The WWE should bring back Territories

[SWSTOKES]

people just say bring back the attitude era, bring back the territories.

none of those ideas would work...they worked in their respective eras but you cant catch lightning in a bottle twice as the saying goes.

[Toroc102]

Bringing back the Attitude Era is WAY different than bringing back the territories. If WWE actually wanted to go that way they could bring the Attitude Era back in a second. Bringing the territories back would require a fundamental change in the way WWE does business.

[DexVendetta88]

When I 1st saw this discussion title I thought to myself, "Why would the WWE bring back a system they pretty much destroyed?" I honestly wouldn't see the WWE taking this kind of route because from an economical standpoint, they would go broke pretty quick since they would have to keep funding each territory individually. Also as someone else here has mentioned in a previous post that technology plays a factor especially with the internet. Also if anyone here recalls the WWE used technology (Video) to pretty much change and demolish the territory to almost nothing.

[BC1978]

Originally Posted by DexVendetta88

When I 1st saw this discussion title I thought to myself, "Why would the WWE bring back a system they pretty much destroyed?" I honestly wouldn't see the WWE taking this kind of route because from an economical standpoint, they would go broke pretty quick since they would have to keep funding each territory individually. Also as someone else here has mentioned in a previous post that technology plays a factor especially with the internet. Also if anyone here recalls the WWE used technology (Video) to pretty much change and demolish the territory to almost nothing.

I dont think the WWF/E intended to kill the territory system. They just wanted their talent and they used them as a minor league. Problem is the Territories weren't in the loop. If the WWE really wanted to kill territories why would they sell Stampede back to the Harts? Why would they get into working relationships with SMW, ECW, and USWA?

The person who really killed the Territory system was Jim Crockett and Ted Turner. They're the ones who monopolized the NWA Champion and sat by as NWA promotions all across North America closed shop. How often did Flair work for Don Owen?

The WWE has realized that they need a developmental system. Problem with the developmental system is its limited to Florida.

And you guys are really over estimating the amount of money the WWE would need to invest in each territory to get it off the ground. I'm gonna say $300,000.00 should cover operating costs and 5 wrestlers at $50,000 each.

IMO what each Territory would need to be successful is simple.
1. A Training School where each wrestler can workout daily (This will also help identify new talent).
2. 4 to 5 WWE Guys on Developmental Deals - you don't need a roster full of talent just
3. TV Equipment
4. A former WWE Star signed with a Legends deal

Take the Stampede Promotion. Run it all over Western Canada
1. Use either the Lance Storm Academy or Hart Brothers School
2. Ted Hart, DH Smith, Dallas Hart, Rick Victor
4. Bret Hart & Lance Storm

I remember the WWE was paying Billy Graham $75K a year to sit at home. Why not pay him $75K a year to show up to a TV Taping 12 times per year and Announce or Manage?

[Brewski]

Originally Posted by BC1978

And you guys are really over estimating the amount of money the WWE would need to invest in each territory to get it off the ground. I'm gonna say $300,000.00 should cover operating costs and 5 wrestlers at $50,000 each.

^I think you clearly have no idea how money works.

FCW alone likely costs over $1mil a year to run at the VERY least. That's most likely a very low guess considering the trainers they have. I don't know where you think 5 wrestlers can be a whole promotion or where they would be paid 50 grand either. Wrestlers don't make that much at that level and you're going to need somewhere in the range of 20 to begin to be worth the effort. Trainers, a venue, medical, equipment, security, etc. Even the lowest of budget promotions isn't a cheap investment. Paul Heyman had a national cable deal and couldn't afford to pay his guys. Now i'm not saying the E doesn't have the money to finance promotions across the country but even the maximum reward for the investment wouldn't be worth it. I don't care about watching WWE's bottom of the barrel on their network. For every Dean Ambrose you have 10 hardly trained Garrett Bischoff types(Notice even Garrett Bischoff is up higher than OVW guys...), anybody real good is coming up to the big show. Same as that nobody watches minor league sports. Going to baseball games is fun but even if the teams were on TV I wouldn't watch. Also consider that those teams have there own owners that put up their money, not the MLB.

As for who killed and why the territory system is dead the answer to that question is really simple. It's not Vince, It's not Crocket, It's not Billionaire Ted(ok, well sorta), It's simply Cable Television and the information age. The same thing happened to music and all aspects of culture with globalization. Everything is everywhere immediately. Territories made sense back then because you couldn't watch SMW, USWA, or anything else across the country. You got what you could get. Now you have (generally) the best performers in the country on your television every week. Territories are dead and while wrestling as a business is worse, it's much better for the fans.

[BC1978]

Originally Posted by Brewski

^I think you clearly have no idea how money works.

