8 Awesome WCW Ideas That Didn't Last
2. WCW's Relaunch
Years before reboots became the vogue of mainstream cinema, having realised they could re-sell a popular product ad infinitum, they were considered a hallmark of abject failure. A franchise expunging the record books and starting afresh from Year 0 was a tacit admission that their previous creative efforts were garbage.
That was very much the case in April 2000 when, having aligned Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff as a what could very generously be called a booking 'supergroup', WCW decided on a complete do-over. The malaise which beset the company was no secret at this stage, and a reset could do no more harm - especially as the business had more or less gave up the kayfabe ghost.
The 10 April episode of Nitro was promoted as 'The Night the World Will Change'. It did, and then some: every championship was vacated, all current storylines were scrapped, and the twin honchos promised a renewed focus on youth - a coded jibe against the veteran locker room elite who had been running the show.
Leading the new era was a stable of previously downtrodden stars such as Kidman, Rey Mysterio and Booker T, collectively known as New Blood. They were out to end the self-serving reign of the established elite - the so-called 'Millionaires' Club' - once and for all.
And wouldn't it have been wonderful for all involved if they had. Fans bought into the angle - mostly because it was the truth. However, it was that truth which effectively killed it. Pretty soon, New Blood were pivoted into an nWo knockoff, and the ruling class consisting of your Hogans and your Halls was positioned sympathetically. When Jeff Jarrett became the champion of the oppressed, WCW's reboot had effectively failed.