Although Vince has initiated the steps towards starting up ECW as another brand of the WWE, here are some things to consider.
Financially, is it going to be profitable?
To me, Vince has never really put his heart whole heartily behind his other wrestling endeavors - such as the purchase of WCW, SuperAstros taping for the Hispanic market, cruserweight division, etc. So what makes you think he's going to do that now? This ain't the WBF or XFL - where he took major risk and bleed millions of dollars.
Think about this - with no backing from any top exec nor his family except possibly Shane, last year's ECW ONS PPV simply made it strictly on their Name Value. What match was advertised?!? What specific star was pushed?!? If I remember correctly, it was Edge, Bishoff and JBL leading the "invasion" as the top angle for the show! Remember the Dudleys, who had already been on a "vacation" because the writers couldn't come up with anything for them, shortly after the show they were still let go even though they "looked" good on PPV.
Clearly, almost all fans are behind Paul Heyman, but are the McMahons?!? No, Heyman simply signed a short term extent ion after his contract expired in 2005 and his future has always been in doubt in WWE. Stephaine is and always has been anti-Heyman. No matter what Heyman does right, others in power will find faults and run to Vince with them! They did that to him while he was on Raw and Smackdown.
Run a schedule of arena shows?!? Are you kidding?
With the current possibility of signing 10-15 former ECW star and using other WWE developmental talent, the goal is to give the fans the "aura" of the past and elevate the younger talent. Do you think a new fan base is going to support that concept?!? Essentially Vince wants his younger talent to work in front of "crowds" so they KNOW how to work WWE style by the time the make it to the main roster on RAW/SD. SO this would make ECW minor league, right? Also consider the fact that all the ECW stars are now 5 years older, aging and in alot of case in bad physical shape - will we accept them after the initial novelty wears off?!?
TV tapings? How?
Before Raw/SD tapings are being considered, but what would the ECW stars be allowed to do? Break tables, bleed, swear or do major highspots?!? That is WHAT MADE ECW, right? But you can't burn the audience out before the "real" WWE star come out can you? Vince would have to protect his main brands before letting ECW do their thing and outshine RAW/SD. So what are you going to get - a watered down version of the original.
Lastly, the One Night Stand 2 PPV may closed this "revival" talk down if the buy rate doesn't do well. Aside from the current plan of Cena vs RVD - in which RVD has, as Mr McMahon would say, "NO chance in hell" of winning. Possibility could have RVD winning, but getting SCREWED ala Bret Hart and then he and Heyman reform ECW. What else do we know about the PPV? Sabu is going to be on it -- but didn't he just get jobbed on TNA's last PPV?
My heart is for a successful revival, but my instincts tell me it's going to fail misablely because Vince will NOT be 100% behind the product.
NBA Team: |
|
|
|