83 Weeks - The Downfall of the nWo [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re going to be discussing the downfall of the nWo…where it went wrong, how it went wrong…and if the nWo damaged WCW in the long run.

We all agree the nWo brought WCW to its greatest heights…record buyrates, record TV ratings, the 83 week streak, but some say the nWo was WCW’s biggest mistake in the long run and helped killed the brand…what do you say to that?

When we discuss the downfall of the nWo…one of the many things people bring up is the amount of members. There were SIXTY…SIXTY…Eric…between 1996 and 1999. Did you find it hard creatively to not have more members in the group?

With everything in the nWo being a focus creatively…did it hurt WCW that so much of what was going around with the nWo that nothing else was capable of being expounded upon?

Did you really need to add people like Vincent, Mike Rotunda, Big Bubba Rogers, etc

Was it a help in terms of expanding the roster to equip the group with people that needed to get bumped, etc so Hulk Hogan didn’t have to fall to the likes of Randy Savage, etc…or was it just unnecessary fodder and didn’t help anyone’s heat?

Would you had been able to take the nWo and split it from WCW as its own separate brand like the WWE has done with the likes of Raw and Smackdown?

The failure of the nWo Souled Out pay-per-view - which we’ve covered in the past in the archives - what was the main takeaway that you learned from that show?

The nWo Nitro being an absolute disaster…looking back…was that a major part of the issue with the nWo crashing?

When you look back at things, ECW mocking the nWo with the Blue World Order…WCW even starting the Latino World Order and the lWo…did you end up killing your own brand by doing things like that?

Starrcade 1997 is a major point in WCW’s history as being a gigantic misstep…but the business was still super hot after that. Was there ever a consideration or thought process in ending the nWo?

When did you originally think the nWo angle or gimmick should end?

At what point did you think…we’ve gone too far with this…or did that ever run through your head?

The split of the nWo in April & May 1998 in two groups…the nWo Black & White or Hollywood and then the Wolfpac…was there damage done to the nWo brand do you think?

Having two competing nWo groups along with WCW…how much did that muddy the waters of what was on TV do you think?

Did the message of the nWo get lost at that point or was it lost before that?

The Outsiders & Hollywood Hogan…the first 3 members of the nWo…were always going to be on a collision course with each other at some point. But the splitting up of Kevin Nash & Scott Hall many see as a major misstep…is that something you wish you could take back in hindsight?

The summer of 98 with Hogan losing to Goldberg, Wolfpac now having WCW stalwarts like Luger & Sting…nWo Hollywood having someone like Stevie Ray be a major member and then the Warrior entering the company…how diluted was the nWo brand at that point and did you think it needed to be put to sleep or built back up?

The Fingerpoke of Doom takes place in early 1999 and the nWo Elite is formed…Wolfpac & Hollywood back together. Was it just a desperation move at that point?

Not long after it feels like the nWo is beyond stale…what can you point to as the one contributing factor more than anything else?

The fact that the nWo ran for 3 years is quite the accomplishment…but when should it have ended?

Could it had lasted longer?

We saw Russo attempt to relaunch the brand in late 1999…and the WWE even attempted to run with it and it died a painful death in 2002…it just couldn’t be recreated could it?

Let’s take a look at the buyrates between 1998 and 1999…

• Uncensored - March 1998: 325,000
• Uncensored - March 1999: 270,000
• Slamboree - May 1998: 250,000
• Slamboree - May 1999: 170,000
• Great American Bash - June 1998: 262,000
• Great American Bash - June 1999: 160,000
• Bash at the Beach - July 1998: 525,000
• Bash at the Beach - July 1999: 155,000
• Road Wild - August 1998: 322,000
• Road Wild - August 1999: 200,000
• Fall Brawl - September 1998: 240,000
• Fall Brawl - September 1999: 110,000
• Starrcade - December 1998: 450,000
• Starrcade - December 1999: 120,000

Now you’re not there starting at Road Wild on…but do you think the nWo story contributed to the downfall of WCW itself?

Next week Eric…Sting’s 1999. The transformation of the man behind the paint from an nWo member back into Crow Sting…his last WCW World Title runs…dogs attacking him…becoming president of the company and so much more!