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Author: Thom Loverro Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 1416561560 Category : Sports & Recreation Languages : en Pages : 283
Book Description
Independent wrestling promotions were once the norm all across the country. However, with the rise of World Wrestling Entertainment and the creation of World Championship Wrestling -- out of three Southern promotions -- the possibility of an independent succeeding grew fainter and fainter. As the nineties began, independents were looking for creative ways to survive. In the East, several banded together to share cost and talent; they were known as Eastern Championship Wrestling. Based out of a warehouse in Philadelphia that stored parade floats and hosted bingo, this promotion seemed doomed to be just one more ninety-day wonder. When they hired a brash New Yorker, Paul Heyman, he warned Eastern Championship Wrestling that the job was just temporary. He would come in, shake up a lot of the wrestlers, and then leave. But what Heyman did redefined professional wrestling in the nineties. What he created was a company that dared to push the boundaries of sports entertainment. What he created became Extreme Championship Wrestling. As the person responsible for booking -- who was going to wrestle and who was going to win -- Heyman dared to break with tradition. Rather than relying on local talent and down-and-out veterans to draw in crowds, he created new characters and story lines that would appeal to the core wrestling fans: eighteen- to twenty-four- year-old men. Paul also realized that to persuade them to come, you had to get their interest and keep it. You had to offer the fans more than just the match. ECW became known for the interview, the shoot. Heyman got to know each wrestler's style, and in their interviews he would encourage them to speak from their hearts. When it came to the matches, ECW broke even farther from the mainstream. Tables, ladders, chairs, barbed wire, and even frying pans were used with abandon. Wrestlers not wanting to be topped put their bodies on the line, taking ever greater risks, daring to jump, leap, and fall from places never tried before. ECW matches became the stuff of legend. Word spread as savvy wrestling fans began talking about the promotion and exchanging tapes. To keep the buzz building, wrestlers used the age-old trick of taunting the fans, and ECW fans responded in kind. By including the fans in the shows, ECW attracted a rabid, cult-like following that is still going strong today. For nearly a decade, ECW redefined professional wrestling with a reckless, brutal, death-defying, and often bloody style that became synonymous with "hardcore." Through extensive interviews with former ECW talent and management -- Paul Heyman, Mick Foley, Tazz, Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, and many more -- The Rise & Fall of ECW reveals what made this upstart company from Philadelphia great -- and what ultimately led to its demise.
Author: Scott E. Williams Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 1613218737 Category : Sports & Recreation Languages : en Pages : 288
Book Description
Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) was one extreme contradiction on top of another. An incredibly influential—but never profitable—company in the world of professional wrestling in the 1990s, it portrayed itself as the ultimate in anti-authority rebellion, but its leadership was working covertly with the World Wrestling Federation and the World Championship Wrestling. Most of all, it blurred the line between reality and the fantasy world of professional wrestling. Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of ECW offers a frank, balanced look at the evolution of ECW starting before its early days as a Philadelphia-area independent group and extending past its death in 2001. Featuring dozens of interviews with fans, officials, business partners, and the wrestlers themselves, this is a very balanced account of this bizarre company—and it’s sure to be extremely controversial for fans and critics of ECW, and wrestling, alike. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Author: R. D. Reynolds Publisher: ECW Press ISBN: 155490255X Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 355
Book Description
What went wrong with WCW? In 1997, World Championship Wrestling was on top. It was the number-one pro wrestling company in the world, and the highest-rated show on cable television. Each week, fans tuned in to Monday Nitro, flocked to sold-out arenas, and carried home truckloads of WCW merchandise. Sting, Bill Goldberg, and the New World Order were household names. Superstars like Dennis Rodman and KISS jumped on the WCW bandwagon. It seemed the company could do no wrong. But by 2001, however, everything had bottomed out. The company -- having lost a whopping 95% of its audience -- was sold for next to nothing to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. WCW was laid to rest. How could the company lose its audience so quickly? Who was responsible for shows so horrible that fans fled in horror? What the hell happened to cause the death of one of the largest wrestling companies in the world? The Death of World Championship Wrestling is the first book to take readers through a detailed dissection of WCW's downfall.
