FCW Closing Down !

[taker707]

Source: The Wrestling Observer

WWE officials notified Bright House Network Monday that they have opted to cease their affiliation with the Florida based sports network as they are shutting down Florida Championship Wrestling effective immediately. Florida Championship Wrestling programming, which was taped last Thursday in Tampa, Florida, will cease to air on the network in three weeks.

Everyone involved with Florida Championship Wrestling will relocate to WWE’s homebase in Stamford, Connecticut until a further decision regarding the developmental program is made.

WWE employees were given the impression that a developmental promotion will ultimately open in Connecticut with the possibility of a second at an undetermined location.

The promotion was started by former wrestler Steve Keirn in 2007 to be WWE’s second developmental promotion when they ended their relationship with the Georgia-based Deep South Wrestling in early 2007. It became their sole developmental promotion in early 2008 when they ceased affiliation with Ohio Valley Wrestling.

[Juan]

Bummer

[What Would Kevin Do?]

I guess Chris Kassius Ohno Hero was right when he said he wouldn't be there long...

[Lock Jaw]

This is all Dean Ambrose's, and his lack of an actual Dean gimmick, fault.

[St. Jimmy]

DSW, OVW, and now FCW?! WHEN WILL THE MADNESS END.

http://www.ronanlyons.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/helen-lovejoy.jpg

[Droford]

They'll probably launch the new developmental show on the network whenever that gets going..makes sense to me.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Would be ecstatic if the new Connecticut-based developmental territory ran shows near me.</font>

[Blakeamus]

Heard OCW is in the race to be the new developmental territory for future WWE Superstars....

[Supreme Olajuwon]

What if some FCW employee was the guy picking the names for new wrestlers? We'd all be like "woo hoo fuck that guy" right now.

Maybe it was. I don't know.

[Vastardikai]

I know of a perfect Developmental Territory. Actually, I know of 2 perfect Developmental Territories.

[KaosDarksol]

We will get a new development area and hopefully they will have it on the wwe network

[ClockShot]

Would be ecstatic if the new Connecticut-based developmental territory ran shows near me.

Yeah same here.

The question I wanna know is, does Titan Towers have some sort of facility to get this up and running? Always thought it was just the corporate office building.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

They'll probably launch the new developmental show on the network whenever that gets going..makes sense to me.

Makes sense. By getting it closer to Stamford they can probably reduce the turn around time on getting the show edited and on the air.

[Cool King]

Why not just get the FCW roster and put them on NXT and make NXT a development show around Connecticut?

It's just a thought.

[Dukelorange]

Why not just get the FCW roster and put them on NXT and make NXT a development show around Connecticut?

It's just a thought.

This makes sense, by putting them on NXT; they can get in more angles... NXT is decent.

[Shisen Kopf]

Oh noes! I live not too far from FCW arena and thought about going once. Too many taco eaters that side of town though and I didn't want my car broken into.

[Innovator]

I should tell my friend this if everyone moves to Stamford, he's got a warehouse gym a town over.

[Next Big Thing]

I wonder if Booker T's school might get some of the talent and serve as a new training spot? Maybe that was part of what brought him back?

I hope they don't try to do some reality/wrestling show based on talent in development that isn't ready for the main roster. They should let them hone their skills and develop their characters/gimmicks behind closed doors instead of sucking ass on t.v. and crying about it.

NXT is terrible to watch as is. No need to add another shit show.

[Iop]

Well, I guess its time for WWE to make OCW their new developmental territory, after all, arent they the future of wrestling?
Seriously tho, I hope they dont start giving people normal names

[DLVH84]

I wonder if Booker T's school might get some of the talent and serve as a new training spot? Maybe that was part of what brought him back?

I hope they don't try to do some reality/wrestling show based on talent in development that isn't ready for the main roster. They should let them hone their skills and develop their characters/gimmicks behind closed doors instead of sucking ass on t.v. and crying about it.

NXT is terrible to watch as is. No need to add another shit show.

That's a great possibility about Booker T's school. And I also agree that those in developmental should hone their skills and develop their personas without any cameras.

[Schlomey]

SUCK! I was heading there this summer while down in Florida.

[Hanso Amore]

Stamford based training has pros and cons.

