New Hiring Rule: no exclusive contracts for foreign workers

[mrwhippy]

I'm thinking specifically Japan, in order to simulate workers going over for tours but still working in their home country.

If the Japanese country gets big enough (Medium+), they'll always sign the foreigner to an exclusive deal which is always a nuisance when you want to simulate the 70's, 80's and 90's particularly with the likes of Bruiser Brody, Terry Funk etc.

[St. Templar]

I was running an '80's mod, and New Japan signed Ric Flair, Harley Race, and a few other all-time greats to exclusive contracts. So, yes, I think this would be a great idea.

St.T

 

[Paxlux]

IMO they don't have to go that far, I think just making it so location matters more to talent during contract negotiations would be better. For example if a wrestler based in the US gets two identical offers, one from an American company and one from a Japanese company, they'll opt to join the American company unless the Japanese one offers more money and/or creative control. That way a Japanese company like NJPW can still sign top American talent and maybe even get them to relocate to Japan, just at an increased price, and it would simulate how big of a decision moving to another country for work would be.

I think there should be negative modifiers during negotiations based on relocating to a new country, especially if that new country speaks a language that talent doesn't currently speak.

[Saffir]

On 10/9/2022 at 10:47 PM, St. Templar said:

I was running an '80's mod, and New Japan signed Ric Flair, Harley Race, and a few other all-time greats to exclusive contracts. So, yes, I think this would be a great idea.

St.T

 

Agreed 100%. I'm running an 80s save myself and there's a lot of interesting talent I'd like in my promotion that I'd probably never get to use. It's not a total problem for US based promotions, though, but the Mexican scene's been devastated because of how aggressive NJPW/AJPW are in locking up international talent.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Saffir

[Jaysin]

On 10/10/2022 at 2:49 PM, Paxlux said:

IMO they don't have to go that far, I think just making it so location matters more to talent during contract negotiations would be better. For example if a wrestler based in the US gets two identical offers, one from an American company and one from a Japanese company, they'll opt to join the American company unless the Japanese one offers more money and/or creative control. That way a Japanese company like NJPW can still sign top American talent and maybe even get them to relocate to Japan, just at an increased price, and it would simulate how big of a decision moving to another country for work would be.

I think there should be negative modifiers during negotiations based on relocating to a new country, especially if that new country speaks a language that talent doesn't currently speak.

Brilliant!

[St. Templar]

On 10/10/2022 at 1:49 PM, Paxlux said:

IMO they don't have to go that far, I think just making it so location matters more to talent during contract negotiations would be better. For example if a wrestler based in the US gets two identical offers, one from an American company and one from a Japanese company, they'll opt to join the American company unless the Japanese one offers more money and/or creative control. That way a Japanese company like NJPW can still sign top American talent and maybe even get them to relocate to Japan, just at an increased price, and it would simulate how big of a decision moving to another country for work would be.

I think there should be negative modifiers during negotiations based on relocating to a new country, especially if that new country speaks a language that talent doesn't currently speak.

I think this is a tremendous idea. Having said that, I think it's something that would become less of an issue at later dates. In the 1970's, Americans going to Japan to work an exclusive contract would be hamstrung due to longer air travel issues. In today's marketplace, while it's still a long flight from L.A. or London to Tokyo, there's more regular and faster air travel, so it's a bit more realistic to work a few shots in Japan, then return to the U.S., Canada, U.K., Mexico, etc.

And, having said all of that, in the territory days, it was more unusual for foreign workers (Bruiser Brody, Andre, David Von Erich, etc.) to sign exclusive deals with Japanese companies. Even guys like Dr. Death, Vader, and Stan Hansen usually had non-exclusive deals in Japan, since they would do tours there and then come back to the States to work and go home.

St.T