Could two promotions co-exist?

[Rip]

I figure one of the said promotions would be WWE, so I posted this here, move if you must.

So obviously, WWE has reigned and ruled the wrestling world in the US (amongst other places) since the early 80s. A post I made earlier about TNA vs WWE got me thinking... could two promotions co-exist? As in, for example, if TNA did eventually become huge everyone expects a war. A war has to end eventually right? Well, the first one lasted about 5 years, but is it possible for them to be direct competitors and for a "war" to last 20 years, longer? An example I used was Wells Fargo, it's been a top bank in the states since the 1800s, and has had competition the entire time. I KNOW banking and wrestling are apples and well... machine guns, but the idea is still there. Could two promotions, in similar size and worth, with competing programming, co-exist in the same country or does something have to give? Can there only be one?

Personally, I say yes. If both companies simply focused on themselves and not the competition and ran their respective business correctly, I don't see what could make one go under. The ratings will be split yes, but if you half WWE's ratings, they're still pretty good depending on the channel (1.3 is considered high to syfy, where it would be low on USA). So there are a lot of variables like that, but one could also argue that maybe both would have super high ratings like before. Lots of things to consider, definitely hard to say. It would be important that they constantly change the product to keep things fresh, the envelope must be pushed every week. My final verdict would be that's it's definitely POSSIBLE, but PROBABLE? Not so much.

 

[johnbragg]

WWE is a vicious, badtempered dog. For another dog to survive in a pack with the WWE, it would have to clearly and consistently signal to WWE that it was not a threat to them.

There is an argument to be made that there is only room for one major pro wrestling company in any given media market. BAck in the territory days, as far as most wrestling fans were concerned, I think they were each focused on one territory. There might be a World champion off somewhere else, but they couldn't exactly watch/go to his show regularly. NWA Florida, Georgia, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Memphis, the AWA, Central States, St Louis, WWWF didn't really compete with each other--that was the whole point of the NWA cartel. The business is difficult enough without competition from other wrestling promotions.

If I ran "America's Alternative Wrestling" part of my strategy would be defensive, to consciously not attract Vince's attention. If I went to a Monday night slot, either go for 8pm or 11 pm for a one-hour show. Sell it as a third hour of wrestling, not as a challenge to RAW.

Vince McMAhon is much better at destroying other wrestling companies than he is at producing entertaining wrestling television.

 

[Pedro08]

Sure there could 2 companies that co-exist. However, WWE will probably always be the top dog due to the fact that it's a billion dollar, publicly traded worldwide company and any other wrestling company is basically a start-up. If TNA got backing from a huge company that could spend the money like WWE, like WCW did with Turner, then they might get to WWE's level.

Also, I think if TNA wants to start another Monday Night War, then your right, somebody is going to end up losing and Vince would have no qualms about doing whatever it takes to not only beat TNA in the ratings, but destroy them.

So I think both companies can co-exist and TNA could get bigger and maybe come close to WWE. As long as Vince doesn't feel threatened and TNA doesn't directly challenge him, then the better chances are.

 

[Blade]

For a small period of time, if they were both working for a similar goal and were focused enough in achieving that goal, then yes, I believe so.
Let's take the current 3 biggest promotions in America; WWE, TNA and ROH. Obviously, WWE would never co-exist with either of those promotions. But TNA and ROH could co-exist together, not interefering with each other's TV time or tours and perhaps even swapping talent occasionally if it helped them get to a higher level of and maybe even defeat WWE.
But even if they did that, they'd turn on each other as soon as they achieved that goal. They'd both have different agendas and they're both businesses, so they'd do whatever they could to make more money even if it meant screwing over a former ally. They'd co-exist to help topple WWE because that would help them make more money. But then the only way they'd be able to make more money after that is to stop each other. It's only the natural course of businesses.
Like I said, if the promotions had a bigger enemy, they'd co-exist and maybe even work together. But the two biggest wrestling promotions in a country will never co-exist as long as they can make more money from destroying the other company.

 

[NSL]

Could they "co-exist"? No.

Could two companies exist at the same time, competing with one another? Yes. Of course. That's pretty much when wrestling is at it's best. WWE went downhill slowly after the Invasion angle, and it was mere months before people were calling for the days of the Monday Night Wars again.

TNA is working their way to becoming a "1B", instead of the #2 company, but that's still a while off. I obviously prefer TNA at the moment, but I'd love to see two competing companies trying to outdo each other. It brings the best out of the wrestlers, out of the backstage guys, and the best storylines.