8 Wrestling Events That Pulled Inspiration From Strange Places
5. Hog Wild – Motorcycle Culture
Wouldn’t it be great to design a big wrestling show based around motorcycle gangs and motorcycle culture? And even better, what if we didn’t charge a single person for attending this PPV?
That, ladies and gentlemen, is World Championship Wrestling at its World Championship Wrestling best.
Of course, WCW would do far more stupid things than put on its free Hog Wild and Road Wild shows, but that doesn’t mean that this event isn't a bit of a head-scratcher in its own right.
More specifically, this was Eric Bischoff at his most egotistical. Eazy E was famous for his love of motorcycles, and thus he was inspired to create a PPV that could appeal to his biker pals.
Using somebody’s hobby as the inspiration and theme for a wrestling show is never really going to end well. But to not charge a single penny to those people attending the event? That’s just a boneheaded call from a financial standpoint.
WCW was paying to put on the show, was paying its talent to perform on the show, invested TV time in promoting the event, and ran up the usual costs associated with any other PPV. Only, unlike any other PPV, there was absolutely zero money brought in from gate revenue.
Added to that, the WCW talent themselves were unhappy because they would have to be collectively bussed-in to the event from a hotel rather than be allowed to drive in.
That was nothing compared to the performers' greatest concerns, though, as Road Wild often featured a strong element of racism from its crowd - in particular Booker T and Stevie Ray being the target of some shocking abuse over the years.