Brilliant ECW Tribute Video

[Avenger]

http://www.youtube.com/w/ECW-Tribute-Video?v=hi2D3Ex98AA&search=ecw%20manowar

[King Jericho]

ECDUB!

[The One]

Have you guys ever thought what might have changed in Pro Wrestling had ECW been able to hold out financial implosion for even another year? ECW was a little over 8 million in debt when it finally closed down for good. Now 8 million in a HUGE sum of money for a small time fed to owe. But this of this. If ECW had been able to last on more year (though I fully admit I thought for sure it was dead in the water a year before it actually died) think of how much of the market ECW could take. Their deal with TNN (Spike TV) was ending as soon as WWE arrived there. If memory serves me correctly USA still wanted a wrestling show, just it lost the biding war with TNN to keep WWE. Given that WCW had been bought out within the same month, USA might have looked to pick up ECW in a few million dollar contract. ECW killed itself financially holding on to the stars it created…but with WWE buying WCW and taking over 20 or so of their contracts, WWE at that point was in an overflow situation, and no one else could offer more money. Paul E could have made more fiscally wise contract signings. They still had Dreamer and RVD, so some name power was still there, and Rey Mysterio (we all know how much Heyman LOVED him) could have brought in some big time name power if he signed with ECW, which all logic says he would have.

ECW on TNN (which reaches fewer homes then USA) got almost double the ratings TNA has been getting lately (and for shits and giggles, Massacre on 34th Street [ECW’s December PPV] in 2000 drew a larger number then Starrcade [WCW’s flagship PPV, also in December]). Switch them to USA, take away the money pit WCW, and ECW could have made some huge moves in 2001. Also throw in the fact that ECW and WWE were a non-threatening two companies. They had a, if not strong, then at least a working relationship. I think if ECW could have stayed afloat one more year then it would by this point, not taken WCW’s place, but in many ways surpassed it as ECW did continue to rise in popularity, and so long as Heyman could continue to play nice with McMahon, I honestly believe he wouldn’t go out of his way to hurt ECW.

Anyone agree, disagree. Any thoughts? Concerns? Questions? Jokes?

[Xero]

I agree with you on the most part, unless Paul decided to go for a Monday or Thursday timeslot, which I'm certain USA would have insisted on. If that were the case, it would have been the second war, whether Paul wanted it or not.

If Heyman had just gotten some backing with a big company I believe that TNA wouldn't have made it past weekly PPVs and ECW would have just taken up most of TNA's current talent pool.

[The One]

I don't know...Paul Heyman has some very close friends at USA (in fact he was thinking of going to work for them once his WWE contract runs out), so I am betting he could have worked out a deal somehow where he would show why the ratings could be hot if they DIDN'T share the market with WWE.

[Xero]

Well, just hypothetically for this hypothetical situation, let's say that ECW did get a Tuesday or Wednesdays 8-9/8-10/9-10 timeslot. They started to get higher numbers than WWE and no doubt Vince would have started to get worried.

Either way, Vince would have started another "war" of sorts with ECW, because the last thing he needed then was another company out-doing the WWE during their biggest potential era (which it turned out not to be, but it should have been), the Invasion. Vince would have stolen ECW talent left and right once ECW hit the 3 and 4 ratings marks. (Hypothetically.)

[The One]

Are you sure? McMahon really is quite good at not taking shots at people unless it is retaliation. Bischoff/Turner started the Monday night war by putting WCW on Monday, raiding his talent pool, and taking any low blow shot at McMahon possible. TNA makes band handed comments about WWE almost every show. While yes ECW never had any on screen love for WWE, Heyman and McMahon had a behind the curtain understanding of one another. I truly do believe that McMahon has respect for Heyman, and if ECW started getting 3 or 4 ratings on Tuesday or Wednesday, why would that bother McMahon? Hold PPVs on seperate Sundays, have their shows be on different days...nobody is hurting anybody, both are just doing there thing and in all reality probably helping one another without meaning too.

And as for stealing talent, hell WCW and WWF did that the entire run of ECW anyway, nothing would change there, except one ECW started hitting 3 or 4's...money goes up for them, which means more money for talent, which means less likely to jump over board for the extra cash.

[Xero]

Remember McMahon raiding the territories in the 80s? Vince will do anything to stay ON TOP. It doesn't matter if they're on different nights, if ECW had gotten to WCW status Vince would have had to do SOMETHING to stay on top, otherwise WWE would crumble.

[The One]

I totally disagree. Two wrestling promotions can co-exsist perfectly well together. Why WCW and WWF couldn't co-exsist is that, first off all they had done everything but declare legal war on on another. And it isn't like Coke vs. Pepsi where you drink one and you are no longer thristy. If ECW could have scored a Prime Time slot on a night where WWF wasn't already there, they could have continued perfectly fine. Yes McMahon would take their big name talent, but that happened to ECW all the time anyway. Plsu there are certain wrestlers who would not go to WWF. OK so basically only Shane Douglas, but hey that's somebody. And WWE could have released Jerry Lynn and Raven, both could have returned to ECW. The point is for every ECW main eventer WWE would pick up, WWE would have to release some random mic-carder, and Paul Heyman (and I mean this) could take just about any mid carder and make him a star. Meanwhile ECW's big stars who went to WWE would get misused, eventually forgotten about, and would return to ECW only to have the cycle restart again.

So long as ECW never went head to head on the same night with WWE, they would have been 100% ok...and before you point out that Thunder's ratings sucked, remember that whith how bad Nitro was being womped on Monday's few people thought WCW was worth watching, so long as WWE never played "Smeer The Queer" ratings wise with ECW on the same night, ECW could have continued to grow and flurish.

[Xero]

But there would have had to been a point where Vince would have said enough is enough.

Let's just say that a multi-million dollar corporation started to fund ECW and it got to the point where Paul wasn't telling wrestlers to come over but they WANTED to go to ECW. All the newer named talents would have wanted to go to ECW and Vince would have wound up with the beaten down shit ala WCW.

ECW could have gotten to the point where Vince was going bankrupt just because ECW was more popular than them.

And when you say that two (big) promotions can live side-by-side, look at the TNA/WWE thing. Wrestlers are AVOIDING going to WWE and choosing the little guy where they can flourish. Christian left because he hated how the WWE was shitting on him.

Besides one or two shots TNA has taken at WWE (and I'm sure many other promotions have too), what would make WWE start to do all they can to raid/prevent talent from signing with TNA (as the rumor goes)? They're on a different night and a horrible time slot, but the big-name and the (arguably) better wrestlers are still going to TNA.

[The One]

Interesting point. My only defense for that (I admit quite weak), TNA was created with the idea that they would rival WWE. Jerry and Jeff Jarrett started TNA with that idea, since the Carters took over they have since shifted to creating simply a profitable company...however it might have been too little too late. That would be the best argument I could have.

But let's throw this idea out, if ECW and WWE had peacfully co-exsisted, and even if it wasn't direct rivals, we both know that both companies would work to out do the other one. We wouldn't be in the slump. WWE would probably have listened to the fans more and given more of what they wanted, and not forced the people THEY like down our throats. Christian would have probably never left, WWE would have a good product, ECW would have a good product. Two strong companies, and like '97-'98 when both WWF and WCW where doing good shows, you never knew where a wrestler might show up. It was a shocking time, even ECW got a few name guys thrown there way. If they could peacfully co-exsist until ECW got large enough to be a global company, it wouldn't matter if one or both were upset, so long as the TV slots never crossed, they would benefit and continue to flourish.