If you go back to the submission match with Austin for the double turn, they started a storyline where Bret felt like he was getting screwed since losing to Shawn in the ironman match. They ran with this story all year leading to the Canada vs US angle.
With WCW knocking on his door offering a contract, using his unhappiness with Shawn (most likely a shoot given how coked up he was at the time) he was probably able to broker a bigger deal from WCW, who handed out money like flu shots at that point, by being part of the most controversial angle of all time.
Just a theory but if true is fukking BRILLIANT.