Upon searching for computer parts in the attic, I came across a box that contained wrestling magazines from late-1995, early-1996 in them. On the top of the stack was the April 1996 WCW Magazine, so I skimmed through it trying to find some things that are gems now in retrospect, such as Vince "Vic Venom" Russo's column in the December 1995 WWF Magazine yielding this very ironic quote: "Diesel is being held down by politics!" And another WCW magazine with the words on the cover "WCW 2000: THE FUTURE OF WRESTLING". Skimming the April 1996 mag, it was your typical, run-of-the-mill kayfabe except for a two-page article that is a pretty crazy shoot-ish article for that era. I wanted to share it, so here it is:
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Just Accept It, We're Number One Now
Bischoff Lets the Ratings Answer the WWF Mocking
In the early-1980s, Eric Bischoff worked for Verne Gagne’s now-defunct American Wrestling Association (AWA), a Minnesota-based promotion. Vince McMahon, meanwhile, was organizing a corporate giant, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), that soon depleted Gagne’s wrestling roster and, in the process, changed the way the wrestling world worked (national versus a regional promotion).
“I was there when Verne refused to accept the fact that there was someone out there who was smarter, thinking bigger, and with more resources,” Bischoff said in early-1996. “Verne reacted much the same way to Vince McMahon that Vince McMahon is now reacting to World Championship Wrestling. Yes, there’s a real parallel there.”
“Vince McMahon is clearly becoming the Verne Gagne of the 1990s.”
And Bischoff is now in the position Vince McMahon occupied in the 1980s: a marketing genius. As Senior Vice-President/Executive Producer for WCW, Bischoff has guided WCW to the fore-front of pro wrestling. WCW is, unquestionably, the No. 1 wrestling organization in North America – not the WWF. And the television ratings points are proof.
“We’re coming into one of the most critical time periods in the television industry with momentum in our corner, and that’s a big deal. We’re happy about it, we’re excited about it. In fact, that’s an understatement,” Bischoff said in Las Vegas during WCW’s Nitro/Clash of the Champions two-day extravaganza that coincided with the annual NATPE convention.
“A lot of people keep asking me how we are going to maintain our momentum. Well, my standard answer is, ‘We’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing because everything seems to be working. We’re giving people exciting, compelling action on TV each and every week. Plus, we’re giving them the very biggest names in the industry. I’m not really too worried about maintaining this level; I think it’ll take care of itself as long as we maintain our commitment to the quality of the product.”
WCW’s television ratings have been impressive, to say the least.
Consider:
-- The January 15th Nitro from Miami (Hulk Hogan/Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair/Arn Anderson) drew a 3.5 rating and a 5.0 share. The midnight replay drew a 1.4, 4.0.
-- The January 15th WWF Raw (The Undertaker vs. Isaac Yankem) drew a 2.4 rating.
-- Nitro has averaged a 2.5 rating.
-- The January Clash of the Champions drew a 4.5 rating with a 6.6 share. During the main event (Hogan/Savage vs. Flair/The Giant), ratings soared to a 5.3 with a 7.5 share.
-- Nitro on the TNT network airs live nationally at 9 p.m. ET, while the WWF’s Raw has the advantage of always airing at prime time on the USA Network.
-- Nitro is the fourth largest ratings earner for TNT, behind the NFL on TNT, TNT Original Movies, and the NBA Playoffs.
-- The January Clash ratings were the best since August 1994.
“I am often asked, ‘Was it a big gamble/risk to put Nitro on the air head-to-head with the WWF’s Raw?’” Bischoff said. “And my answer is always, ‘No, because we knew we had the biggest names in the industry, the ability to produce a show with higher production values (than Raw) and one that was more exciting and compelling. So, from that point of view, it was not that risky.’”
“Still, we are experiencing far greater success, faster than I anticipated we would. I thought it would take two years to get to the level we’ve reached in four months.”
So, Eric, do you want to run Raw off the air?
“No, because I believe in competition,” Bischoff said. “General Motors and Ford battle it out … AT&T and MCI … Domino’s and Little Caesar’s. The wrestling industry is big enough for everyone to be in business. But, my goal is to dominate the market share. The WWF has, for a long time, dominated market share, but I think it’s been too long.”
The WWF signed two former WCW competitors in recent months: Goldust and Vader. Here’s Bischoff’s take on both: “Vader couldn’t make it here, at any level: competitively, emotionally, or professionally. He just couldn’t make it at WCW. I’m glad there’s some place to go for guys who can’t make it in WCW because he’s got to feed his family.”
“As for Goldust, well, that’s a different story. I feel bad for Dustin Rhodes. He’s a great guy, a good person. Although there’s a fair amount of controversy surrounding his departure from WCW and yours truly, that never really impacted the fact that I liked and respected Dustin Rhodes as a person. But what he’s doing now is very embarrassing, degrading – to him, his family, and all of wrestling. The WWF always used to talk about family values, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore. As the parent of two kids (son Garrett and daughter Montanna), I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable having my kids watch the WWF, where a guy dresses himself up in drag and fondles himself at ringside.”
As for his WWF counter-part, Bischoff said, “He’s a guy with an ego as big as a building. He achieved a tremendous amount of success, but forgot that it’s the people around him that helped him achieve that level. It’s unfortunate that a man could miscalculate the industry so badly, make so many mistakes and so many bad moves in such a short amount of time; in fact, it’s sort of a surprise to me. Clearly, the only thing he’s got that anyone is talking about is the ‘Billionaire Ted’ skits. That speaks volumes about his television product, the quality of his talent, and the general lack of confidence he has in his ability to create good, solid programming.”
“I think Vince McMahon now has to see that WCW is No. 1; it’s not just rhetoric at this point. I think the pressure we’re putting on him is forcing him into a real reactionary mode; he obviously is not thinking clearly. And it’s unfortunate. Vince McMahon has reached the desperation stage.”
That’s why, perhaps, McMahon has sunk to “Billionaire Ted’s Rasslin’ Warroom,” featuring imitations of Hulk Hogan (known as the Huckster), Savage (the Nacho Man), and Mean Gene Okerlund (“Scheme” Gene).
“I don’t know the desired impact of him making fun of people in the South, WCW, Hulk Hogan, and/or Randy Savage … I don’t know what motivates him to that, but, clearly, it’s having a backlash effect on him. To that, I’m just sitting back with a big grin on my face.”
Is any retaliation planned by WCW?
“I’ll tell you how we’re going to retaliate,” Bischoff said. “We will continue doing what we’ve been doing which is putting out the highest quality, most exciting television product possible. We will continue to bring the biggest, most exciting names in the industry to WCW and continue to introduce international talent to WCW.”
