ECW Coming Back Full Time in Sept

[NoCalMike 0]

Well now WWE has something to do with all the cruisers, ex-TNA, and ex-ROH guys they have signed and done absolutely nothing with.

[NoCalMike 0]

So according to the blurb by Meltzer, ECW would be taped before RAW/Smackdown...well that is one way to guarantee arena sized crowds, I guess.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, but where would they actually be showing the TV show? They don't have any "Heat" type shows they could replace on TV anymore? Maybe it will be an internet only thing?

[SuperJerk 0]

Yeah, but where would they actually be showing the TV show? They don't have any "Heat" type shows they could replace on TV anymore? Maybe it will be an internet only thing?

They could cancel AM Raw and trade the timeslot for something later at night.

[Naked Snake 0]

Who cares? Any star that gets big in ECW will just move up to the WWE roster just like before. It's going to be a feeder federation...

[UZI Suicide 0]

So according to the blurb by Meltzer, ECW would be taped before RAW/Smackdown...well that is one way to guarantee arena sized crowds, I guess.

 

 

That's a terrible idea. It's just going to come off looking like another Heat or Velocity type of show.

 

"Ok, throw on the ECW ring apron and change the entrance colors to purple, time for the ECW taping!"

 

This is going to be a horrible failure. A big part of ECW was the atmopshere in the arena, the crowds, the connection between fans and wrestlers. You're not going to get that by just taping it before RAW or Smackdown.

[Carnival 0]

They really shouldn't tape the "ECW" stuff at WWE events. There is no reason why they just can't replace OVW with ECW and actually air it nationwide, assuming they have a time slot for it.

 

This would at least make ECW appear to be seperate from WWE.

 

edit: *echos Loaded Glove's post*

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yeah, I agree with it. Taping it before RAW and/or Smackdown would just equal a WWE-ized "ECW-brand" show, with none of the original feel of ECW.

[SuperJerk 0]

In theory, couldn't they have separate tickets for WWE and ECW? Say, for instance, you'd pay $40 for a Raw ticket, then for an extra $20 you could get in 2 hours earlier and watch ECW? That way you'd at least get actual ECW fans at your tapings, tarp off the upper parts of the arena, and have the ECW taping. There's a way to make this work, I'm sure...

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

This is either the worst idea ever, or the best, with seemingly no middle ground. We shall see how it pans out.

 

I have to wonder if WWE will use the storyline THQ came up with in SmackDown vs Raw 2006 where RVD wins the WWE title and converts it to ECW.

[Enigma 0]

Meltzer is just speculating about that "tape before Raw and Smackdown" idea. I'm sure if that is the plan, Heyman and Dreamer wouldn't have agreed to do it.

[SuperJerk 0]

Meltzer is just speculating about that "tape before Raw and Smackdown" idea. I'm sure if that is the plan, Heyman and Dreamer wouldn't have agreed to do it.

Or maybe they're so glad to be back in the loop they'll go along with whatever terms Vince dictates.

[BigDawgCarl 0]

I got 20 bucks on CM Punk being in ECW.

[Annabelle 0]

i can't see how they can lose with this. ecw is already been beaten into the ground. wrestling is flat out bad right now. maybe this can reignite something. even if it fails it'll just be a another notch in the failure that is wwe in the 21st century. nothing to lose at all.

[buffybeast 0]

Will Vince allow the new ECW to have its own identity or just be a rehashed version of what WWE does already?

[Enigma 0]

This really sounds like another embarrassing "Bret Hart leading the Invasion" type of story to me.

Yeah, well, Dave Meltzer absolutely confirmed this. Not even Dave Scherer got behind Bob Ryder's "Bret Hart to lead InVasion" story. And Scherer worked for Ryder at the time.

[Enigma 0]

Will Vince allow the new ECW to have its own identity or just be a rehashed version of what WWE does already?

I think if they let it be in the same mold as last year's ECW PPV was (without all the WWE vs. ECW stuff), it'll be a moderate success and provide a nice alternative to the crap WWE and TNA (sans X-Division) shovels at us.

[AlaskanHero 0]

I'm gonna give this a chance before saying it's gonna fail. Wrestling is in a slump right now, so why not throw shit against the wall and see what sticks? At worst, a company that was already dead disappears again, older guys get a pay day before returning to obscurity, and some OVW/DSW guys get some time on TV in addition to experience in working in front of a large crowd. At best, it's wildly successful, WWE makes a lot of money, guys like CM Punk and Colt Cabana make good names for themselves, and the old ECW alums get a moment in the sun.

 

So yeah, I see no harm in giving it a chance.

[River City Rocker 0]

Yeah, I agree with it. Taping it before RAW and/or Smackdown would just equal a WWE-ized "ECW-brand" show, with none of the original feel of ECW.

 

Agreed. If it's true, there's still time to reconsider this taping plan.

[mfn 0]

I'm gonna give this a chance before saying it's gonna fail. Wrestling is in a slump right now, so why not throw shit against the wall and see what sticks? At worst, a company that was already dead disappears again, older guys get a pay day before returning to obscurity, and some OVW/DSW guys get some time on TV in addition to experience in working in front of a large crowd. At best, it's wildly successful, WWE makes a lot of money, guys like CM Punk and Colt Cabana make good names for themselves, and the old ECW alums get a moment in the sun.

 

So yeah, I see no harm in giving it a chance.

I don't think I could have said it better myself.

