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Missy's Manor: More Thoughts About Bill Watts' Expansion

Posted: Jan 20th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Several weeks ago, I wrote my column about the start of UWF/Mid South expansion. I got a ton of feedback on the article and I was extremely flattered by the response. I decided to continue the history lesson by covering the Bill Watts expansion to be a national promotion.

The key to be a national promotion was to have television clearances in as many markets as possible. WWF had the strongest syndication universe. NWA JCP had the most exposure by being on WTBS. Most syndicated television was either purchased as paid programming or delivered high enough ad revenue for the T.V. station to air it. Sometimes the wrestling promotion was able to retain some of the ad space to sell for their own profits. Regardless, WWF made its presence felt in every territory. They were quickly becoming the wrestling brand that everybody associated with as wrestling. Almost every regional wrestler coveted a prospective job opportunity to work for WWF. WWF didn't even have to offer a guaranteed contract to entice wrestlers to make the jump. All it took was a opportunity and the WWF magic wand in making almost anybody in to a superstar.

This lead to Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid South Inc. to start signing their wrestlers to guaranteed contracts. Both companies had eyes to expand nationally and didn't want to run the risk of their wrestlers jumping. Bill Watts just acquired many of the talent from the World Class territory, since he had eyes on taking over the Dallas, Texas market.

He acquired Ken Mantell to assist in the booking. Watts was very wise in alternating bookers every couple of months. Any decent booker can get burnt out at some point. Putting together television shows, house show line ups, finishes and long term planning is strenuous. Bill would alternate with bookers periodically from Ken Mantell, Terry Taylor, and Eddie Gilbert during my tenure in UWF. All of the bookers had a formula in putting together great episodic television shows. Every angle and feud meant something in the big picture. Angles weren't slopped together in order to just fill time.

Here is a example on long term booking. Steve Williams was feuding with UWF Champion,Terry Gordy. Steve Williams got in to a impromptu brawl with Gordy. This resulted in Gordy getting his arm "broken". One Man Gang wins the UWF title via forfeit. This allowed Steve Williams and Terry Gordy to keep their feud going. One Man Gang could interject himself in defending the title against either one. Clever booking, since it created multiple feuds and house show main events.

Of course I'm going to mention Hotstuff/Hyatt International. Eddie Gilbert, Sting, and Rick Steiner were chasing the Fantastics for the UWF tag team belts. John Tatum interferes in allowing Sting & Gilbert to win the belts. Their is dissention between Eddie Gilbert and John Tatum in which side that I'm loyal towards. Eventually Gillbert and Tatum start a feud. Gilbert & Sting lose the belts to the Fantastics, due to the interference of Tatum & Jack Victory. This leaves Victory & Tatum and Sting & Steiner chasing the Fantastics for the belts. Tatum also got issues with Eddie Gilbert. I'm feuding with Dark Journey with The Missing Link. There were so many layers to this soap opera and it created great television, awesome matches, and drew people to the arena shows.

This type of episodic formula is evident by the current WWE main events that are presented on RAW. Everybody is chasing the title shot for Wrestle Mania. Shawn Michaels is aligned with JBL, due to unfortunate financial circumstances. JBL is using Shawn Michaels' services to help secure him a title shot & main event at Wrestle Mania. Randy Orton wants the title shot and will align himself with wrestlers that can help him to win the Royal Rumble. Chris Jericho points out the character flaws and hypocrisy in everybody from Shawn Michaels to Stephanie McMahon. He is the instigator by justifying how everybody is conspiring against him. John Cena is the classic baby face who will go thru everybody for the Wrestle Mania spot. Just brilliant in my opinion. This is why I tune in to RAW regularly.

UWF was generating the best television show in my opinion. The promotion had a awesome talent base. Unfortunately most of the Mid South area was economically ruined by the oil industry. This caused a economic recession to the entire territory. People were watching the television shows, but they couldn't afford to attend the shows. This caused the territory to start bleeding money at a high pace. I believe Bill Watts said it was losing over $50,000 a week. Bill's outside investments were also being affected by the failing oil industry. Plus Bill was also facing a impending divorce. Wrestlers with contracts had to have their guaranteed income met, no matter how much the promotion was hemorrhaging a week.

Apparently Bill Watts was aware that the territory was going to destroy him financially. This was evident when Mid South & Jim Crockett Promotions promoted a joint Jim Crockett Memorial Cup on April 19, 1986 in the Superdome. The show bombed, especially when you consider it had the combine talent of both promotions. The tickets were too pricey for a audience who could no longer spend to see wrestling or any entertainment acts. The New Orleans market was dead.

Bill Watts knew he had to build his company up in order to sell it to anybody who wanted to be a national force in the wrestling business. The assets were arena contracts, Dallas office, and syndicated television in 70% of the country. The wrestlers contracts woud have to be negotiated separetely.

The UWF started acquiring television clearances all across the country. New television clearances provided the opportunity to run in new markets. Some of the television clearances allowed the UWF to sell advertising and keep the profits. Unfortunately the projected ad revenue was not enough finance expanding in to new markets or paying contracted talent

The UWF started expanding outside of its territory. Shows in Texas, California, Memphis, Kansa City, Georgia, etc. were not drawing enough to justify the expansion. Crowds between 1,000-2,000 fans in California were major money losers.

UWF expanded too late. They were competing against JCP & WWF in some of the same markets. WWF proved their brand superiority by having the best television slots. UWF and JCP were presenting similar products and competing for the same type of fans. Ultimately somebody was going to lose. There was no room for third place in the wrestling business.

Ultimately the UWF had to be sold. Bill Watts could no longer fund the losses. UWF could no longer could draw in its own home base area, due to the economy. UWF was too late in hitting the other markets, since WWF had beaten them in expanding. This was heart breaking to the UWF crew. It had the best roster that could boast hard hitting matches, fresh angles, and superior personalities to anybody.

Ultimately Bill Watts could not sustain his territory. He couldn't find outside investors to keep his company a float. Jim Crockett ended up buying the territory in hopes of becoming the number one company. He just lumped the UWF television network with his NWA television network. Both territories would combine talent, but ultimately the UWF wrestlers would be pushed out. Crockett really just wanted the television network and new markets to run. Unfortunately he threw away a great possible interpromotional feud and a fresh talent base for his audience. Ultimately Jim Crockett was also bleeding money in his expansion and would sell his company to Ted Turner by the fall of 1988.

Don't forget to keep March, 7 open on your calendars. I will be working for WSU in Boonton, NJ. They got a big line up for "Missy Hyatt Appreciation Night" in celebrating me being inducted in to their Hall Of Fame. The line up is Angel Orsini VS. Mercedes Martinez in a Bull Rope Match, Awesome Kong VS. Amy Lee, Rain VS. ODB, and MISSY HYATT BEING INDUCTED IN TO THE WSU HALL OF FAME. The drive to Boonton, NJ will definitely be closer than Houston, Texas to see myself get inducted. Save yourself the plane fare, hotel, & expensive tickets for Wrestle Mania, to instead see me get honored instead of Steve Austin