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Dueling Chair
Shots
by
Kurt La Mont
Column date
01/04/2001
Since Craig King did such a great job with the PPV Preview there's no need for me to repeat something similar with my column this week. If you haven't read it yet take a look by clicking on the link:
Now here are my predictions for the show:
Corino retains the title over Sandman and Justin Credible
CW defeats Dreamer when Tommy passes out.
Mikey & Tajiri in the 3 way tag team dance
Doring & Roadkill to retain the title
Lynn & Cyrus over York & Matthews
Since I don't have a regular column for you this week I thought I would give you a flashback to a column I did 6 months ago with a proposal that may have seemed crazy at the time but now looks like a pretty good idea. At the time ECW was still on TNN but ratings were sagging. With that, here is what I wrote.
Dueling Chair Shots
by Kurt La Mont
column date 06/13/2000
The solution to all of ECW's problems
It's become obvious that ECW is currently a shell of its former self. ratings have declined about 40% from its peak in March to the standard 0.8 rating we see every Monday. Clearly there are problems in ECW.
So how does Paul E solve these problems?
It's really obvious to me, Paul E needs to sell a majority interest of ECW.
I'm sure you're saying to yourself "Sell ECW?? What the hell are you talking about?"
Let me explain.
First off a new buyer would have financial strength. It's a safe assumption that if someone purchased ECW they would be in it for the long haul. They would realize that money needs to be pumped into the promotion to help it grow. This could range anywhere from improving the 'minor league' feel of the production of the show to bring in new wrestlers to heavily promoting the show. A new buyer would realize that even though pumping money into ECW would probably cause them to take a loss in the first year or two of ownership it would be necessary in order make ECW stronger down the road (i.e. make more money). It's the old adage of "it takes money to make money." A buyer with financial strength would be able to do this. Right now ECW can't afford to lose any money because they have nothing to fall back on. If ECW loses money they fold.
Secondly, the new buyer would be able to assemble a quality staff to deal with all of the administrative aspects of running a company. ECW is definitely not the model or organization and this would clearly help them tremendously. And if this were to happen I would imagine that a PPV venue might be announced more than 1 month in advance. Now there's a crazy thought!
Thirdly, an outsider that purchases ECW will likely have some business expertise and be able to pull better deals than what currently exists. You hear everyone in ECW whine all the time about how awful TNN is but they were the ones who negotiated the contract. A new buyer would most likely be able to strike a better deal. The same would apply to everything else as well, such as booking buildings, merchandise, etc..
On a side note while it looks like I'm bashing Paul E, businessman, I think that is very impressive that he's made it this far on his own, more or less. It's just that I think the time has come where, in order for ECW to grow the way it needs to, Paul E needs to step back in certain areas and let more qualified people step in.
So you're asking yourself now "But how does this improve ECW? The big problem right now is lackluster booking and those points only focus on things outside of the ring."
I would argue that the booking in ECW was at its peak in 1995 and since then has declined steadily each and every year. What do I believe is the cause of the decline in the booking? The growth of ECW. As ECW has grown, more time has been devoted to running shows in more markets, putting the syndicated show on more TV stations, running PPVs, merchandise, securing a national cable deal, figuring out how to pay the wrestlers, etc.. When more time is devoted to things outside of the ring, the product in the ring can only get worse because less time is being devoted to it.
Paul E's major strength is booking a wrestling promotion. Paul E's major weakness is operating a wrestling promotion. Slowly over time, Paul E's weakness have overwhelmed his strengths.
Now while I am suggesting that Paul E needs to sell ECW, I am not suggesting that he divorces himself from the company. As a condition of the sale I would propose that he negotiated a deal where he would be given a contract from the buyer to remain in charge of booking, TV production and overseeing the wrestlers. It would very similar to a cross between what Jim Ross and Vince Russo do (minus the excessive run-ins and illogical booking). Under this scenario Paul E's focus is on the product (his strength) and not the operations (his weakness) of ECW.
Selling ECW would be the best thing to happen to Paul E. Right now ECW consumes Paul E. I'd bet that there is not a day that goes by that Paul E does not devote his entire energy to ECW. Take a look at Paul E. I don't know how old he is but I think that he is aging in dog years now. For every year that goes by he ages seven years. He probably hasn't had a vacation in the last 6 years and no one probably needs one more than him. Hell, even Misnik took a vacation in the past month. I'm sure Tom will tell you the benefits of a vacation.
If Paul E sold ECW he could take that much needed vacation. He would also be free and clear of the problems that I'm sure he would rather not deal with, that currently consume his time. He wouldn't have to deal with TV problems. He wouldn't have to worry about booking buildings to run shows. He wouldn't have to worry about promoting shows. He wouldn't have to worry about meeting payroll. He wouldn't have to worry about merchandise. He wouldn't have to worry about getting the correct paperwork for Super Crazy to wrestle in the US. He would be free to focus his entire energy to worry about what comes across on TV. And when he is able to focus on that alone he is at his best.
Selling ECW is the best thing that could happen to this promotion. It would allow him to focus on what he does best, which is booking a promotion. Without having to deal with the stressful problems outside of the ring, Paul E can focus on what happens inside the ring and what comes across on TV. And when this happens the product will improve. And when the product improves everything else will fall into place.
I know I am looking forward to the day when Paul E. "sells out". Hopefully, Paul E steps back and realizes that same thing. It's in everyone's best interests as wrestling fans for him to do so.
Send any comments, questions or concerns to me at [email protected]. Enjoy the PPV!
Past editions of Dueling
Chair Shots
10/4/99
10/16/99
10/27/99
11/5/99
11/10/99
11/17/99
11/19/99
12/03/99
12/10/99
12/17/99
01/03
01/19
01/29
02/04
02/14
02/22
02/29
03/06
03/13
03/20
04/12
04/28
05/08
05/18
05/23
05/30
06/05
06/13
06/21
06/29
07/06
07/11
07/17
07/24
08/01
08/07
08/20
08/30
09/06
09/14
09/20
09/27
10/05
10/12
10/24
11/01
11/06
11/16
11/28