Is it possible for another major company to exist?

[Mr. Nerfect]

A lot of people are pissed off at the WWE and TNA at the moment, as both their products are quite frankly crap. Most also agree that while ROH is bigger than your average indie fed, it has nowhere near the resources to compete with the WWE or even TNA at its current level.

My question is whether or not it is possible for another major promotion to appear and cause problems for the WWE and TNA, at least in theory. A big factor in this would be the available talent out there.

For argument's sake, let's say that you were asked by some billionaire to establish a wrestling company for him: What do you call it? Who do you hire? What kind of atmosphere do you go for with your shows? Can it be done in the current environment?

[Nark Order]

Is there room? Yes. Will it happen. Probably not.

[The Naitch]

nope

remember WSX?

[Mr. Nerfect]

nope

remember WSX?

But was that more to the attitude MTV took with it, or because of the talent involved?

[Mr. Nerfect]

The biggest free agents out there, who can presumingly still go in a wrestling ring, would have to be Rob Van Dam and Paul Wight. I think both those guys would be able to do well for a new promotion. There is also Scott Hall if he can be depended upon (he can't under most circumstances, but if thrown a lot of money, he might be more inclined to work for a job).

There are also guys that might not be draws, but carry some weight with wrestling fans. Steve Corino, for example.

[Juan]

I think the key would have to be to start small, even with a billionaire backing you up. If anything, the money should be used to create a good product before it even gets a TV deal, instead of having some no name promotion pop on TV and be subject to instant scrutiny by the wrestling community.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think the key would have to be to start small, even with a billionaire backing you up. If anything, the money should be used to create a good product before it even gets a TV deal, instead of having some no name promotion pop on TV and be subject to instant scrutiny by the wrestling community.

This is a very good point. There are always flaws in a product, especially their first few shows. It would be best to iron some of these over, and get a "well, they are still growing" response than a "is this all they can do?" response.

[The Naitch]

two words

Iron Shiek

[HeartBreakMan2k]

It is possible, that company is the Ultimate Fighting Championship and they are better than both TNA and WWE.

[Kane Knight]

It's possible, however unlikely. Among other things, WWE tends to sign as much talent as they can. As this often includes snapping up all rights to a name and the like, we're looking at a market that doesn't engender competition in the first place.

This third major promotion would need to have a decent financial backing and have something that's more attractive than WWE's salaries and TNA's tour schedule to even get a foot in the door.

[BigDaddyCool]

It could be possible.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Ever since WWE started going downhill I've wanted Ted Turner to either put his financial backing into TNA or start up a new promotion.</font>

[Kane Knight]

Ever since WWE started going downhill I've wanted Ted Turner to either put his financial backing into TNA or start up a new promotion.

Lot of people have; won't happen.

Hate to say it, but his NCC was up a couple years ago; if he wanted to do it, he probably would have done so by now.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Yeah I know. :(

Time to try and convince one of the other billionaires to start a promotion. Donald Trump should start one - everyone would be forced to wear his toupee.</font>

[Fox]

Ring of Honor has got to be considered the #3 promotion right now, and they are nowhere near TNA, let alone WWE, in terms of national exposure. Do they have any big stars? No. But that's because all of the big stars are in WWE, TNA, or on the sidelines, and the ones on the sidelines are not enough to kickstart a promotion.

I think that the growth of ROH and that if it did start attaining more big stars, they could possibly get a TV deal one day. Overall it's good for the business. WWE is so crowded with excellent wrestlers that aren't getting an adequate amount of TV time, and they're only getting older. More promotions would, hopefully, spread these guys out and allow them to get over and get that TV time that they should.

[Fox]

Bill Gates should get into the wrestling business. I bet he could get a primetime spot on pretty much any station he wanted.