Author: Eric Bischoff Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 141652729X Category : Wrestling Languages : en Pages : 401
Book Description
Under Eric Bishoff's watch as president of WCW, the company went head to head with Vince McMahon's WWE and beat them at their own game before WCW itself spectacularly imploded. But by then, Bishoff had made an indelible mark on televised wrestling, producing shows that had appeared more dangerous, more sexy, and more edgy than anything that had come before. He did this to such an extent that in 2002, McMahon seized the chance to bring in his former nemesis as General Manager of RAW; since then, true to form, Bishoff regularly surprises fans with matches that would once have been unthinkable for television. In this revelatory look at his life and career, Bishoff frankly discusses the things he did, both right and wrong, as he helped shape the sports entertainment industry into today's billion dollar business.
Author: Guy Evans Publisher: Wcwnitrobook.com ISBN: 9780692139172 Category : WCW Monday Nitro (Television program) Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Reviews "The most definitive, well written and thoroughly researched book on the rise and fall of WCW." --Eric Bischoff, former WCW President "This is - without question - the very best book ever written on professional wrestling." --Conrad Thompson "Well written and captivating...a fresh take on [the] time period." --Chris Harrington, AEW VP of Business Strategy "...may be the best overall pro wrestling book to date." --David Bixenspan, Deadspin Synopsis In April 1999, Entertainment Weekly asked its readers what many were surely wondering to themselves: how did wrestling get so big? As a consequence of the heated ratings competition between World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), the spectacle had taken over Monday nights on prime-time cable television. But in a departure from the family-friendly programming produced by the last industry boom - the 1980s wave, which made household names of Hulk Hogan, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant - the new era of wrestling combined stunning athleticism with a raunchy sex appeal, engrossing story lines and novel production techniques that reflected a changing society and its shifting values. Once again, wrestling was a ubiquitous phenomenon - only this time, it seemed as though the fad would never end. With both WCW and WWF expanding into other forms of entertainment - movies, video games, music and the like - the potential for growth appeared to be limitless. But with uncertainty surrounding its corporate future, and increasingly uninspired programming eroding its audience, WCW stood on the verge of collapse. Three years into a five-year plan devised by its charismatic leader - a former Blue Ribbon Foods salesman named Eric Bischoff - the company whose unexpected ascension initiated the entire boom was operating on borrowed time. For by the end of the five-year plan, WCW ceased to exist. But NITRO is a story about much more than WCW and the Monday Night Wars. It is a story of an era, a time in which the media and cultural landscape precipitated - and later supported - pro wrestling's mainstream popularity. It is a story of how a company made in the image of an intuitively brilliant risk-taker betrayed its original promise. It is a story of how a handful of men, each struggling with their own limitations, facilitated a public obsession that changed television forever. And so, with the inside knowledge of a journalist, the perspective of a historian, and the passion of a fan, author Guy Evans provides a fresh look at an unfortunate inevitability - the downfall of World Championship Wrestling. Bolstered by exclusive interviews with over 120 former TBS and WCW employees, NITRO is the definitive picture of the last wrestling boom. Featuring exclusive interviews and comments from: Eric Bischoff, fmr. President of World Championship Wrestling;Harvey Schiller, fmr. President of Turner Sports;Jamie Kellner, fmr. CEO of Turner Broadcasting System;Bill Burke, fmr. President of TBS network;Joe Uva, fmr. President of Turner Entertainment Sales and Marketing; Scot Safon, fmr. SVP of Marketing for TNT network;Kevin Nash, WWE Hall of Famer and 5-time WCW world champion; Diamond Dallas Page, WWE Hall of Famer and 3-time WCW world champion;Vince Russo, fmr. WCW writer;Marcus 'Buff' Bagwell, fmr. WCW superstar and 5-time world tag team champion;Kevin Sullivan, fmr. WCW superstar and head booker;Hugh Morrus, fmr. WCW superstar;Neal Pruitt, fmr. WCW Feature Producer and voice of the nWo;David Crockett, fmr. WCW Vice President of Production;Dick Cheatham, fmr. Group Controller for TBS;Alan Sharp, fmr. WCW Director of Public Relations;Mike Weber, fmr. WCW Director of Marketing;Rob Garner, fmr. WCW Vice President of TV Programming and SalesJerry Jarrett, legendary wrestling promoter and booker...And many, many, many more!
