When the WWF began to inch past WCW in the ratings in mid-1998, Bischoff tried a few things to claw back the ascendancy the company had been enjoying. You have to understand that ratings were still pretty damned fantastic at that time: wrestling was in a massive boom period. WWF and WCWs war hadnt split a niche pro wrestling market in the States, it had swelled that market to huge proportions. But it wasnt enough for Bischoff. Aside from giving away Goldberg versus Hogan in July (a tactic that worked for a week it gained them a 6.91 rating, the highest rating since the Monday Night War began), Bischoffs main solution to the problem was to throw more money at it, delving into Ted Turners legendarily deep pockets. Hed arrange for celebrity appearances and musical endorsements, paying through the nose for MTVs cross promotion. Megadeth, the Misfits, Master P and the No Limit Soldiers stable he headed, the Insane Clown Posse (who at least were diehard wrestling fans) and, most infamously, Kiss all made appearances on WCW programming. Kiss brought The Demon with them, a new WCW wrestler that was branded for the band, and who theyd negotiated a big push for it didnt translate to ratings, though, their August 1999 appearance on Nitro causing a new low in ratings as wrestling fans turned over to a channel where there was wrestling happening. All of this cost the earth, of course. Kiss were paid a cool half million dollars for wasting everyones time, while Master P received a million dollars in one month for appearances on WCW television (to say nothing of the money paid to his henchmen and entourage, the No Limit Soldiers). James Brown netted $25,000 for his brief, unadvertised appearance at Super Brawl 2000 which couldnt have pulled in any additional buys, as no one knew hed be there. Dennis Rodman was signed for a vast amount of money, and barely showed up. Theres Jay Leno, Karl Malone. Michael Buffer was allegedly paid between $25,000 and $100,000 to introduce main event matches in his inimitable fashion. Many of the wrestlers on WCWs gargantuan roster were paid large guaranteed contracts to barely appear for the company. Lanny Poffo, the Macho Mans brother, was paid $150,000 a year and never wrestled for the company. At its height, WCW had over 260 wrestlers on the roster, many signed astonishingly simply to prevent them signing with the WWF, with little to no intention of ever using them. There was no physical way even half of them could appear on WCW television, for a start.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
