10 Times WWE REJECTED Million Dollar Ideas
8. Paul Heyman's Vision For WWECW
The lingering love for ECW from its ardent fanbase simply couldn't be denied or ignored in the mid-2000s.
WWE's "Rise & Fall Of ECW" DVD had smashed projections and broken records, and One Night Stand '05 in particular was as close as the company had come to universal critical acclaim since the peak of the millennium boom period. None of this is to say ECW as a third brand would have reached the touring and pay-per-view potential of Raw or SmackDown, but it's shocking how close they came.
The 2006 tug-of-war with Paul Heyman wasn't Vince McMahon's only interjection into what could have been a free ticket to yet more cash for the frazzled old billionaire. In one of his last big backstage swings before reducing his presence ahead of an eventual exit, Shane McMahon wanted to trial the promotion as online-only before his Father proceeded with the whole shebang.
Very quickly, the industry was changing, and 'The Money' wanted to keep ahead of the curve. As usual, McMahon was comfiest just behind it. Within six months, the brand was near-death enough to spend the remainder of its time on life support.