On the latest episode of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” show, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase delved into his experience joining the WWF and the demanding schedule that came with it.
DiBiase recounted how the company would hold back-to-back tapings every three weeks, sometimes featuring three shows per day. Apart from these intensive taping sessions, wrestlers were expected to work six days a week, with minimal time off, including Christmas Day. He said,
“They did their TVs, I think they said what was it, every three weeks? And that would be back-to-back days. Three shows on one day and three shows the next day. And out of those, I mean, you might be on all of them, you might be on — it just depends on what they were doing. But those were a couple of tough days. But then, yeah, everything else you’re working six, at least six days a week…. You’ve stayed there almost a year and yeah, it’s every day. I mean, territorial wrestling was that way. I mean, when I went to work for Bill Watts, there were no days off. You might get Christmas off, and then when they figured out that people wanted to go out after they opened their presents and do something, and that they could fill a building on Christmas night? You didn’t have Christmas off anymore. That’s a fact. I wrestled many a Christmas night. And especially if you’re one of the top guys. If you’re one of the top guys, then you’re one of the guys that everybody else is depending on to draw the house.”
When discussing the payoffs in WWF, DiBiase acknowledged that the pay was better compared to other territories. However, he recognized that the cost of living in New York was significantly higher, making the increased compensation necessary to survive in the city. DiBiase recalled having an apartment in Parsippany, New Jersey, as he adjusted to the unfamiliar environment of the bustling New York area. He said,
“I would say; the pay was a bit better there. I mean obviously, everything was. But it was all like it’s always been. The cost of living in Baton Rouge, the cost of living in Shreveport, or the cost of living in Amarillo was not as much as it was in New York. [laughs] I mean, oh my gosh. You know, you had to be paid more to survive. I mean, just to live in New York. And I think I had an apartment while I was there. Yeah, I had an apartment in Parsippany, which is just across the river in Parsippany, New Jersey.”
Sharing his initial experiences of relocating to New York to work for Vince McMahon Sr, DiBiase described it as entering a different world and navigating through the intricacies of the city. He said,
“It was a different world. I mean, it was definitely a different world. And learning my way around, oh my gosh. I can remember the first time that I had to drive from Parsippany out to one of the boroughs. It was in Jersey. I can’t remember it, but it was one of the big markets anyway… I literally was given directions to go into Manhattan, and then go out through one of the other entrances. I came through the Lincoln Tunnel. That’s how I got into Manhattan. But out of Manhattan, I went another way to get out to where I was going. Dang it, I can’t remember where it was. But that was, oh my gosh. Especially for somebody who — I was used to traveling, you know. But not [that kind]. It’s crazy, yeah. You always had to leave early, because you’re gonna be dealing with traffic and all that. It was a headache, man. It really was.”
