Rob Van Dam believes modern wrestlers can actively sabotage their own careers through their use of social media. He stated that online conduct inconsistent with a performer’s on-screen persona could directly result in a company canceling a planned push.
Speaking on a recent edition of his 1 Of A Kind podcast, Van Dam framed the issue around a wrestler’s status as a public figure. He argued that a performer’s value is directly dependent on their public image, making their online behavior a critical component of their professional standing.
This reality, he explained, is why large promotions seek to manage their talent’s online presence so closely, viewing them as valuable company assets that require protection. “When you’re a wrestler, you are a public figure. And your very value depends on your public image and how your public image is perceived by the people,” Van Dam said. “That’s why like, a big company like WWE wants to control all of its assets in the talent department as much as possible… that’s always an issue.”
RVD detailed how this dynamic plays out, using the example of a wrestler being built as a major face. He warned that if that same performer posts hateful or judgmental content, it creates a contradiction that undermines both the character and the company’s investment in them.
He concluded that such actions have tangible consequences, stating it absolutely affects a company’s plans and a wrestler’s overall value. “You go posting some hateful s–t, it could definitely affect their plans for what they’re doing with you,” RVD stated. “Building you up as this big meat and potatoes, all-American babyface. Then at the same time after work, you’re getting all your own heat… by putting stupid, judgmental stuff that is really inconsistent with the character they’re building for you… So 100%, that affects the value of your value at your job.”