If it really does happen...

and the WWE brings back ECW, who in the roster would really fit in?

Tazz is retired
RVD is one
Raven's in TNA
is Dreamer still alive?
Snow seems to be retired or something
Vince wouldn't take a chance with New Jack
Rhyno is another
Dudleys, god...no

As much as I liked ECW, I'm kinda hoping this is just a rumor.

[masterragu]

Just because they bring back ecw doesnt mean they cant create new stars. I dont think it really means it has to be other ecw stars.

I think they want to showcase young talent, and of course the right man to do so would be Paul Heyman...

[CraKa JaK]

Well, WWE was interested in Corino but were worried the scars covering his forehead couldn't be covered up (Corino would've still been a great acquisition), bring him in ECW then.

OVW guys will probably be seen often.

Give Nunzio the Little Guido name back. Hire Super Crazy, you got Tajiri too. That'd be great to see that back. Sandman is a possibility. Mysterio could work some ECW shows.

Really nearly impossible to predict what WWE will do, I hope they don't screw this up. I'd give Heyman full creative control.

i read an article on LoP about what vicne should do with this new ecw that might arise

i'll try and dig it up later

[masterragu]

Originally Posted by Cane

i read an article on LoP about what vicne should do with this new ecw that might arise

i'll try and dig it up later

That would be cool to read...

[xAfterThoughtzx]

Ecw in the works? its rumored that Paul Heyman will be given a budget from Vince to run a seperate brand for one hour every saturday night under the ecw title...the budget given to Heymen is purposely for hiring new talent.Production teams and so on will still be wwe but heymen gets to hire and run the show...wrestlers from the currect brands will not be up for grabs due to there current positions now.

[masterragu]

Originally Posted by xAfterThoughtzx

Ecw in the works? its rumored that Paul Heyman will be given a budget from Vince to run a seperate brand for one hour every saturday night under the ecw title...the budget given to Heymen is purposely for hiring new talent.Production teams and so on will still be wwe but heymen gets to hire and run the show...wrestlers from the currect brands will not be up for grabs due to there current positions now.

What is your source?

[xAfterThoughtzx]

Originally Posted by Ragu

What is your source?

haha If i tell you id have nothing to write about

nah but i dont know exactally what wrestling site it was...but i go to alot...its mostly gathered up shit ive read from each one..like i said , its rumored..so i dont know if any of it is true...

[masterragu]

lol just say the site I already have a site where I get my info from pwinsider.com

this, more/less, sums up my feelings on the situation, minus an overideallistic thought here or an impossible wish there.

The Return Of ECW

The latest backstage news in WWE is that Vince McMahon is contemplating running a new third brand of wrestling. This new brand is designed for late night TV due to what is being described as ‘edgier’ content. The new third brand is being given consideration to run as the new ECW.Would a third brand for WWE make sense? Would calling it ECW make sense? First let’s take a look at the economics of running another wrestling brand. It would not be wise for WWE to run this show at either the Raw or Smackdown tapings. WWE runs both Heat and Velocity at those tapings as well as the two-hour show itself so one more hour would really burn fans out that are live in attendance. With that being said it would cost quite a bit of money to run independently without all of the equipment and producers already at the venue. ECW would need big production with a tight budget, not an easy task.

ECW cannot run at ECW arena exclusively and not tour throughout the country. Again, that will add to the cost if this ECW is a touring company because again it will put the production crew on the road for another day and the crew is stretched thin as it is. ECW arena is host to far too many Philly independent groups for the WWE to just commandeer it anyway. Philly has run out the likes of MLW and XPW who came into town with the idea that they will replace ECW and displace all of the current touring companies like ROH, 3PW,and CZW.I would assume that if WWE were to run in one place all the time that it would be in New York and not Philadelphia anyway. WWE would stay in the big city, which is their home base as well. The problem with this idea is two fold however.

First, TNA is currently experiencing the problem of staying in one place for too long. Fans will get bored of watching the same competitors week in and week out. Even when something good happens if it is not as good as something that fans have witnessed before then fans become complacent. First time fans will go nuts but fans that go to the shows religiously will feel a sense of boredom and even apathy at times. Secondly, WWE has done this before already, remember Shotgun Saturday Night? If you don’t then here is a reminder. WWE decided that they were going to run an ‘edgier’ show at a remote nightclub in New York. The show failed because of cost of running the show live and because it turned into a second rate show with none of the top level performers. A third b-level show would just be suicide to WWE.

So with all of these problems facing a third brand could WWE make it work? Obviously I have no idea if it could because I don’t know all of the monetary issues that could arise from this venture but I have some thoughts that would be helpful in getting this new brand out of the starting gate. I agree that replacing Confidential is a good move for two reasons. One is that it really has lost quality since it’s inception and two with WWE wanting to take back the wrestling world and stop it’s exposure a show like Confidential can not make it any longer. Confidential was great when it was revealing to the backstage drama of WWE but without that it is nothing more than another recap show of which WWE already has abundance.

