ECW Rejecting Deal with FOX?
By Scott Keith on 10 September 2019
Back in the Spring of 2001, we witnessed the loss of two of the three major wrestling companies at that time, WCW and ECW. During this time Paul Heyman was desperately trying to keep ECW alive while Bischoff had given up on his buyout of WCW after Jamie Kellner
had pulled the plug on WCW’s television deal with Turner Broadcasting, which I personally still think was stupid of him to this day.
had pulled the plug on WCW’s television deal with Turner Broadcasting, which I personally still think was stupid of him to this day.
Ironically, while Bischoffs buyout was falling through the tubes, the much smaller ECW was offered a Saturday slot on FOX. FOX is a major network, far bigger than any of the other networks that wrestling was broadcasting on at the time. Heyman rejects
the deal because it was not “financially viable”. What is financially viable for a company with little to no financial resources? You would think he would take any network willing to put money into his product.
the deal because it was not “financially viable”. What is financially viable for a company with little to no financial resources? You would think he would take any network willing to put money into his product.
What do you think of Heyman’s decision?
I have never heard of ECW being offered any TV deal in 2001. There was definitely no one offering to pay them any money by that point. Maybe there was a local FOX Sports affiliate offered a deal where ECW could pay them and that's what you're thinking of?