I only know what I read about Flair's finances, but it is hard for me to understand sometime how someone who has made a lot of money could be just as broke as I am. I have heard the legends about his spending habits but how many cars, houses & rolex watches can one man need. Maybe his divorces took it all. Maybe those NC Lottery tickets will make him enough to help out. I know the guys back then didn't make the mega-bucks they can now, but Flair was on top for a lot of years and I've heard he made high six figures for many of those years. He can still charge a sizeable fee for appearances although I suspect he has over-exposed that market and the fee will drop quite a bit. Speaking as someone who has to cough up $1,000 to get his 12 year-old car out of the shop today. It is hard for me to feel too sorry for a guy who should have been set for life with even a modest amount of financial planning. Most of us will never be blessed with the chance to make the kind of money to allow us to do that. I think of all the hard-working enhancement guys that probably wound up broke because they never made a fraction of the money Flair did.
 Having said all this, I wonder if the belt is worth that much to Flair anyway. He'd probably rather keep the money he already got - or he's already spent it.
  Its like I want to feel sorry for the guy but I can't.

It sounds like a terrible story of how someone could have so much money and then spends it all or it could be divorce we may never know... But I love Ric Flair and hopefully he can get the belt back from Highspots....

Flair owes them around $50,000.
Reserve is likely going to be WAY above it.
 
From everything I keep hearing, this is just a scare tactic. I highly doubt the auction completes.

Quote from BeltFanDan on Oct 4^th, 2009, 11:00am:

 
 
What is your opinion on it in the sense of would this be THE belt to own? It certainly does have history. For that matter, is there a list of belts that you belt guys see as a WANT?

If it does go on sale, are you going to bid? My opening bid is 7k. 100k is WAY out of my ballpark.

Being a lifelong Ric Flair fan it really bugs me that this belt could be sold out from under Ric. But as we all have heard, Flair seems really irresponsible when it comes to handling money or paying back debts. But that is his choice and I still will be a fan and support him. I agree that this is the "Holy Grail" of wrestling belts, no other belt even comes close. The amount of money that this could sell for is astonishing. If it is in the 70-100 thousand dollar price range I'm sure that leaves out most or just about all of us fans on this board. I fell fortunate that I had the chance to see the belt and have my picture taken with Harley and Ric with the belt at Fanfest this year. If it does sell I hope it is to someone who really appreciates the history of the belt and all the legendary wrestlers that have worn it, and that it can be displayed to the public every now and then.  
 
Also, does any one know if the other earlier versions of this belt still exist? Like the red strap one that Jack Brisco wore, or belts that Harley Race or Terry Funk had?

So I just called Highspots again. 48 hour cease and desist order on selling the belt. he can't even talk about it. i offered 63k which is basically all my money and he wouldn't budge on that.
 
from everything i have read, Flair loves this belt. It apparently is gonna go for the cash Dan said.

PWINSIDER reports
It appears Ric Flair and Highspots did not come to amends on the money owed as Highspots intends to start soliciting offers to outright sell the original NWA World championship belt within the next 24 hours.  

Here's the link...........
 
http://www.highspots.com/nwabelt.asp

Ric has made some bad choices in his life but hey who has not. I hope he can just move forward if the belt sells and I know in my heart that Ric Flair is much bigger then the belt itself heck Ric is bigger then Wrestling itself along with Hulk Hogan God Bless Flair, Hogan, and Favre....

not sure how to spell it but Ric says in the shoot , "the day I become Richard Fleifr , is the day I go home , every woman seems to think that is who they are marrying" , but "I gotta be Ric Flair"...
If he owes them money then they should be able to sell the belt...
people want refunds when people back out of conventions...

I can see both sides. It's sad that Flair would be losing part of history. But, if he owes a bunch of money to them and never pays, what can they do ?

I also saw Ric today and said something very similar to that man Ric Flair is such a classy guy and loves his fans..... He took time out for everyone and always has a great showing....

PWInsider:
 
The latest development involving the original NWA World Heavyweight championship belt Highspots.com has been auctioning off in order to settle a debt Ric Flair has with the company is that Highspots may not be able to sell the belt in the first place.
 
