If you could have complete creative control of one wrestling company...

[Swiss Ultimate]

which would you choose and why?

Understand that if you're booking the WWE and people stop watching you'll be responsible for the death of the WWE or if you book TNA and more people start watching you'll be responsible for the fact that more people are watching TNA. You're also going to be somewhat limited by which company you choose: No blood, constant cursing or nudity in the new WWE; TNA can't afford to have an angle where 1,000 Kurt Angle CLONES invade the Impact Zone. ROH can't afford a single Undertaker payday.

Also, you'll be responsible for writing every card and finding something for the entire roster to do (or in some cases not to do...Christian).

Every "company" from Japanese and British ones to the many random NWA set-ups are available to choose from. You can also choose NXT as a distinct entity from the WWE.

I'd choose: Total Nonstop Action

Why:Because I do still like a handful of TNA veterans, it's a small show but you can get away with a lot that the WWE can't, we'll have our pick from the WWE reject pool and can lure away anybody interesting in ROH about 2/3 of the time.

For a lot of people the TNA style is already at rock bottom, so there's really no place but up you can go. Plus, I'm an oldschool ECW fan at heart and there's way more room for that style on TNA than in the WWE.

[Shisen Kopf]

OCW

[Swiss Ultimate]

Good choice.

[XL]

TNA is already pumping out decent to good storylines and matches for most of the guys on the roster. There's something happening from top to bottom of the roster and it's usually interesting...problem is nobody cares. Therein lies the problem for TNA; how do you make people care?

[Impeccable]

I'd probably choose TNA. But that's because its a win win. If viewing figures increase I'm classed as a genius and savior of the business. The company goes out of business. Meh. I wasn't expected to compete anyway with the resources at my disposal, etc.

[Swiss Ultimate]

TNA is already pumping out decent to good storylines and matches for most of the guys on the roster. There's something happening from top to bottom of the roster and it's usually interesting...problem is nobody cares. Therein lies the problem for TNA; how do you make people care?

This is more on the business side than the creative side, and I currently am unaware if they're touring or not. I'd have them open up three semi-permanent Impact Zones. You'd have Impact Orlando, Impact Philadelphia, Impact Houston and Impact San Diego. Company would move production 4 times a year 3 months at each location.

Produce 4 PPVs a year. Hardcore Justice, Bound for Glory being the permanent yearly events and original PPVs for the other 2.

The idea would be that you'd go to Philly for Hardcore Justice and you'd have 3 months to book the PPV, then you start over in Orlando for Bound for Glory and spend three months booking to that PPV, etc.

Marketing would be social media blitzes and publicity stunts. I'd have a dedicated virtual street-team infiltrating all the various wrestling forums, commenting on all the wrestling blogs, youtube channels and have the wrestlers doing their own Zack Ryderesque youtube channels, self-promoting 24/7.

The other thing is when we hired a WWE reject I'd feed them to my champions. Have them start undefeated, and depending on the guy have him as a contender for the belt, but ultimately have him do the job even if the plan is to keep 'em around.

Also, I was a fan of the X Division, I thought for a time they did everything exactly right. Would love to bring back the mix of styles. Would book it as equal to the World title. Basically it'd be like, if the World Champ faced the X Champ the advantage would depend on the type of match. X would win the ladder match, World would win the Last Man Standing match.

TV title would be defended every show by a guy that would be TNA's version of ECW RVD or WCW Booker T.

Knockouts would be attached to male wrestlers. Would give them a title match every PPV for people who like that sort of thing, but the Knockout champ would never ever defend or wrestle outside of an intergender tag match if I was booking the show. I'd totally have them involved in angles and even interfere in matches, but would make all-women matches a rarity. 4 times a year, period.

Other than that I'd just try to write compelling stories and allow wrestlers to figure out their own path. Would also develop guys via dark matches rather than having a NXT program. Would want to have new guys close to the show at all times to see how it's done by the veterans. Plus, somebody's gotta set up the ring and be the occasional victim of a squash match, might as well be the green guys.

I think all of that would help, but the only thing that will bring back interest to TNA is long-term quality booking and good to great wrestling matches.

I'd probably choose TNA. But that's because its a win win. If viewing figures increase I'm classed as a genius and savior of the business. The company goes out of business. Meh. I wasn't expected to compete anyway with the resources at my disposal, etc.

