WWE Bringing Back ECW

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

Latest on possible third WWE brand...

 

Talk continues that Vince McMahon may give the greenlight to revive the ECW brand name following WrestleMania XX. The idea right now is to have Paul Heyman get fired from Smackdown and start ECW as a rebel brand. The thinking is that most of the ex-ECW wrestlers will work on the new ECW brand. WWE would promote ECW as a "rebel" brand and not one of their official brands. Shane McMahon may also get involved in this story if it happens, using his power to help Heyman start the rebel ECW group. WWE would keep the budget low for the ECW brand and would eventually expect to run one PPV per quarter for it. The brand would likely get a one hour weekly TV show, probably on Saturday night.

 

Credit: Torch Newsletter

 

I'm not sure I like this idea. The only way it would be good is to let Heyman have complete creative control over what goes on. With the WWE running it, there will probably be a 24/7 World champion and nothing but WWE style shitty hardcore matches.

[Youth N Asia 0]

While I'm all for Heyman back in charge of something, I've heard a dozen different stories about how ECW is coming back. I've lost all hope and interest in this ever happening.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

As long as it doesn't resemble such a goddamn pit that the last one did.

 

With Vince, though, you can pretty much expect pyros and jumbotrons, so I doubt it will.

[Aero 0]

Shane McMahon may also get involved in this story if it happens, using his power to help Heyman start the rebel ECW group.

Invasion, anyone? Still, I really don't want to see ECW reform. What would be the point, WWE vs. ECW at Summerslam?

[Youth N Asia 0]

For WWE to completly squash them

[Guest Krazy Karter]

Keep the McMahon's the FUCK out of it.

 

ECW reforming was my biggest markout moment ever until Stephanie was announced as owner later in the show.

 

Who owns Viking Hall? Can WWE still rent that out?

[Guest Wisdom]

I just don't see it. If guys in the WWE make bonuses based on house gates, why would guys work for a company or "rebel brand" that they KNOW would run smaller houses and have less attendance? I can't speak for any of the guys, but I would rather work as a jobber on a 10,000 person house than be ECW Champion at a 2,000 person house with only one PPV per quarter kust to make my $$. If you prmotoe ECW and a smaller or rebel brand, you are in essence saying, "please take this brand and a second-rate joke." Just my .02.

[Guest Krazy Karter]

But the ECW guys wouldn't make any less money, and it would cost Vince next to nothing to rent out the 2000-seat venues ECW used to frequent.

 

If they do it right, the fanbase will come back.

[dubq 0]

Been there. Done that. No thanks.

[Only The Strong Survive 0]

So it would be like the WCW/ NWO angle, except that... they won't be involved with the WWE... Sounds like fun... [/sarcasm]

[Enigma 0]

Keep the McMahon's the FUCK out of it.

 

ECW reforming was my biggest markout moment ever until Stephanie was announced as owner later in the show.

 

Who owns Viking Hall? Can WWE still rent that out?

Rob Black, XPW's porn-conglomerate owner, tried to get an exclusivity lease on the building, and did succeed, but it ran out. So, theoretically, yes.

[Art Sandusky 0]

I actually imagined WWE running shows in the ECW arena while watching the ECW extras on the Stone Cold Truth DVD the other day. I'd be all about this as long as they really did keep it completely autonomous on TV and in the creative department.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

But the ECW guys wouldn't make any less money, and it would cost Vince next to nothing to rent out the 2000-seat venues ECW used to frequent.

Uh... I don't think you fully understand how WWE works or would make $$ off an ECW product.

 

We're not going to be talking bingo halls and scratchy theme music being played off a worn-out boombox.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

[haVoc 0]

The idea right now is to have Paul Heyman get fired from Smackdown and start ECW as a rebel brand.

YaY! Steph is returning~

[Guest Real F'n Show]

I'm all for this idea, as long as they don't fuck it up. And yes, I know I just stated the exact same thing that everyone has been saying...

[Enigma 0]

1) Leave Shane McMahon or ANY McMahon the fuck out of it.

 

2) A late Saturday night time slot is death. Tape it on Saturday and give it a Tuesday slot on SpikeTV or something.