[Mr. Nerfect]

<font color=goldenrod>Ever since WWE started going downhill I've wanted Ted Turner to either put his financial backing into TNA or start up a new promotion.</font>

This would be great, but would TNA use the investment wisely? They are still yet to make a profit, but find it fine to higher guys like Pacman fucking Jones.

If I were a millionaire, looking to make an investment, I'd probably make it into ROH, and use it to get their production values up, and get them on TV in a way that does not compromise their product.

[BigDaddyCool]

I doubt Ted would invest in TNA, it is already losing money. Plus it wouldn't do anything for the fans besides keeping TNA alive forever to suck. Ted has no interest in running the promotion, just owning it. And by him owning it, it would still have no direction, and all the same problems it has right now.

What you need is a strong willed individual with enough finicial backing to start if not outright purchase a promotion, hire away some guys from WWE and TNA while making its own stars. I'm not sure how easy it would be, but in theory it could be done.

[Kane Knight]

TNa is a horrible investment in any sense.

[Jordan]

I think TNA will be as big as WCW one day.

[Kane Knight]

I think TNA will be as big as WCW one day.

What, you mean another aquisition for WWE?

[Mr. Nerfect]

TNa is a horrible investment in any sense.

I agree with you. However, to be fair to them, it is only because they are so shit at the moment. If they get a writing staff that know what they are doing (I suggest cutting Dutch Mantel, Vince Russo, Abyss and Jeff Jarrett from the writing team, and replacing them with the team of Paul Heyman, Scott D'Amore and Mike Tenay, with occasional assistance from Jim Cornette), then TNA has a lot of potential.

They arguably have the best roster in professional wrestling, and if they get their act together, and a pot of gold, they could turn into competition for the WWE...theoretically.

[Volare]

IMO...it seems to me when I pay attention to the boards here...the 3rd promotion I see is ROH...I know they're still considered indy, but when I see the responce on here about a ROH show, a lot of people respond.

[Kane Knight]

I agree with you. However, to be fair to them, it is only because they are so shit at the moment.

And show no signs of improvement. I mean, I agree with you completely that they have potential, and I agree that they could be good with a good writing team. They've got some great talent and a few names that are worth something, and that alone is great potential.

The problem being that Dixie Carter seems fine with things as is. I mean, that's her perogative, I guess, but you'd think that when the fans chanted "Fire Russo!" She'd think "Well, they're dissatisfied, maybe it's time for a change."

IMO...it seems to me when I pay attention to the boards here...the 3rd promotion I see is ROH...I know they're still considered indy, but when I see the responce on here about a ROH show, a lot of people respond.


They're a smark promotion that's popular with smarks, so they will naturally get a response on a smark board. That may change, though. When I first started posting here, tons of people were on about how real wrestling involved light tubes and razor wire.

In the end, though, RoH's popularity here doesn't automatically mean that they're a viable third promotion, or legit competition.

[Mr. Nerfect]

And show no signs of improvement. I mean, I agree with you completely that they have potential, and I agree that they could be good with a good writing team. They've got some great talent and a few names that are worth something, and that alone is great potential.

The problem being that Dixie Carter seems fine with things as is. I mean, that's her perogative, I guess, but you'd think that when the fans chanted "Fire Russo!" She'd think "Well, they're dissatisfied, maybe it's time for a change."

Oh, I absolutely agree. I doubt it will change, unfortunately. If Dixie Carter was visited by a common sense poltergeist, though, things could change for TNA. It's very unlikely, but I believe they have the talent and platform to be a major promotion. All they need is the common sense and financial backing and there would theoretically (in actuality, it would probably be a lot different) be no difference between TNA and the WWE.

And Dixie Carter seems to completely miss the point where the fans chant "Fire Russo!" Her response is often "Vince didn't even write the segment." She misses the fact that the fans really don't care who wrote the shit, they want it gone.

They're a smark promotion that's popular with smarks, so they will naturally get a response on a smark board. That may change, though. When I first started posting here, tons of people were on about how real wrestling involved light tubes and razor wire.

