What do you think?
Rate this book
WCW: The Alternate Timeline: Saving WCW in 1999
In October 1999 former WWF writer Vince Russo signed with WCW. Within months WCW was in a death spiral from which it never recovered.
To this day people say that when Russo signed with WCW the company was recoverable. But was it?
In this book we will look into the most commonly put forward ideas that people give to see if these ideas would have worked in the real world, in the corporate structure of Time Warner and with those in power in WCW at the time.
To this day people say that when Russo signed with WCW the company was recoverable. But was it?
In this book we will look into the most commonly put forward ideas that people give to see if these ideas would have worked in the real world, in the corporate structure of Time Warner and with those in power in WCW at the time.
- GenresSports
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 11, 2016
20 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 5, 2019
The author goes into some detail covering the oh-so-many problems WCW had in 1999, right before they went bankrupt, and tries to solve them.
Even though he repeats himself a lot, he does solve some of the problems, but I think he has a lack of vision for the company, beyond putting belts on people. His idea of long term planning is not really so long term. Of course, we disagree on the value of certain wrestlers and the way to book them properly.
Much of his solution hinges on making Brett Hart champion, which is all well and good. However, he thinks Hart should beat Hulk Hogan for the belt. I don't see how this is at all possible. Hogan refused to lose to Brett in the WWF, and he had creative control in WCW. I don't understand why he would agree to lose in WCW.
I also believe he underestimates the amount of corporate interference in WCW, which prevented them from doing a lot of stuff that might have helped the situation. I also think he forgot how cyclical the wrestling business is. There was a downturn in 2002 that lasted more than 10 years. Could WCW have survived that? We'll never know.
Quite a think piece for the serious wrestling fan.
Even though he repeats himself a lot, he does solve some of the problems, but I think he has a lack of vision for the company, beyond putting belts on people. His idea of long term planning is not really so long term. Of course, we disagree on the value of certain wrestlers and the way to book them properly.
Much of his solution hinges on making Brett Hart champion, which is all well and good. However, he thinks Hart should beat Hulk Hogan for the belt. I don't see how this is at all possible. Hogan refused to lose to Brett in the WWF, and he had creative control in WCW. I don't understand why he would agree to lose in WCW.
I also believe he underestimates the amount of corporate interference in WCW, which prevented them from doing a lot of stuff that might have helped the situation. I also think he forgot how cyclical the wrestling business is. There was a downturn in 2002 that lasted more than 10 years. Could WCW have survived that? We'll never know.
Quite a think piece for the serious wrestling fan.
May 18, 2022
This book was an interesting look at how one person would have "saved" WCW in 1999. The author examined quite a few arguments as to potential ways to save the company.
The solutions were well thought out, but as I saw in other reviews the author tends to repeat himself quite a bit, and there are numerous spelling mistakes. I feel like an editor would have made this book so much better as at times it was almost a chore to read.
The solutions were well thought out, but as I saw in other reviews the author tends to repeat himself quite a bit, and there are numerous spelling mistakes. I feel like an editor would have made this book so much better as at times it was almost a chore to read.
July 21, 2018
Revisionist History
While this book had promise it soon became repetitive and taxing to read. There were many grammatical errors in the text and factual errors as well. This was a revisionist book of wrestling history and added little to my knowledge of pro wrestling
While this book had promise it soon became repetitive and taxing to read. There were many grammatical errors in the text and factual errors as well. This was a revisionist book of wrestling history and added little to my knowledge of pro wrestling
January 24, 2019
Interesting ideas
Interesting ideas, quite a lot of them could and probably would have been successful if every one of the older guys had performed as asked but given the very things discussed that seems highly unlikely.
Also, a lot of the information was repeated multiple times.
Interesting ideas, quite a lot of them could and probably would have been successful if every one of the older guys had performed as asked but given the very things discussed that seems highly unlikely.
Also, a lot of the information was repeated multiple times.
March 21, 2019
Another "What If"
Everything always seems better in hindsight. Nothing that hasn't been thought of before. Also, loads of grammatical errors. Read like a cheap college assay. Very disappointing.
Everything always seems better in hindsight. Nothing that hasn't been thought of before. Also, loads of grammatical errors. Read like a cheap college assay. Very disappointing.
August 24, 2017
BORING
THis book is as dry as you can get. I had to drink a gallon of water to get it out of my throat.
THis book is as dry as you can get. I had to drink a gallon of water to get it out of my throat.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews