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09-10-2018, 08:53 AM | #1 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,750
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WCCW -- Could it have been 'big' nationwide
I was watching the WWE DVD on WCCW and they talked about how WCCW was ahead of everyone else in production values and had the chance to go national at one time (and sort of were already creeping into homes via satellite all over the place) but Fritz Von Erich turned the deal down, despite his kids telling him to take it.
If they would have do you think Vince would have been able to national as well and would WCCW have been a success? Could Kerry Von Erich have been Hulk Hogan (essentially) before Hulk Hogan? Impressive that w/o a national TV deal that they sold 50k tickets to a stadium show and it was 'the largest crowd to watch wrestling ever' until WM III. |
09-10-2018, 08:54 AM | #2 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,750
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Also, the Ric Flair vs Kerry Von Erich cage match on the DVD was really good. Michael Hayes heel turn was perfectly executed by today's standards so I imagine it must have been 'outta this world' in 1982.
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09-10-2018, 09:13 AM | #3 |
It's a blood match!
Posts: 27,374
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I love that DVD one of my favorite doc's WWE has made. I didn't grow up with WCCW at all, but from what I can tell the answer is yes, they could have been much bigger than Texas if they would have tried. It would only have worked if Kerry didn't go to WWF though. I think they could have had the edge on WWF in that the action was the forefront not gimmicky sports entertainment style. I know there are others who post here that actually lived through the WCCW era and could have a more insightful opinion.
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09-10-2018, 09:24 AM | #4 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,750
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It was before my time as well but I'm thinking I might have to check out some of the episodes on the WWE Network some time, looks like they uploaded a ton to 'The Vault'.
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09-10-2018, 09:37 AM | #5 |
It's a blood match!
Posts: 27,374
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I wasn't into the initial uploads but I was hoping for more, I'll check it out eventually as well.
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09-10-2018, 09:54 AM | #6 |
Best Poster
Posts: 56,903
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That company had so many substance abuse issues. It's like the Superstar Billy Graham should have gotten a long run as a face champ argument : there were so many substance abuse issues that it would have collapsed. It would have been big for a couple of years and then crashed.
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09-10-2018, 10:04 AM | #7 |
Fire up Chips!
Posts: 27,456
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More of him and they would have destroyed all the othe rasslin feds |
09-10-2018, 10:24 AM | #8 |
It's a blood match!
Posts: 27,374
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Best rasslin song ever.
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09-10-2018, 12:07 PM | #9 |
OLD SCHOOL FAN
Posts: 13,946
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WCCW were the innovators for what we have now. they had television syndication in over half the country through Pat Robertson's CBN network & ESPN.
they did venture out of their backyard on occasion. they did a big show at Manning Bowl outside of Boston. they did tours of Israel. also a tour of the US as well called Von Erichs Over America that was run by someone else. the boys were red hot in the early 1980s. promoters who had first didn't want them were scrambling to book them on their supercards. WCCW's production values were far better compared to WWF's in the early 1980s. go look at WWF tv from 1982/83 and then look at WCCW. the Von Erichs were already on Vince's radar as early as 1983. He was trying to negotiate a deal with Fritz. I think Vince wanted to bring them into the fold. He even paid tribute to David and featured them in the magazine. Vince wanted Kerry especially early on. he was reportedly one of the people on the short list of guys he wanted to go national with. Hulk Hogan of course got that spot. I think going national would've worked tremendously had they done it in 1983 with the feud with the Freebirds at its hottest. |
09-10-2018, 12:22 PM | #10 |
Best Poster
Posts: 56,903
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Hey Seth, didn't Vince actually announce a partnership with Fritz while he was over in Japan in 84?
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09-10-2018, 12:29 PM | #11 |
b/c 5 is better than 4
Posts: 9,721
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I find it doubtful they would have succeeded. The kids couldn't keep their noses clean when they were only really famous in Texas and surrounding areas, imagine the notoriety and the blow they would have snorted if the company went nation-wide....
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09-10-2018, 12:59 PM | #12 |
Trickster Demon
Posts: 59,750
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TY for the insight Seth!
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09-10-2018, 02:46 PM | #13 |
Former TPWW Royalty
Posts: 66,588
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Probably would have ended up like WCW where they have some early success but in the long run, they'd fold and/or still be surpassed by the WWF.
Maybe their demise happens sooner considering the drug issues at the time and would have also been dealing with a more aggressive WWF similar to what GCW and AWA had to face. |