

Sure, give all the wrestlers a raise. Pay them actual livable wages for the intensely destructive work they do and for the freelance nature that has the company sliding down easy street. Due to not being actually employed by TNA, they're taxed at a higher rate because the company doesn't pay anything in to their taxes like actual employers do. Pay wrestlers more. That's actually a really good idea, I have no idea why this is seen as any kind of a bad thing while the idea of a company holding someone they don't want and who doesn't want to work for them contract hostage isn't.

A mid card talent is threatening them with walking unless they give him main event money. That’s all there is to this.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 21:20:35 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:17:02 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Sure, give all the wrestlers a raise. Pay them actual livable wages for the intensely destructive work they do and for the freelance nature that has the company sliding down easy street. Due to not being actually employed by TNA, they're taxed at a higher rate because the company doesn't pay anything in to their taxes like actual employers do. Pay wrestlers more. That's actually a really good idea, I have no idea why this is seen as any kind of a bad thing while the idea of a company holding someone they don't want and who doesn't want to work for them contract hostage isn't.

A mid card talent is threatening them with walking unless they give him main event money. That’s all there is to this.

You don't know how much he even wants or how much he's making now, and reductionism isn't actually a stance or an argument.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Aug 26, 2019 21:23:06 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:20:35 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

A mid card talent is threatening them with walking unless they give him main event money. That’s all there is to this.

You don't know how much he even wants or how much he's making now, and reductionism isn't actually a stance or an argument.

Dude. The guy took this argument to radio stations and podcasts. If it was a genuine medical need he had an insane format to promote that, and did not.

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 21:27:53 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:23:06 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

You don't know how much he even wants or how much he's making now, and reductionism isn't actually a stance or an argument.

Dude. The guy took this argument to radio stations and podcasts. If it was a genuine medical need he had an insane format to promote that, and did not.

He doesn't have to divulge private details for it to be wrong that a company is sacrificing him as a fear tactic to make everyone else too scared to bargain or push for better conditions. The only thing being advocated for that idea is making Kross a situation where it would be bad PR to f*** over him specifically, and that is actually kind of a nightmarish statement.

[Mayonnaise]

Dude lost a revenue stream on LU and his GF was so underpaid that she quit so she could focus on her real job and a few indie bookings. While all this is going on he is a main event guy in Impact and find out he is the lowest paid guy in that part of the card, so why not ask for a raise or release? Instead of they denied each, which is within their right to do, then they took him off the road and killed of his merch. So yeah, Kross it's still under contract, this time it's Anthem being dicks about something. Just business.

[Natural Born Farmer]

Aug 26, 2019 21:29:39 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:27:53 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Dude. The guy took this argument to radio stations and podcasts. If it was a genuine medical need he had an insane format to promote that, and did not.

He doesn't have to divulge private details for it to be wrong that a company is sacrificing him as a fear tactic to make everyone else too scared to bargain or push for better conditions. The only thing being advocated for that idea is making Kross a situation where it would be bad PR to f*** over him specifically, and that is actually kind of a nightmarish statement.

He doesn’t, but that company has a right to wonder, and he is asking them to pay him more. I think we’re in agreement on the basic facts here, so ask yourself: were this not a factor, would he be in WWE right now? Would indies be lining up with ginormous paychecks?

[markymark]

Imo both sides are to blame, the Kross situation reminds me of Janela with MLW(who also signed a multiyear deal that turned out to be cheap). Kross shouldve been smarter than this and NOT sign a multiyear deal from the start. Look at Tessa for example, she started with a PPA deal and now she is highest paid wrestler in the roster(even above RVD).

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Aug 26, 2019 21:47:50 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:29:39 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

He doesn't have to divulge private details for it to be wrong that a company is sacrificing him as a fear tactic to make everyone else too scared to bargain or push for better conditions. The only thing being advocated for that idea is making Kross a situation where it would be bad PR to f*** over him specifically, and that is actually kind of a nightmarish statement.

He doesn’t, but that company has a right to wonder, and he is asking them to pay him more. I think we’re in agreement on the basic facts here, so ask yourself: were this not a factor, would he be in WWE right now? Would indies be lining up with ginormous paychecks?

With how it sounds, the company knows. The talent knows, too. It might not be a public-facing element of the situation, but we aren't the ones who make the decision, the company is. Go back and reread that; by the sound of it, it's not him saying "Oh but I have family troubles", it's that the other wrestlers feel for him because a family issue came up and now he's in this limbo hell instead. But beyond that; if he's not worth the money, then why's he even worth keeping? Either they locked him in when he didn't think he could get any better and he's worth more than he's being paid for, thereby making it a bad contract and the company getting someone delivering the goods for less than they ought to be paying him because it's in their interest to pay people as little as possible--an interest that should not really be defended because it's shitty--or he's not worth anything, and the company has no reason to hold onto him because he can be let loose to crash and burn elsewhere making no money there instead. Either he's worth more or he's an idiot, saying "He's an idiot but we're not letting go of him because reasons" is a half-measure that doesn't actually settle anything. The theoretical basis of if WWE wants him or not and how much they'd pay him does not actually address the issue of wrestling promotions taking advantage of people and someone who consistently spent a lot of time around the top segments on the card and in main event storylines being paid what he said was absolute piss.

[Deleted]

Aug 26, 2019 21:03:28 GMT -5 Natural Born Farmer said:

Aug 26, 2019 21:01:32 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

He doesn't have to go public with his family's personal details just to make it 'okay' that he tried to push for more money. There's zero reason for a company to throw its weight around and "make an example" of anyone, and the fact they're now keeping him from even making the not-enough money he was making isn't a good thing. The sentiment of "I don't have any sympathy for him unless he proves a company shouldn't be f***ing with him solely to frighten everyone else they pay into keeping their mouths shut" is an utterly baffling one.

One expendable talent asks for a raise, why would every single other one not?

And Kross signed a contact. He was very clear on what he would get. Instead he decided to negate those terms.

Either his word matters or it doesn’t. He still gets to work AAA and indies. To my mind Impact has been remarkably fair in saying they won’t promote him but he can do what he wants.

Kongo Kong once asked to raise his offerings from $250 per show to $251 and a ham sandwich, they responded by jobbing him on Xplosion matches.

[Jacy Jayne Atomic Dog AMV]

oh f*** we can't rip off WWE's angles anymore, better rip off their cruelty