9 People Most Responsible For The Death Of WCW
1. Jamie Kellner
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.
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Who else do you view as responsible for the death of WCW? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section below!