As it turns out, Flair doesn't technically own the championship. According to a document acquired by PWInsider.com, the belt had been previously used as collateral as part of a financial issue between Flair and Matthews, North Carolina corporation Conbraco Industries, Inc. that pre-dated Flair's issues with Highspots.
 
On 8/26/08, Flair and Conbraco jointly filed a secured loan via a Universal Commercial Code (UCC) document. That filing created a lien against Flair's property, preventing him from selling it off without settling whatever debt he has to Conbraco.
While the financial background of what led to Flair's dealings with Conbraco isn't immediately clear, that documentation listed the following items as collateral that the corporation could conceivably seize from Flair's possession:
 
*Flair's NWA championship belt (specifically listed as original)
*Flair's WCW championship belt (specifically listed as replica)
*Flair's "wrestling robes, trunks, and boots"
*Flair's "Wrestling Hall of Fame ring"
*Flair's "Presidential Rolex, inscribed with "To Be The Man."
*Flair's "framed magazine covers, which include his likeness."
*A 4x3 autographed poster of Michael Jordan
*a 4x3 autographed poster of Vince McMahon and Flair.
*a framed, personalized Kevin Green jersey.
*Commercial claims arising from a previous lawsuit Flair was involved with.
*Additional "proceeds and products."
 
 
Conbraco recently approached Highspots to inform them that while they have yet to claim possession of any Flair assets, they would legally pursue any money raised from the sale of the belt, as they have a legal claim to the belt and its worth.
 
Highspots has quietly removed the listing of the title belt's auction from their website.

As a big fan of Flair I'm torn on this.  On one hand you have to wonder why Flair would put this belt up when it has so much history to it.  And second I'm a little peeved that highspots is putting the title belt on ebay instead of just going an alternative way to get their money back.

*Flair's "Wrestling Hall of Fame ring"
*Flair's "Presidential Rolex, inscribed with "To Be The Man."
 
Isn't these the items Flair boo-hoo'ed on his shoot interview as being priceless and irreplaceable, yet he pimps them off to cover his own financial troubles?   Granted it's been noted he has his problems with divorce settlements, but from what I understand he is still trying to live the life of the "Nature Boy" which can't be cheap.  And though I am one of Flair's biggest fans in the ring, my respect for him has dwindled quite a bit.  
 
In fact, in the past few years, I've realized he's not quite The Man I thought he was.

Well,
 
I've never been in Flair's shoes in the spotlight or anything, but I can tell you that I had a good chunk of money saved up when I got laid off several years ago. I also tried living big and buy, buy, buy...but that money goes very quickly when you don't realize it. Now, I'm po', po', po' but enjoying life as long as I can pay my bills, eat, and pay for gas. Flair has it easy so far, but when the $15,000 offers stop coming in, he just might end up "going home" as Richard Fleihr.
 
Oh well, I still respect the man...his personal life is just that. I certainly wish I could afford to buy the belt. BTW, it is still up on Highspots.com

Bull. The belt was being shopped around to a specific group of people weeks before it broke on the dirt sheets. They had it "sold", then realized they were underselling it. If they did it on the d/l it would have been over with already, but they wanted more money and had to go public with it in order to get that. They had serious offers near what they wanted with that but the whole prior claims thing came down with all the other junk.
 
It is just a big mess all around no matter what way you slice it.
 
No matter how you dress it up, no matter how much money is involved, wrestling is still a carny act and the people associated with it are for the most part scumbags all the way around. Not everyone, but the sumbags far outweigh the decent folks involved with the business which really sucks. From the wrestlers, to the promoters, to the people selling dvd's on a website, there is no honor between them. Would you really expect anything less?

I understand not feeling sorry for Ric and I'm sure Ric does not want your sympathy. All I know is that Ric has been a class act every time I have seen him and gave his all to wrestling... I agree Dan there is no honor between most of the promoters, wrestlers, dvd sellers, etc.... I was just simply saying what Ric had told me at a signing and no matter what to me Ric is the man and that is that.

I don't got the link on me but apparently they've given Flair six months to pay off his loan. I hope everything works all right for Naitch, He'll probably be able to pay it off after The Australia tour and a few other gigs.