The Good is that they are right in Vinces backyard, meaning they will most likely work harder and not party their asses off like FCW has issues with, knowing the influence is so close. Kind of like Military bases in VA are stricter than the dicks in florida where is it lax as hell.

the Bad is that there might be too much WWE influence.

[Hanso Amore]

Just shows you Jimmy Cornette was right. He has fucking RAILED Johnny L in shoots about screwing over OVW and bailing on them and DSW.

[Iop]

Stamford based training has pros and cons.

The Good is that they are right in Vinces backyard, meaning they will most likely work harder and not party their asses off like FCW has issues with, knowing the influence is so close. Kind of like Military bases in VA are stricter than the dicks in florida where is it lax as hell.

the Bad is that there might be too much WWE influence.

Sorry for going off topic, but in your comparrison, why are military bases in VA stricter than in Florida? Wouldnt the military bases in Washington DC be stricter then (nearer to pentagon).

[Lock Jaw]

NXT is terrible to watch as is. No need to add another shit show.

You shut your mouth. NXT is fantastic.

[Gertner]

Bye bye vanilla midgets.

[Juan]

It was reported by f4wonline.com on Monday night that WWE is shutting down it's developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling. The news came after the Brighthouse Network, which airs FCW television, confirmed that the show would be ending its run very soon. Now, there are conflicting reports regarding the future of the promotion.

All talents and staff are at FCW's training school today and as of Tuesday morning, no official announcement has been made. All FCW events currently scheduled for this coming weekend will go on as planned and FCW President Steve Keirn is vehemently denying the rumors of FCW shutting down.

Sources within WWE are saying there are no plans to shutdown FCW, despite the promotion's television show ending its run on the Brighthouse Network. There have been recent discussions about moving the FCW TV show to another market, possibly in the Orlando area.

[St. Jimmy]

At least Seth Rollins won the strap before the place closed.

[Hanso Amore]

Sorry for going off topic, but in your comparrison, why are military bases in VA stricter than in Florida? Wouldnt the military bases in Washington DC be stricter then (nearer to pentagon).

Well yes - though Im speaking from the Navy, who doesnt have much of a DC footprint, but yes, the same idea. DC and VA are typically a bit more traditional and proper than say FLA or even CA.

I attribute it to the fact that "Big Brother" is closer and watching. WHen I was briefly stationed in FL, its just so different. People dress down, work short hours, sort of have a lax aura. In VA and DC you never know who is going to show up, or who is around. if you are at a command with Senior Leadership, you can bet your ass that people are walking around in dress uniforms.

[Hanso Amore]

So I imagine the same would happen. With Vince right down the road, everyone would be on eggshells.

[Destor]

i wish this news were true. it isnt tho, fcw isnt going anywhere.

[Destor]

expect a news report debunking this with in 24 hrs.

[Destor]

wwe.com has officially announced that this rumor is false for those playing at home.

[Triple Naitch]

FCW Closing Down space exclamation point space

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Triple H said that FCW isn't shutting down, but it was still implied that the developmental system (or at least part of it) will be relocating elsewhere.</font>

[Destor]

looks like it will be going to stamford to film a TV show for the WWE network

[#1-norm-fan]

Yeah, it's on WWE.com. Not closing. Also, WWE doesn't actually OWN FCW do they?

[Destor]

Yeah, it's on WWE.com. Not closing. Also, WWE doesn't actually OWN FCW do they?
no but if they pull the developemental deal the place would implode

[#1-norm-fan]

I don't know. OVW is still hanging in there.

[James Steele]

I don't know. OVW is still hanging in there.

Look up some Cornette interviews on OVW. They had their shit together and WWE actually hurt them more than help them once Johnny Ace took over for JR.

[#1-norm-fan]

But they survived afterwards is all I'm saying. It shows that WWE severing ties with a development territory does not necessarily mean company shutting down.

[James Steele]

But they survived afterwards is all I'm saying. It shows that WWE severing ties with a development territory does not necessarily mean company shutting down.

My point was that OVW was an actual promotion that was making money staying as a "local promotion". FCW was started by WWE for the sole purpose of developmental and FCW will die if they ever pull the plug.