In the end, though, RoH's popularity here doesn't automatically mean that they're a viable third promotion, or legit competition.

I agree with you, but ROH is distinguishing itself more and more from other independent promotions. They are doing overseas tours (something PWG has also done), and they have a PPV deal (something I believe no other indie fed has going). They are in fairly good financial shape, I believe (they're a privately owned company, so the information is a lot harder to get), and you can ask IWA-MS and CZW how hard that is for an independent wrestling promotion.

ROH still has a very long way to go, but slow and steady seems to be ROH's game, and they seem to be taking small steps towards their goal, which they are wisely setting only a few feet in front of them at a time. They aren't biting off too much for themselves to chew, and so far they have come along much further than they realistically should have. They are in no way ready to compete with the WWE, or even TNA, but comparisons likening ROH to the ECW next to TNA's WCW and WWE's, well, WWE, are fair.

Personally, if I were going to make a financial investment in a company, ROH would probably be it. They seem to be able to handle their money (although they've never really had too much, so they've always had the mentality to be careful, which could change if they got their hands on a stockpile of cash), and they are growing. I think that growth is a very important quality that ROH can claim over TNA when competing for attention.

Right now, I think ROH is putting up a better appearance than TNA, in that they actually seem to be on a somewhat linear path.

[Kane Knight]

That would be a great parody. Dixie Carter visited by the ghost of her former booker, Dutch Mantel, weghed down by his own sin, and warned that she would be visited by three ghosts this evening. I know it's not exactly original, but it'd be funny as all fuck to see something like that.

[Verbose Minch]

TED DIBIASE WILL BUY OUT TNA

[Mr. Nerfect]

That would be a great parody. Dixie Carter visited by the ghost of her former booker, Dutch Mantel, weghed down by his own sin, and warned that she would be visited by three ghosts this evening. I know it's not exactly original, but it'd be funny as all fuck to see something like that.

I'd actually like to see TNA become a parody of itself. You know, an intentional one, if it isn't already. Have Dixie Carter call a "writers' meeting," with Vince Russo, Dutch Mantel, Jeff Jarrett, Abyss, Scott D'Amore, Mike Tenay, Jeremy Borash, with a special appearance by Kurt Angle asking how many segments he will get this week, and the segment basically writes itself.

Dixie Carter can hear a noise in the store room, open the door, and reveal Kevin Nash sitting there in a dressing gown, trying to toast bread with the photocopier, Gob from Arrested Development-style.

In the end, Dixie can tell everyone to leave, because she's been visited by ghosts who have warned her of TNA's direction, and then she and Kevin can be the only two left in the room, and Kev can sit down, pull out his glasses, and say "Let's get to work." *Cue TNA intro*

It can't get any worse than their current programming.

[The Lone Wolf]

With the WWE's budget it is hard to believe that another company can ever truly compete.

[The Gold Standard]

Of course it is possible, but so many people have been watching WWE since they were born and they still watch it no matter what. No matter how good or bad it is.

[NeanderCarl]

Well the only way any other company is going to "cause WWE problems" is by going head-to-head with them on TV and PPV, and that really serves no purpose.

There could be room for several major wrestling promotions in the US, they could coexist (willingly or not) as the sheer vastness of the market could ensure that 5 or 6 major companies could tour 51 weeks a year and rarely clash in the same locale. It depends on their visibility (TV deals) and ability to create their own stars, as Vince snaps up all the worthwhile talent using his financial superiority so they would have to be creative and lucky.

So anyway to answer your question, feasibly, yes there could be many major promotions... depending on factors such as 'would any station air their TV show', 'do they have enough financial backing to effectively promote and keep their stars' , and as long as they aren't stupid enough to, as you say, try to "cause WWE problems" because that is not the key to building a successful company. Clean up the shit on your own doorstep before hitting the streets with a pooper scooper. (TNA, taking notes?)