[Vyce 0]

As a WCW fan, I couldn't care less about THIS promotion getting a revival.

[RedJed 0]

Will Vince allow the new ECW to have its own identity or just be a rehashed version of what WWE does already?

I think if they let it be in the same mold as last year's ECW PPV was (without all the WWE vs. ECW stuff), it'll be a moderate success and provide a nice alternative to the crap WWE and TNA (sans X-Division) shovels at us.

 

I most definately agree and with that said, keeping to that same mold as last ONS, this will work probably only if WWE allows ECW to tour at least 2-3 times a week on a seperate house show/tv taping circuit to moderate sized arenas (holding upwards to 5-6k at most) to try out the experiment. I say this because there will be a LOT of people who watched ECW before and would like to see it back (me included) but if the shows are booked before, during, or after an actual WWE taping in the same arena, its going to be cosmetically fucked up from the get-go and just come off as an extension of WWE (which it technically is but, like last years ONS, the only reason it worked was that it actually didnt feel at all like it really was an extension after all). Now if we get tv shows in small intimate venues, and as such, giving that more authentic ECW feel, then I think this has a chance. If given full creative freedom, I have no doubt Heyman and Dreamer can give it justice. Also hire all new staff to go on the road w/ ECW seperate of the WWE production crew, etc. It needs that total seperation of WWE production as well to succeed.

 

Ideally if you did a Thurs/Fri/Sat house show circuit with ECW would be to tape TV one of those nights and the other two are just house shows, all in a decent proximity from one another to avoid additional expenses with being out on the road. Also, having a late night Sat slot on USA Network would be great, but thought should seriously be given, as some have said, to turning Smackdown into ECW and giving them two hours on Fri primetime. I think that would work if they wanted to jump the gun on that. But dealing with UPN and changing up the content that significantly would be a whole other thing.

 

Worse case scenario, if USA or UPN wanted nothing to do with the product, you simply push it hard in syndication. WWE has the experience to handle syndication and could find decent stations to run it.

[geniusMoment 0]

Why not just book the tapings at places like the ECW arena, the manhattan center and the Hammerstein? It would be cheap, no need to go live or have expensive lighting.

[claydude14 0]

Yea I was thinking something along the lines of how RAW used to always tape at the Manhattan center. Also I could see them trying to position this against TNA wherever their time slot happens to be; if they can get USA on board for it.

[haVoc 0]

As reported earlier, it appears as if WWE is planning to relaunch the ECW brand this September. Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be heading up the new ECW and booking it. The plan is to possibly turn the current OVW territory into ECW, meaning the new ECW will be a mix of former ECW stars and current OVW developmental talents. WWE has already contacted former ECW stars like The Sandman, Balls Mahoney, and Francine about returning to ECW and contracts will be sent out soon. ECW will likely not get its own show but rather will likely have a taping prior to the RAW and Smackdown tapings. The matches would then air on RAW and Smackdown. Again, at this point, WWE is not planning to give ECW its own taping or TV timeslot.

 

Credit: WrestlingObserver.com/411

 

What the Hell? The report is all over the place. They don't get their own show, the matches will be taped before Raw then shown later during the show? What's the point of that? Why is OVW being turned into ECW if they're not going to tape there? They're going to have guys like Sandman and Balls working at the training ground instead of working full time? RVD will be ECW champ, but won't be working WWE house shows?

 

None of this makes sense yet.

[Enigma 0]

I have a feeling the Hammerstein Ballroom is about to become the new ECW Arena.

[Enigma 0]

As reported earlier, it appears as if WWE is planning to relaunch the ECW brand this September. Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer will be heading up the new ECW and booking it. The plan is to possibly turn the current OVW territory into ECW, meaning the new ECW will be a mix of former ECW stars and current OVW developmental talents. WWE has already contacted former ECW stars like The Sandman, Balls Mahoney, and Francine about returning to ECW and contracts will be sent out soon. ECW will likely not get its own show but rather will likely have a taping prior to the RAW and Smackdown tapings. The matches would then air on RAW and Smackdown. Again, at this point, WWE is not planning to give ECW its own taping or TV timeslot.

 

Credit: WrestlingObserver.com/411

 

What the Hell? The report is all over the place. They don't get their own show, the matches will be taped before Raw then shown later during the show? What's the point of that? Why is OVW being turned into ECW if they're not going to tape there? They're going to have guys like Sandman and Balls working at the training ground instead of working full time? RVD will be ECW champ, but won't be working WWE house shows?

 

None of this makes sense yet.

Dave Meltzer was just speculating when he made the guess about being taped before Raw and Smackdown. He didn't say at all that was going to happen or that it was even being considered. It was just Meltzer himself guessing. But of course, 411 twists this into "This is what's going to happen".

 

Don't worry. Like I said earlier, I have a feeling that if this is the plan for the new ECW, Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer wouldn't have anything to do with it.

[GreatWhiteNope 0]

I could see this work if either RAW or Smackdown was taped once a month in a smaller venue, and then ECW matches would be taped at those venues the same night.

 

The downside is that WWE having RAW or Smackdown at venues like Hammerstein or New Alhambra would encourage monster heat for anything not involving ECW.

 

Well, downside for Vince at least. I personally think it would be hilarious.

[NoCalMike 0]

So according to the blurb by Meltzer, ECW would be taped before RAW/Smackdown...well that is one way to guarantee arena sized crowds, I guess.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Did McMahon decide to sell ECW back to Heyman? Because, if not, I just don't see the point.