E-Book Overview
The power players behind the wildly popular and often controversial world of professional wrestling are examined in this chronological look at the past 10 years of wrestling entertainment. The competition between the four major wrestling organizations—World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (later renamed as World Wrestling Entertainment [WWE]), Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)—is rendered in detail, from wrestling's late-90s resurgence and the financial troubles of WCW and ECW to WWE's singular dominance and TNA's present-day struggle for market share. The reasons behind pro wrestling's popularity surge are explored in terms of key statistics such as television ratings, pay-per-view buy rates, and live-event attendance, as well as how the major organizations have capitalized—or not—on wrestling's trends. Commentary from the authors' seven-year-old weekly wrestling radio program is featured throughout alongside opinions from The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, and Vince McMahon.
E-Book Content
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occasion, I warn them that I will only be on for a few minutes, and on each occasion, I end up talking for an hour. Therein lies the secret of the show. The guys make the wrestlers want to talk. — Mick Foley Not only does Between the Ropes GIT-R-DONE, but it also makes for a good coaster. — Larry the Cable Guy
Fritz and Murray
I have had the pleasure of appearing on Between the Ropes on several occasions. On each
Wrestling dominated pop culture in the late ’90s. The Rock, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and Goldberg were household names and international icons. By the turn of the millennium, however, the sport’s popularity began to wane. In early 2001, both WCW and ECW closed their doors and were bought out by WWE. Then that company’s fortunes hit the skids, despite their virtual monopoly. Finally, in 2002, a competitor emerged from the ashes of WCW and ECW — Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Between the Ropes: Wrestling’s Greatest Triumphs and Failures examines the last decade of pro wrestling, looking at both the unprecedented surge in mass appeal that transformed it into a legitimate billion-dollar business, and the decision-making follies that put WWE back-down on the mat. It examines the genesis of the upstart TNA and its current position on the cusp of a national breakthrough. Between the Ropes analyzes the four major North American promotions, following their exploits from business, storyline, and character standpoints. Major wrestling stars like The Rock, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Sting, Eric Bischoff, Chris Jericho, Rob Van Dam, Shane Douglas, Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, and Jeff Jarrett, interviewed for the Between the Ropes radio program, add their unique, first-hand insight to the mix.
America’s Leading Pro Wrestling Radio Show Presents
Brian Fritz and Christopher Murray
BRIAN FRITZ is the host of Between the Ropes, America’s premiere wrestling radio show. He has a degree in communications from the University of Central Florida and has hosted and produced live talk shows and sporting events for WQTM 740 AM The Team for a decade. He has also been a pro wrestling columnist for the Orlando Sentinel. CHRISTOPHER MURRAY is a graduate of Pace University, and an integral cog behind the scenes with Between the Ropes since its inception. A professional wrestling fan for nearly two decades, Chris currently resides in Staten Island, New York.
ECW Press $19.95 US • $22.95 CDN Distributed in the USA by Independent Publishers Group and in Canada by Jaguar Book Group
ecwpress.com
ISBN-10: 1-55022-726-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-55022-726-0
EC