9 People Most Responsible For The Death Of WCW

1. Jamie Kellner

eric bischoff hulk hogan wcw
WWE.com

In the end, it was somebody few wrestling fans had even heard of who had the final say on WCW. In the early months of 2001, Eric Bischoff desperately tried to raise funds large enough to purchase the company. Unfortunately for Eric, one CEO of Turner Broadcasting Systems didn't view wrestling as necessary to the network's portfolio.

Despite the fact shows like Nitro and Thunder were pulling ratings higher than many other shows on TNT and TBS, Jamie Kellner clearly didn't think pro wrestling had any future on those channels. Pulling the plug, Kellner cancelled Nitro and Thunder (alongside the age-old WCW Saturday Night) with immediate effect.

Without a television contract, WCW was worth significantly less to the likes of Eric Bischoff than it had been previously. That was Kellner's call, likely believing potential advertisers seeking commercial slots might be put off by wrestling.

Kellner's decision to cancel WCW's flagship programming ensured that Vince McMahon paid a paltry sum (said to be around $2.5 million) for the ashes of the once-proud promotion.

Vince Russo may have penned some horrible television, but it was Kellner who ultimately acted as WCW's executioner by cancelling those TV slots.

-

Who else do you view as responsible for the death of WCW? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section below!

Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.