April 12, 2004 Observer Newsletter: Steve Austin talking with WWE, UFC and TNA TV deals

What some internally felt was the potential end of the relationship between WWE and Steve Austin appears to have been averted.

Austin, Vince McMahon and Jim Ross had a 90-minute meeting before television on 4/6 in San Antonio to talk about a new contract. The most pressing issue according to those close to the situation was not financial, either in his pay or his merchandise percentage, but his ability to negotiate outside deals for himself and intellectual property rights. Austin in particular had been wanting to capitalize on his name and break into the market to do either a hunting television show or a series of hunting videotapes, as well as pursue acting jobs that would come along without the company’s involvement, and that his full-time wrestling storyline schedule would get in the way of. He was also looking for the rights to use the “Stone Cold Steve Austin” name in outside endeavors.

The meeting ended with pretty much an agreement that the Austin/WWE relationship would go forward.

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