10 Things WWE Wants You To Forget About Eric Bischoff

7. He Invented Many Of The Company's Best Ideas

Eric Bischoff Stephanie Kiss
WWE

In 1985, Vince McMahon invented wrestling courtesy of the inaugural WrestleMania PPV, and since then it's been a non-stop stream of success from the genius that is the 'Genetic Jackhammer'. Is it any wonder WWE earned a global wrestling monopoly after the company innovated industry-changing ideas such as live weekly television, the heel authority figure, edgy reality-based storylines, and ultra-hip, zeitgeist-capturing factions like D-Generation X?

That all of them came courtesy of Eric Bischoff's neurons voyaging between his synapses is besides the point. To paraphrase T.S. Eliot, immature promoters imitate; mature promoters steal. VKM's true talent was in shamelessly copying what worked elsewhere, and no more so than the ideas emanating from Atlanta. During the early days of the Monday Night Wars, Eric Bischoff headed a one-man think tank, churning out fresh ideas ripe to be pillaged, refined, and claimed as Vince's own. He should give Antonio Meucci a call (if he can bear to own a phone).

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.