[Juan]

But they survived afterwards is all I'm saying. It shows that WWE severing ties with a development territory does not necessarily mean company shutting down.

I think it's different, because (this incarnation of) FCW was started solely to be WWE's farm league, whereas OVW was around before it became affiliated with WWE.

[FourFifty]

FCW is not closing down. In other word... Shut up Taker707.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I have been thinking a lot about the WWE's developmental system recently. I've been reading a lot into it, and lately I've been thinking that the WWE needs a much better facility than FCW, which I think can be kept, but should be the last stop before getting onto WWE television.

Jerry Lawler has been quite vocal about preferring to get into the ring and working with younger guys than doing commentary. Why not open another facility that uses Jerry Lawler, William Regal and a rehired Finlay and Tommy Dreamer as veterans to work with the younger guys? OVW had its shit together, whereas FCW seems to have a lot of great talent behind the scenes, but none in front of it.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Well, I guess we got psyched.

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I honestly don't really like the idea of having developmental taped and put out for all the country to see on the WWE Network. I understand why it's important to have it on television in Florida to sell tickets to the events so the promotion can make a little bit of extra money for the guys trying to make it. I don't get why you would want to expose rookies to national scrutiny before you think they are ready to be on Raw or Smackdown.

The guys are going to be green as gooseshit and do you really want to see these guys at their worst? This is all about first impressions and if my first impression is that he is shit it's going to take a lot to change my mind. I

[owenbrown]

FCW is not closing down. In other word... Shut up Taker707.

vintage TPWW

[owenbrown]

From PWInsider:

WWE, HHH RESPOND TO FCW CLOSING STORY
By Mike Johnson on 2012-03-20 17:24:39 WWE.com published an article directly responding to rumors that they were shutting Florida Championship Wrestling down this afternoon.
Citing that an "unreliable online news source" published the report, the piece featured quotes from HHH about the developmental system.

Triple H commented, "It is absolutely not true. FCW is not closing. I don’t know how the rumor started but I believe it’s a situation where the ‘dirt sheets’ want to believe they have the scoop on everything. If anything, we are in the process of ramping up our entire developmental system. It’s the lifeblood of our company. It’s what feeds our future and in no way are we going to close it down."

When asked about plans to relocate developmental and taking FCW tapings outside of Tampa, HHH commented, "There are plans in the works, but nothing definitive I can discuss right now. Shortly after WrestleMania, there will be a major announcement about our developmental system."

As I wrote earlier today, there have been plans to move the FCW TV Tapings outside of the FCW school in Tampa in recent weeks. The most likely location appears to be The Full Sail University facility, where WWE filmed several secret pilots a few months ago.

In regard to the idea of expanding the developmental system, there has been talk for years of expanding to add something in the Northeast, but the company has never pulled the trigger on those plans. Some of the discussed plans in the past ranged from running a small promotion (think ECW in 1990s level in small facilities) to a system where the top prospects in developmental would work and train in CT directly before going to the main roster, so WWE Creative and production could have a hand in grooming them before they debut. There were also plans several years ago to open a number of smaller regional groups as developmental outlets, but again, the trigger was never pulled on those plans.

The WWE article did not address the end of FCW TV on The Brighthouse Sports Network, which Brighthouse confirmed this morning to PWInsider.com.

PWInsider.com did not report that FCW was closing down, but did break that the stories making the rounds were false, according to WWE sources. WWE has now gone on the record to back that.

****

Mike: With all that said, Triple H taking a shot at news outlets is ironic in a way, since the company refuses to have a relationship with websites such as ours. The reality is that unless you are attached to a major online entity (think Yahoo), a mainstream radio station or a mainstream newspaper, they will not provide you with access. Trying to build and maintain a relationship with the company is haphazard at best. Until WWE offers an open line of communication for reputable online news providers, it's unfair to batch everyone into one group - and equally unfair to complain about reports being untrue when they don't provide the forum for outlets such as PWInsider.com to seek confirmations and denials on news stories. They can't close the doors of communications and then complain about it.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

/plays violin music for Mike.

That comment is so Mike, whoever the fuck he is.

[Destor]

I don't know. OVW is still hanging in there.

half the kids working ovw are working it for free.