Eric Bischoff has weighed in on the recent debate surrounding WWE royalty payments, offering a detailed explanation of how the system works and why some former talent receive surprisingly small checks years later.

Speaking on the January 23, 2026 episode of 83 Weeks, Bischoff addressed the reaction after Marc Mero revealed he received just $71.47 in royalties from WWE, despite his Wildman persona generating over $39,000 in revenue during the final quarter of 2019.

“There’s a formula,” Bischoff explained. “I get those same royalty statements to this day and I don’t even look at them. I might glance at which category I’m making the most money in more out of curiosity than anything.”

Bischoff noted that royalties are calculated using highly specific criteria, including how long a performer appears in a particular video or product. According to him, brief appearances or background shots rarely translate into meaningful payouts. He also stressed that these checks are not meant to function as income, but rather as occasional bonuses that arrive quarterly.

“I could show up for 10 seconds of a 90 minute video on The Rock,” he said. “Maybe there’s a clip of something I did, and I’m there with Hogan. Okay, I’m going to get 20, 30, maybe even 50 cents out of that. Every time I get a quarterly royalty check, I forget that it’s coming. To me, it’s all just gravy.”

The former WCW president also touched on contract negotiations, suggesting that wrestlers hoping for long term merchandise or royalty income needed to secure those terms at the time of signing.

“If you believed in yourself and you wanted more merchandise money 20 years later, you should have negotiated for it on the front end,” Bischoff said. “Marc was smart. He wanted the cash. He made the right decision.”

Bischoff added that WWE royalty statements break down exactly where appearances occur, including DVDs and streaming specials, but compensation is strictly based on screen time and the assigned value of that content.

“You could be featured in something, but if you’re in a group shot or a flashback, you’re only earning based on the seconds you’re shown. That’s just how the formula works,” he added.