1-First and foremost the writing team would have to be different from the current writing staff on either Raw or Smackdown.Paul Heyman not maybe but definitely has to be the head writer. Why? Because he knows what the ECW style audience wants more than anybody else. There can be no concession given to what Kevin Dunn or the McMahon family wants, it has to be all of the mind of Paul Heyman as long as it fits in the standards and practices of Viacom. Paul would give the storylines meaning and the wrestlers a character that even the opening card talents would not just be an afterthought. Paul would also make it edgy with purpose as opposed to ultra-violence and sex. Paul needs full control over everything (except bookkeeping) because WWE needs this brand, especially if it is named ECW to be an alternative to current WWE products. Tommy Dreamer would be a good junior writer because he has experience already in this field.

2-The roster has to have some name value to it from the inception. ECW cannot feel like a bunch of WWE castaways that have no program going in WWE right now. WWE still needs wrestlers to be on their b-level shows so WWE cannot give ECW every available talent who is deemed misused. I would guess that the roster would be about twenty to twenty-five men deep so that is not a lot of room for just rookies or jobbers. Wrestlers that would most likely be apart of this new company would be as followed-Tommy Dreamer, Steven Richards, Spike Dudley, Rhyno, FBI-Nunzio Stamboli, Palumbo, Kanyon, Nova, and O’Haire. They may not be the biggest names but most are very recognizable to long time ECW fans and none of the names mentioned will cripple WWE if they are lost to injury wrestling a more hardcore style. That makes ten wrestlers that WWE could part with that could give ECW name recognition to the show. WWE cannot give this ECW RVD or Tajiri because they are too popular to send here. Wait; didn’t I say twenty to twenty five wrestlers for the show? Yes, which leads me to my next point.

[masterragu]

Link isnt working for me...

3-The roster, which needs some WWE talents to migrate to would also have to be created by the new ECW.Paul Heyman would have to be given a budget in which he uses to fill in his roster with wrestlers that he wants for his show. WWE cannot get involved in the roster preparation after their contribution. Sure some WWE talents who are without programs can be given to help out but if WWE is in full control of the roster then it will not come across to the fans that this is a separate show completely. Let Paul find ten to fifteen pieces of talent that he wants to sign for his company regardless of what Vince, JR, and Dunn thinks. If Paul wants Sabu then let him sign Sabu.If Sabu fails then it is Paul’s ass in a sling for it and nobody elses. Fans will be intrigued in seeing who Paul will sign without any WWE handcuffs.

4-The company has to have PPV access. WWE has stated for a while now that they would like to increase from twelve PPV’s a year to fourteen so this would be the perfect opportunity. ECW can put on two PPV’s a year or one every six months. Use an old ECW title name like Guilty as Charged or Living Dangerously so that the new ECW can use footage of the old shows and have a sort of lineage from the past to the current product. I would do the first PPV in April so that WWE can get fans to buy it that are still buzzing from WrestleMania.The second PPV should be in October so that fans can get excited about Survivor Series coming up and that fans are hopefully still buzzing about Summer Slam.PPV’s are one of the biggest revenue generators in wrestling so ECW has to have the ability to be on PPV for a full priced show.

Bottom Line:

Maybe with the talk of WWE hiring a new play by play announcer that looks like Joey Styles there is merit to these rumors of a new ECW.On color the new ECW could go out and get Joel Gertner for a familiar voice to ECW fans or they could use Al Snow who has history with the old ECW. What about Raven? Can the WWE stretch the production team thinner or hire a new one that is as accomplished as there current one? That will be a big question mark but I feel that they could do it if the production crew stays in one place and does not need to travel too far to get to the ECW show. ECW would have to be taped on Wednesday night in an arena that is somewhat local to where Smackdown is that week. The new ECW coming across, as high value will be a must and WWE cannot skimp in this area.

Titles will be tricky with only a small roster of men to compete for them. Tag team titles would be ridiculous because there would only be about three teams tops that would always be fighting for them. Two titles would be all that is needed to make two very competitive divisions. The ECW title and the TV title are all that ECW needs because ECW would not be able to limit wrestlers due to weight restrictions like a cruiser division. The key to this working is the no limitations given to Paul Heyman in writing and hiring and the production team making the company feel top notch. As long as Vince sets a budget for the new ECW it could work. ECW would be generating money by themselves but have the added bonus of a second revenue stream from WWE.

Saturday night at eleven o’clock is going to be tough to get the targeted teenage demographic to stay home and watch but if they believe it really is the re-birth of ECW they just might. The creativity of Paul Heyman and what he does with ECW will also force the creative teams in WWE to up their ante because Paul will push the envelope to the limit and might overshadow WWE storylines in the process. A hardcore style of wrestling will play to the strength of certain wrestlers that would otherwise be rendered useless in the new slower paced WWE. The rub is that Vince then gets to sit back and laugh all the way to the bank as he sees all of his brands turning major profits. I believe the Revolution can return and conquer once again but it will all depend on how much Vince is willing to let Paul Heyman run with the ball. How can Vince spell success? ECF’NW. Until next time that’s just my view. -
from an article entitled The Forzese View on LoP