FCW alone likely costs over $1mil a year to run at the VERY least. That's most likely a very low guess considering the trainers they have. I don't know where you think 5 wrestlers can be a whole promotion or where they would be paid 50 grand either. Wrestlers don't make that much at that level and you're going to need somewhere in the range of 20 to begin to be worth the effort. Trainers, a venue, medical, equipment, security, etc. Even the lowest of budget promotions isn't a cheap investment. Paul Heyman had a national cable deal and couldn't afford to pay his guys. Now i'm not saying the E doesn't have the money to finance promotions across the country but even the maximum reward for the investment wouldn't be worth it. I don't care about watching WWE's bottom of the barrel on their network. For every Dean Ambrose you have 10 hardly trained Garrett Bischoff types(Notice even Garrett Bischoff is up higher than OVW guys...), anybody real good is coming up to the big show. Same as that nobody watches minor league sports. Going to baseball games is fun but even if the teams were on TV I wouldn't watch. Also consider that those teams have there own owners that put up their money, not the MLB.

As for who killed and why the territory system is dead the answer to that question is really simple. It's not Vince, It's not Crocket, It's not Billionaire Ted(ok, well sorta), It's simply Cable Television and the information age. The same thing happened to music and all aspects of culture with globalization. Everything is everywhere immediately. Territories made sense back then because you couldn't watch SMW, USWA, or anything else across the country. You got what you could get. Now you have (generally) the best performers in the country on your television every week. Territories are dead and while wrestling as a business is worse, it's much better for the fans.

Those Minor League teams might have their own OWNERS but those players are under contract to MLB Teams and they get decent signing bonuses. The MLB teams offset the minor league players salary. Which is what I'm proposing the WWE do.

Do you know why the MLB doesn't own every minor league team? Because they know allowing separate owners creates a better business environment.

Vince McMahon doesnt care about ECW, FCW, or NXT. He only cares about the WWE. Vince just wants the talent ready when it comes to the WWE.

By creating a bunch of minor league territories Vince allows for Wrestlers to experiment with different styles and gimmicks before they find their niche.

FCW has 30 Wrestlers under deals and it's entirely run by the WWE. What I'm saying is the WWE goes to Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW) and offers them a deal where they become a WWE territory. The WWE provides the owner with a monthly check $10K per Month, some nice new TV equipment, and 5 Wrestlers whose contract the WWE is paying.

MCW would still need to fill out the Roster but now they have 5 less guys they need to worry about. After a few months one of two guys would leave and the WWE would send in some more talent.

[Brewski]

The way you say it out now makes more sense but if I were WWE I would be quite weary about my investments working with guys who's training is questionable. With FCW they have a controlled environment where they can have guys work with others who are appropriate for them to learn with/from. While guys could try out different gimmicks I don't think this is big enough an advantage for justifying sending guys around the country. Part of the reason the WWE has been so successful is because Vince is such a control freak and has to be there for every part of the business. WWE has had ups and downs but clearly the guy knows what he's doing. Having a single controlled place where the guys he wants are in charge is more practical.

[BC1978]

Originally Posted by Brewski

^
As for who killed and why the territory system is dead the answer to that question is really simple. It's not Vince, It's not Crocket, It's not Billionaire Ted(ok, well sorta), It's simply Cable Television and the information age. The same thing happened to music and all aspects of culture with globalization. Everything is everywhere immediately. Territories made sense back then because you couldn't watch SMW, USWA, or anything else across the country. You got what you could get. Now you have (generally) the best performers in the country on your television every week. Territories are dead and while wrestling as a business is worse, it's much better for the fans.

No it was not Cable TV, internet, or the information Age. The Territories started dying out in the 1980's and came to an end in the MID 1990's and it really boils down to Crockett & Giegel monopolizing the NWA Title. It gets kinda hard for Gene Lebell and Don Owen to keep a territory up and running when the NWA Champion makes 1 visit a year.

Territories can never run like they used to and the Wrestling business needs to adapt to a 4 day a week schedule (Thurs - Sunday).

ROH seems to be working fine and plenty of Indy Promoters make money. The information age should only help wrestling promotions.

[BC1978]

Originally Posted by Slyfox696

Why would the WWE take a huge loss on wrestling promotions which could one day become a competitor? That's beyond ridiculous.

The WWE has a development territory, that's all they need. They don't need to throw money down a black home, when there are much cheaper forms of television programming.

Because it develops talent.
The WWE could easily crush any territory they want, pull out there talent and sign all the top talent on your roster and then cut you off the WWE Network.

However I think the WWE wants some competition. That's why they've really laid off of TNA & ROH Talent.

In reality no one is going to rival the WWE unless some Multi Millionaire with TV Deal gets a hair up his ass and tires to create a new promotion. TNA has the ability to rival the WWE in twenty years if they start making better choices and deliver a different product and stop giving us WWE-Lite.

[thebarber]

the WWE Network should solely go through the vast 50 odd years of library they have.
Territories would work well, but Vince is not going to have local tv deals, he wants world wide promotion of his talent so they mean something when they are on tv. He put the small time local promotions out of business to expand the industry, why would ge go backwards?