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Post by orochigeese on Apr 23, 2006 16:08:41 GMT -5
www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=17629&p=1"WWE has made the decision to bring back Extreme Championship Wrestling as a full time entity and has begun talking with former ECW talent about returning to work for the new version of the legendary promotion. As of right now, WWE is targeting a September return for the promotion. No decision has been made as to exactly how the company will be brought back yet. It's possible that it will take over the present OVW territory, that it will be a promotion that gets matches on the Raw and/or Smackdown promotions or possibly in some other manner. Sources have told us that Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be booking ECW when it starts up. WWE has already contacted a number of ECW wrestlers and contracts will be sent out to them this week. The talents are being offered three year deals which consist of a series of one year contracts, with rollover clauses. A number of wrestlers have been contacted so far. We can confirm that WWE has talked with The Sandman, Francine and Balls Mahoney and will be sending contracts out to them this week. We will have more information on this story later today or tomorrow."
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Post by motosada on Apr 23, 2006 16:42:23 GMT -5
I call shenanigans.
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Post by orochigeese on Apr 23, 2006 17:00:50 GMT -5
I think we should organize a big rally, stand outside WWE headquarters, and all have HUGE signs that say: "SHENANIGANS"We could also all shout out "Rabble, rabble, rabble, rabble" LOL Sad thing is, Vince would prob make an angle out of it and think it's original
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Post by Smacked Ass on Apr 23, 2006 17:23:22 GMT -5
I like the idea of holding signs!
*holds a sign*
I don't know if I like the idea of an ECW return, it will just end up SD or RAW V1.2 within a week anyway. Plus, I don't like the idea of WWEff mining "talent" from TNA. There's enough shitty wrestling shows on TV as it is.
Thanks for the story, though!
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Post by motosada on Apr 23, 2006 17:33:32 GMT -5
They talked about this last year, too, tho. And a couple years ago as well.
Really... I think it'll suck, just because of the fact that WWE won't let it be ECW. It'll be WWE's hardcore division from a few years ago. Thassit.
Plus, you know WWE'll go and try to buy out contracts from guys like Raven and Shane Douglas.
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Post by orochigeese on Apr 23, 2006 17:48:43 GMT -5
I believe WWE is doing this for two equal reasons: 1) Spite TNA. Vince is prob getting a bit nervous about them. And plus, I think Vince does more things to spite other people/groups then he does try to actually add value to WWE. 2) Get some of the "hardcore fan" audience back. As much as WWE acts like they hate them, they still aren't happy that fans are turning away. So they figure ECW may be a quick fix. I don't think WWE would WANT ECW to really succeed, so this whole thing does scream "Shenanigans". But they'd love to get some ratings boost, hurt TNA, and just act like they are doing SOMETHING these days besides just pathetically trying to get nstream media attention with deity angles.
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Post by Smacked Ass on Apr 23, 2006 18:37:18 GMT -5
1) Spite TNA. Vince is prob getting a bit nervous about them. And plus, I think Vince does more things to spite other people/groups then he does try to actually add value to WWE. BING - FUCKING - O! The WWEff summed up into one, tidy sentance! Just think of the potential if they directed their resources and effort into IMPROVING stuff and moving forward! Scary! But they'd love to get some ratings boost, hurt TNA, and just act like they are doing SOMETHING these days besides just pathetically trying to get nstream media attention with deity angles. Good luck with that, Vinnie.
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Post by motosada on Apr 23, 2006 19:22:26 GMT -5
They'll ruin it by putting it on Thursdays Saturdays at 11. What kind of wrestling promotion would put their show on at that kind of hour, I dunno, but...
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Post by Steve on Apr 23, 2006 19:58:42 GMT -5
Well, I've heard that it might just be OVW becoming "ECW", with a little more exposure. And if they bring back a FEW of the old ECW guys, I think there's a chance it could be fun. BUT NO SHANE DOUGLAS! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! SHANE DOUGLAS BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!
Raven would be cool though, and it'd (probably) screw up that angle they're doin' with Larry Z in TNA, so Vince would dig that. Heck, I'd watch if they had a TV show of just Raven talking... his shoot interviews = gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
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Post by motosada on Apr 23, 2006 20:24:39 GMT -5
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Cuz, the guys that get called up from OVW need even more reason to be undertrained and crappy in the ring.
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Post by Smacked Ass on Apr 23, 2006 21:43:33 GMT -5
Awww hell, let the green guys all work with New Jack. If they survive, send them to Raw.
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Post by motosada on Apr 24, 2006 0:58:03 GMT -5
Bwaaahahaaha. That'd be awesome.
... Which begs the question, who in the fuck was the wiseguy that said "Yeah, let's hire New Jack! ... If he can chain wrestle with Val Venis for five minutes straight!" Aside from that, the angle bringing him in would've been awesome.
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Post by Joe Snack Road on Apr 24, 2006 14:45:54 GMT -5
Well... let's all remember that this idea has been kicked about for the past few years. And a couple of HOT SELL OUT PPVs doesn't exactly = long term interest in a new ECW product. Which, let's face it, it will be seen as. Not "EC F'N W!" but "New ECW". That's not a bad thing, but, you have an audience that sees themselves as smart enough to make that distinction. But, Geese brought up a point... I think the WWEff can see the sell out rates for the two ECW PPVs (last years and this years) and while they hate the "hardcore fans" of pro wrestling, this is a group that knows how to see dollar signs - hence the best selling Ric Flair DVD set. Or the best selling Wrestlemania sets. OR, there's that "Rise and Fall of ECW" DVD. The hardcore fan is as much a part of the WWEff's marketing plan as any other - it's just that they've been catered to differently by Vince and Co. As for if it will be "allowed to succeed," that's a beast of a whole different question. They certainly have the key elements to make a quality program (high number of important ECW figures, Paul Heyman, Joey Styles, monies)... and like I said, Vince and Co. sees dollar signs: It's all about whether or not they're willing to let the product differ from the n WWEff product - I see no reason why they wouldn't, but at the same time, I've never seen "logic" as a key reason why the WWEff does anything.
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Post by Smacked Ass on Apr 24, 2006 15:16:45 GMT -5
I think that the a couple of keys to the success of a new, ECW would include handing the reigns over to Heyman, AND to start a new, PRIVATELY owned company that the WWEff's precious stock holders couldn't influence the content of, because they're not providing the funding for it. The key to approaching (if not replicating) the feel of ECW will be complete dissociation from any entity that will make decisions for the direction of the promotion built on public image concerns. The "Attitude" era would never have happened and had the impact it did if WWEff were a public company, and WCW would have buried them.
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Post by motosada on Apr 24, 2006 18:46:54 GMT -5
Well, really, we can jaw-jack about it as much as we like, but in the end, the ball is in WWE's court. Sink or swim, they'll try to make every last dime they can. Hopefully, tho, they won't bail out on it after a year like they have for other ventures.
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