10 Biggest Promotion Killers In Wrestling History
5. Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon didn't so much kill a promotion as oversee a massacre, from which the territory system could not recover.
Vince wasn't always the man who personally scripted cool new babyface Roman Reigns to say "sufferin' succotash!" on national television. His finger was once firmly on the pulse. Recognising that technology was rapidly shrinking the world, McMahon relocated his north eastern regional territory to the global village.
He had the financial clout to do so; the WWF's New York base and cavernous Madison Square Garden home meant that they held the financial cards. After cunningly introducing the future stars of his company to his audience, via tapes he acquired from other promotors under the pretence of helping them out through the national exposure of his newly-struck national TV deal with the USA Network, McMahon entered phase two of his plan.
After failing to buy the most known territories outright, he instead sucked their lifeblood by offering their top stars contracts promising unprecedented remuneration - stars his growing fanbase had already lovingly received.
Wrestling is a star-driven industry - and since McMahon owned a good 85% or so of the talent pool, the regionals they deserted were left to die out in the sun.