WWE stars becoming businessmen is nothing new. With the fame and admiration the superstars get, it’s easy for them to venture out, either starting new businesses or getting sponsored by already existing ones. One of the biggest sponsorships in pro wrestling was between Randy Savage and Slim Jim. However, now Ric Flair seems to have copied that formula with his new AEW multi-year contract.

Flair made his debut in AEW recently and revealed that he will be staying with the WWE rival for quite some time now.

The deal between Ric Flair and AEW vs. Randy Savage and Slim Jim

Starting his career in 1972, Flair has dedicated his life to the pro wrestling business. His fame came from Jim Crockett Promotions and WWE in 1974. Adopting the title of The Nature Boy, he stole the hearts of the fans. With great mic skills and in-ring charisma, which was a rare combination at that time, he was a sight to see.

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After he retired from the WWE on the March 31, 2008, episode of RAW, he worked part-time and then moved on to Impact Wrestling and other promotions. Having the legacy he has, Flair never had to work as hard in any of the promotions. Now, as of November 2, 2023, Flair signed on with AEW with a multi-year contract deal.

But how is this deal the same as what Randy Savage did with Slim Jim in 1994? The deal Savage struck with Slim Jim during his time in WCW was way ahead of his time. With the contract being solely between Savage and the meat snack, when Savage moved to WCW, the deal went with him. Eric Bischoff, who was the manager of WCW at the time, said, “Randy’s first contract was completely subsidized by Slim Jim.” This meant that for his first contract with WCW, the company never paid Savage. Slim Jim did.

However, with Savage working for WCW and promoting Slim Jim, the company gained massively from it. Not only was the company not paying Savage, but they got free promotion anytime Savage did a commercial for the product. Meanwhile, the same was true for Slim Jim as well, since they got free promotion when WCW hosted an event. This led to WCW and Slim Jim profiting off each other while Savage did all the work. So, how does the deal done in 1994 parallel the one done in 2023?

The parallels between the two stars’ deals

When looking at Flair’s multi-year deal with AEW, it hasn’t been confirmed whether he will participate in matches. However, Flair’s role in AEW has been cemented as more of a ringside character at the moment. Despite this, Flair’s Wooooo Energy drinks and THC business will be publicized during his time here.

Similar to what happened with Savage, anytime there is an AEW event, Flair’s products will get publicity, and when Flair promotes it himself, AEW will get publicity. This works just the same as it did for Savage and Slim Jim.

What do you think about the deal between Flair and AEW? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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