Author: Publisher: Soffer Publishing ISBN: 9782600652 Category : Languages : en Pages : 86
Author: Bruce Hart Publisher: ECW Press ISBN: 1770900047 Category : Sports & Recreation Languages : en Pages : 306
Book Description
In this thrilling memoir, the first son of wrestling steps out from behind the shadows of Calgary's fabled "Hart dungeon" to discuss his family and the cutthroat world of professional wrestling. Stories about growing up as Stu Hart's son and the brother of wrestling legends Bret "Hitman" Hart and Owen Hart offer insight into this wrestling dynasty and the close relationships with people such as Andre the Giant and Killer Kowalski. Detailing the rise of the family business and how it was destroyed by Vince MacMahon, how the tragic death of Owen rocked the family, and what really happened behind the scenes of the infamous "Montreal screwjob," this gripping tell-all also provides information on how wrestling should be booked and the toll steroids and other drugs have taken on those close to Hart. The perfect book for fans, this account is chock-full of inside-the-ring stories and wrestling gossip.
Author: Vince Russo Publisher: ISBN: 9781550228687 Category : Sports & Recreation Languages : en Pages : 0
Book Description
Many have tried to explain the inner workings of wrestling's most turbulent era, but this is the first time someone in the centre of the maelstrom has laid everything bare. Taking readers from the death of WCW to the rise of TNA - the world's fastest growing and most cutting-edge wrestling promotion - Vince has crafted a remarkable storyline about how he came to terms with, and found peace within, the insanity of the squared circle.
Author: James Bren Publisher: James Bren ISBN: Category : Sports & Recreation Languages : en Pages : 182
Book Description
Dive into the heart-pounding world of professional wrestling with "The History of the WWE" by James Bren. This comprehensive and meticulously researched book takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the iconic moments, legendary rivalries, and unforgettable events that have defined the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). From the early days of its inception to the electrifying spectacles of WrestleMania, Bren captures the essence of WWE's evolution, introducing readers to the trailblazing superstars who have left an indelible mark on sports entertainment. Uncover the gripping narratives behind the rise of household names like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the trailblazing women who sparked the "women's evolution." Bren's narrative skillfully navigates pivotal eras, exploring the Attitude Era's raucous rebellion, the ruthless aggression that followed, and the captivating drama of the modern-day "New Era." Witness the birth of iconic championships, the emergence of unprecedented women's matches, and the groundbreaking moments that have shaped WWE into a global phenomenon. But this isn't just a tale of triumphs; it's a candid exploration of the controversies, backstage politics, and the human stories that often lurked beyond the ring. Delve into the scandals, triumphs, and tragedies that have shaped the WWE into a multifaceted cultural phenomenon. With meticulous detail and engaging storytelling, James Bren captures the raw intensity of wrestling's most iconic moments. Whether you're a lifelong fan or a newcomer to the squared circle, "The History of the WWE" is an immersive chronicle that will leave you captivated, entertained, and with a newfound appreciation for the unparalleled world of WWE. Get ready for a ringside seat to the captivating journey that is the history of the WWE.
Author: Thom Loverro
Author: Thom Loverro
Author: Thom Loverro
Author: Scott E. Williams
Author: R. D. Reynolds
Author: Eric Bischoff
Author: Guy Evans
Author: 
Author: Bruce Hart
Author: Vince Russo
Author: James Bren