Exactly.

[screech]

Gotta have Slammiversary, Swiss.

[XL]

Here's some things I'd do with either of the shows if I was in charge:

1) Establish booking teams for each division on the show (WWE: World Title/Main Event, IC/US titles & midcard, tag division, and Divas). Imagine what Heyman could do with the midcard guys, for example. You also have Dutch Mantel who has experience in the booking department.

2) Each booking team would be given a roster of superstars to work with and a set of guidelines to work within (e.g. You can't use a guy from another roster without consent from the team that has him)

3) Each booking team has a head booker, 2-3 writers and an agent who puts the inring together

4) All teams would be brought together at weekly booking meetings in order to plan weeks/months in advance, to ensure that similar things aren't happening in each division, so that I could give final say on direction, etc.

The idea of this would be to create internal competition. With no real competition to WWE they need to compete amongst themselves. TNA could benefit from this model by concentrating on putting out their best content rather than worrying what WWE are doing.

Each team of bookers/writers/agents should be looking to get their guys/title as over as possible. The team booking the midcard titles should be looking to elevate their guys so that they're ready to be transitioned into the Main Event team.

The teams should be interchangeable too. If they best stuff is coming from your midcard team they should be given a chance with the top guys.

Shows should be planned weeks/months in advance. Obviously there are elements that can change (injuries being a major game changer for example) but for the most part I want to know where we're headed with each division/set of superstars going forward.

That way you don't have stuff like:

Brodus Clay allows Xavier Woods to use his music and dancers.
Clay gets annoyed and attacks Woods. Clay is now heel, breaking up Tons of Funk.
Clay vs. Woods plays out on B level shows, Clay vs. Tensai doesn't produce anything of note.

Fast-forward a few months: Tensai is an announcer on the C-show, Clay lost a match to the C-show champion and in doing so failed to obtain a match for the belt. Woods is a jobber, scheduled to lose in a handicap match (where he has the man advantage) against the current hot thing.

Total waste of time/momentum for everybody involved.

[Swiss Ultimate]

Gotta have Slammiversary, Swiss.

Yeah, but the name sucks.

[voncouch]

If I can choose, I'm going with WWE. It's like playing as the Banker in The Oregon Trail; we're getting to Willamette Valley without the struggle.

[Ruien]

Global Force Wreslting! Hire AJ Styles and give him the belt for a year.

[Swiss Ultimate]

If I can choose, I'm going with WWE. It's like playing as the Banker in The Oregon Trail; we're getting to Willamette Valley without the struggle.

I disagree. I think booking the WWE product takes a lot more energy and thought. There are a bunch of limitations they have to deal with and factors they have to take into consideration. WWE is being promoted towards children and is fairly main stream. It'd be like writing for Seinfeld or Friends back in the day.

[Crimson]

Basically what XL posted. No way one man can book everything for every wrestler.

[Seth82]

I'll go with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

It's already a fantastic organization. I would produce a weekly tv program to air in the US.

I would hire Dave Meltzer and someone else to record commentary in english.

[Crippla]

I wouldn't care if I was responsible for the death of WWE. I'm ruthless!

[Swiss Ultimate]

Ruthlessly aggressive even.

[FourFifty]

PWG
I mean, why not? If I don't kill it, it'll die out soon enough.

[James Steele]

I'll go with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

It's already a fantastic organization. I would produce a weekly tv program to air in the US.

I would hire Dave Meltzer and someone else to record commentary in english.

I'd pay to see Dave Meltzer get the living shit beaten out of him.

[Shadrick]

If I can choose, I'm going with WWE. It's like playing as the Banker in The Oregon Trail; we're getting to Willamette Valley without the struggle.

I played this game recently again as an adult and I realized how easy it was to make it there as a banker. The subtle lesson they are teaching kids earlier than I realized: having money makes your life a shit load easier.

[Emperor Smeat]

WWE.

Would focus the most on rehauling the entire midcard and use that to rebuild the divisions into something more meaningful. Everything outside of the WWE title and/or main event division won't feel like a throw away if done correctly.


Was originally thinking of picking TNA but any real progress might end up getting undone considering their current money and future tv issues.