The Secret History Of ECW | Wrestling Timelines
August 14, 1996 - A Word To The Wise Man
ECW remains the most hip wrestling company in the world - but there are some signals pointing towards its doomed future.
Chris Jericho, another gem unearthed stateside by Heyman, does a job to Too Cold Scorpio in his last match for the promotion on August 3. He is not the first star, nor will he be the last, to get signed by WCW, which repeatedly drains ECW’s talent pool with several raids.
In the August 14, ‘96 Observer, Meltzer forecasts something ominous when reporting that ECW’s syndicated New York TV time slot has been pulled; the channel was appalled by the constant blood, misogyny and expletives. The ultras love it - ‘96 is ECW’s last truly great year - but the mass appeal, by design, is just not there.
ECW’s weekly ‘Hardcore TV’ broadcast is syndicated. Availability varies from region to region, mostly confined to the east coast, and the show is subjected to disruption, often changing slot and channel. The goal is to secure a national TV deal in a fixed slot, so that the company isn’t reliant on small fry advertisers and live gate receipts, but Meltzer is unconvinced.
“The life blood of wrestling in this country is television. And if ECW persists on having all the blood…they aren’t going to take anything but little baby steps when it comes to growth.”
Is ECW untenable?
The company can’t attempt to secure TV without making compromises, but ECW exists as an alternative to the shows that, in 1996 anyway, must make compromises. Yes, the actual wrestling is forward-thinking, the narrative more complex than the naysayers suggest, but what is ECW, really, without the ‘Extreme’?
By the time ECW does secure the deal, it’s too late.