Why Randy Savage's Slim Jim Sponsorship Was So Important To His WCW Contract
Owen Barnes 
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“Macho Man” Randy Savage is one of the most recognizable figures in professional wrestling history. He competed in several classic matches and had a charisma unlike any other competitor. In 1994, Savage decided to leave WWE and signed with rival promotion, WCW. However, Savage’s WCW contract was one of the unique and unheard of deals in the history of professional wrestling. With Savage’s arrival in WCW also came his endorsement deal with the famous meat stick snack, Slim Jim. The former head of WCW, Eric Bischoff, has spoken numerous times regarding the deal. Essentially, Savage’s first contract in WCW was entirely paid for through the Slim Jim sponsorship.
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Randy Savage Brings WCW An Opportunity With Slim Jim
Savage had been unhappy and angry with his position in WWE. He had been viewed by Vince McMahon as being past his prime and put him on commentary. Savage, however, did not hold this same sentiment. He wanted to remain an active in-ring competitor. It resulted in his choice to leave WWE and go over to WCW. As Bischoff described on his 83 Weeks podcast in 2019, Savage was “excited to jump in.” In addition, the relationship with Slim Jim was between them and Savage directly. It was not held with WWE. Therefore, when Savage went to WCW, he brought it over with him.
WCW's Promotional Deal With Slim Jim Pays For Randy Savage's Contract
In describing Savage’s deal with WCW, Bischoff said, “Randy’s first contract was completely subsidized by Slim Jim.” With Slim Jim, Bischoff was able to negotiate a deal that saw WCW get money directly from the company in a promotional agreement.The money that WCW annually received from Slim Jim was essentially of equal value to Savage’s contract. In fact, it was not until Savage’s second contract with the company where WCW had begun to pay him with their own funds. With this agreement, Slim Jim branding was featured in commercials, put on aprons, co-sponsored pay-per-views such as Halloween Havoc, and had Savage hand out the snack to fans. Bischoff said that “we had product placement before anyone knew what product placement was.”
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The Slim Jim agreement also benefited WCW in more ways than one thanks to the deal. Furthermore, on 83 Weeks Bischoff said, “The Slim Jim relationship was extremely important to us.” Not only was WCW getting $1 million from the promotional agreement, but it also opened the door for other brands and companies to do business with WWE’s rival promotion. Bischoff stated, “It was also a great vehicle for us to point to other potential sponsors and say, ‘Look what we’ve done for Slim Jim. We could do the same thing for you.’”
Randy Savage And Slim Jim's Longstanding Relationship
The campaign between Savage and Slim Jim continues to be the most famous in the history of the company. Savage produced a number of different commercials for them, always delivering them with the same intensity as if he was delivering a promo for a championship match he was going to compete in. “Need a little excitement?! Snap into a Slim Jim!” became an iconic phrase for the “Macho Man.” Despite Savage’s tragic passing, his association with the meat stick snack still continues to this day. In 2019, a San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive action figure was released with Savage that featured his attire from the commercials in Slim Jim packaging.
Savage’s deal with Slim Jim certainly held tremendous weight during his time in WCW. It greatly benefited him, WCW, and Slim Jim simultaneously. Savage’s contract in WCW was paid for by the sponsorship deal. In addition, WCW also got much more eyes on their product from other companies and opened themselves up for business. It was a one of a kind contract in professional wrestling.