[2GOLD 0]

I don't see this happening but decided to look through some things. What do they mean by ex-ECW wrestlers?

 

That can range anywhere from Chris Benoit to Foley to Austin or all the way down to just the Dudley Boyz with RVD.

 

Just another rumor...although it would cover that two PPVs a month stuff we heard about after the Royal Rumble.

[haVoc 0]

I can't see them taking the Dudleys and RVD off Raw and putting them on a Saturday night show that probably won't get many viewers.

[Enigma 0]

I think the main ones who were associated with it in the glory years, like Tazz, The Dudleys, Spike Dudley, Rob Van Dam, Rhyno, Tommy Dreamer, Stevie Richards, Lance Storm, Jazz, Dawn Marie, Nunzio, etc. They could even bring back some previous employers like Justin Credible, Jerry Lynn, Perry Saturn, Raven, etc. if they still have a penchant for sticking it to TNA. If they are REALLY serious about ECW, they could bring in the names that haven't traversed into WWE-world yet like The Sandman, Balls Mahoney, New Jack, Axl Rotten. And hey, it'd be a great place to start off developmental-talent Mike "Nova" Bucci too. And if Vince is still dead-set on killing territorial indy promotions, give The Blue Meanie a call and see if he'll shut down 3PW for a chance to return.

[Enigma 0]

I can't see them taking the Dudleys and RVD off Raw and putting them on a Saturday night show that probably won't get many viewers.

If they let the Dudleys and RVD be who they were in ECW, it would work. Not their watered-down WWE characters. I don't think it would bring those men down, I think it would bring up the importance of the show. Remember, Sunday Night Heat used to have just as high ratings as RAW because it was viewed as an important show due to who was on it and what happened on it regularly. It's not like they are doing anything with either 3 anyways. The Dudleys are becoming Heat mainstays and RVD is just wandering around piling up more mindless Tag Title reigns with the Wacky-Not-A-Usual-Partner formula.

[Guest OnlyMe]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

Isn't that what WWE itself is running?

[Enigma 0]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

Isn't that what WWE itself is running?

They run those now for TVs generally. But they run even smaller for house shows. They usually run arenas for house shows where a sellout would be around 2,000.

[2GOLD 0]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

Isn't that what WWE itself is running?

 

No, they are running the 10,000-15,000 but sometimes only getting between 4,000-8,000. That's changing but that's how it was for a good while there.

 

RVD and the Dudleys are doing nothing on RAW so I could easily see them leaving. Hell, I can see them going to Smackdown at this pace.

[Guest Krazy Karter]

This would be a good incentive to lure RVD into staying - say they're bringing back ECW and making him champ (with Heyman booking, no less).

 

Vince would even agree to that.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

Isn't that what WWE itself is running?

Often for Smackdown, once in a blue moon for Raw. House shows are almost always run in the mid-size arenas or smaller.

 

Anyone have any idea what the biggest attendance for an ECW show was?

[Enigma 0]

It'll probably be mid-range arenas that hold 4-8,000 people.

Isn't that what WWE itself is running?

Often for Smackdown, once in a blue moon for Raw. House shows are almost always run in the mid-size arenas or smaller.

 

Anyone have any idea what the biggest attendance for an ECW show was?

I seem to remember them drawing as many as 11,000 to their very first show in Canada in Mississauga, Ontario in September 2000. If so, I'd say that was their largest.

[Guest Krazy Karter]

I seem to remember them drawing as many as 11,000 to their very first show in Canada in Mississauga, Ontario in September 2000. If so, I'd say that was their largest.

It was a sellout of 5000, actually.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

There is plenty of talent on both brands that doesn't even get to make the B shows on a regular basis. If Paul Heyman gets fired then logically Stephanie would get her job back which would keep her away from it. I don't even like the idea of Shane sticking his nose in it, but whatever.

 

The one thing it needs is to be completely seperate from RAW/Smackdown. No PPV ads, no RAW/Smackdown ads, seperate announce team, distinctive set, no mentioning of RAW/Smackdown period.

[Enigma 0]

If Vince is serious about bringing back ECW, it's not going to work unless he buys the ECW Arena.