WCW question

[Crossrine]

I never really watched WCW growing up, so I have a question regarding all of it's legacies. What kinds of things did it give on to future wrestling (besides the DX etc idea I know that)? I know what ECW contributed because I watched ECW over WCW growing up. Hopefully all you WCW fans can help me out because alot of you complain about WWE shitting all over it. I am not disrespecting just curious.

[KayfabeMan]

WCW built / promoted / gave a mainstream start to many of today's wrestling stars and icons and main-eventers; like Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Booker, Ric Flair, Jericho, Ron Simmons, Finlay, Benoit, Guerrero, William Regal, DDP, etc.

They also gave rise to the mainstream marketing that WWE always wanted - and to an extent - never got, compared to WCW. WCW's merchandise was marketed and licensed a lot more than WWE's was and was a tremendous $ maker for a long time, especially involving Hogan, Goldberg, nWo, Nash, Sting and those guys.

There's a lot more things, but I gotta run ATM. Wish I could contribute more to this thread, as WCW was my favorite promotion and I'm a huge supporter.

[Xero]

The only reason WWE shits on them is because they were direct rivals during their biggest boom and what WCW (read: Bischoff) did to them.

[KayfabeMan]

Also, much like ECW - only on a much larger scale - they were the place to see stars from literally, all around the world. WCW took international talents and made them famous on a grand scale all around the world.

Guys from Mexico, Germany, the UK, Japan, etc. All did very, very well with WCW and got a shot that they never before, or haven't since, received. All the guys like Ultimo Dragon, Rey Jr., Silver King, Alex Wright, Dave Taylor, & dozens of others, all were great in WCW. They gave fans a truly international flavor.

All right, I'm off :y:

[Crossrine]

Could someone explain the whole Turner Aol issue?

[KayfabeMan]

While I'm waiting for them to get back with my car....

WCW [along with Ted Turner's balls and dignity] was acquired by AOL in their merger with Turner's Time Warner. They decided that WCW was losing cash a lot faster than they'd like it to, and instead of re-building something that had been part of Turner's empire - along with TBS, TNT and the Braves - for soo many years, they decided to have a sale of it.

[Xero]

I'd say a few million a year loss would be faster than anyone would have liked.

[Crossrine]

Wait so we talking AOL, as in America Online? The internet company right?

[KayfabeMan]

Indeed.

[Crossrine]

Man thats complicated..

[KayfabeMan]

I'd say a few million a year loss would be faster than anyone would have liked.

It's just funny to me, as they could've scaled down their product and re-built it. They should've taken the steps necessary to do so, beginning with moving into smaller / cheaper venues. There's no shame in drawing 4,000 - 10,000 as opposed to 20,000. Just don't put yourself in a 20,000 seat place and draw a number like that. Scale down, re-build, and build back up; similar to what the WWF did in the early 1990's. Take a dozen steps back to take 100 forward.

[M-A-G]

That company was beyond repair financially and even if it wasn't no self-respecting money-tree was going to try to fix it.

[tucsonspeed6]

Bischoff would have. When he found out it didn't have a TV deal, he gave up on it. I shouldn't have to remind everyone that the rumor is that Bischoff sabotaged it from inside to lower the price. I don't know if I believe any of that or not, but it'd be foolish to say that it was irrepairable at the point that it was sold. I don't think drawing it back to smaller venues would have been the answer either. It was a household name at the time. Shrinking it to WSX or TNA size with no name wrestlers would be no better than selling it right out. It was losing money to poor management and bad booking. The fix would be to fire the guys who aren't on TV anymore. Stop paying D-celebs to make appearances, and come up with better storylines again.

[hb2k]

WCW's biggest influence on wrestling really doesn't have much to guys with wrestlers but more what it did for the television landscape of wrestling. Watch how much Monday Night Raw blew in 93-95 before WCW Nitro came along. The format of Raw today owes a lot to Nitro, going live for two hours with marquee main events involving top guys. WCW under Bischoff raised the ante for television tenfold.

[Hanso Amore]

Until Nitro hit, Raw was a taped one hour show with A Heat Level Main Event and Squash matches.

WCW made the WWE what it was. WCW was the catalyst that changed the Business.

While it sucked at the end, was great for a bit, did good and bad, it was what forced the changes and helped raise the bar.

[hb2k]

Exactly. Nobody will ever give Eric Bischoff the credit he deserved for saving the wrestling business on a mainstream level, but that's damn near what he did, even if it was from elements from everywhere else - it was the formula Bischoff provided that took the business from being on its ass and the future looking bleak to wrestling being at it's all time peak of popularity, whether directly or indirectly due to Bischoff.

[Avenger]

WCW gave WWE the Attitude era in so many ways.

[What Would Kevin Do?]

ECW gave WWE the Attitude era in so many ways.

[Crossrine]

The attitude era would have never came without ECW and WCW. WWE has never acknowledged that fact, Heyman does, Bischoff does..

[FourFifty]

And Vince should?

[Crossrine]

Iunno yes? No? Vince couldnt give a shit either way.

[Theo Dious]

What did WCW give the world? WCW Champion David Arquette. No, I will never forgive them that.

[Crossrine]

Thats what I want to know. I never liked WCW that much but people on the wrestling forums say that WCW did all of this and that. So I was just curious.

[Dorkchop]

Monthly PPVs. WWF had 5 so WCW did more. WWF upped their PPVs so did WCW. WWF added more, so WCW went to 12 a year.. then the WWF