-
January 18th, 2017, 5:55 PM
#1
The Global Wrestling War
There were many wrestling wars in the early days, territory v territory, organisations breaking away from the NWA then getting drawn back in. Then Vince closed down the territorial system and sparked the first national wrestling war with WCW. We will never see anything like the Monday night wars again, WWE's grasp on the US is too tight and their control over talent too total. The next war is global and it is well under way.
The Monday night wars were like the Second World War, total war with nothing but total annihilation of the enemy as the main goal. The new war is more like the Cold War, the battles will not be fought on prime time TV but using allies in wrestling venues around the world. Like the Cold War this is a battle of ideologies:
The Sports Entertainers. Here character is key, the story is usually told using promos and skits and the in ring action is often a sideline to arguments, social media and posing. This is Vince's vision of wrestling and it has spread across the globe. The WWE is on TV in almost every country on earth, it is easy to translate and understand. Now they are attempting to localise the product. The UK tournament was just the start; the WWE will sign alliances with wrestling companies in every major market in the world. The allies get global recognition and loans of WWE talent, the WWE get access to every wrestler on the planet and a steady income from their local productions. WWE are already working with Progress, ICW, Evolve and OTT, who is next?
The Wrestlers. Here wrestling is treated as a sport with fewer promos and skits. The stories are told in the ring and the expectation is that everyone who steps between the ropes is able to perform at a high level. This used to be very popular in the States, now Vince has taken over. New Japan lead the way now and are allied with Revolution Pro and ROH, can they bring workrate based wrestling back to the US or is that market gone? Defrost posted their CEO's recent comments, they are coming to the states in the next few years and WWE better watch out.
This is not a war of annihilation, the global wrestling war is about winning hearts and minds across the world. The internet has opened up the world, anyone with broadband internet can pay $9.99 or 999 yen to join either side. Battle is already being waged in the US, Japan and the UK. As the middle classes in developing nations get bigger and bigger the war will move to India and China. As with the Cold War it is likely to be internal strife rather than enemy action that ends the conflict but like the Cold War it could go on for a long time.
Last edited by Bad Collin; January 18th, 2017 at 5:57 PM.
-
January 18th, 2017, 6:15 PM
#2
Multiversal Champion
- Rep Power
- 116549