WCW 2k1 - A Fusient Media Venture!

[s7eve_s]

 

As the year 2000 drew to a close, rumours continued to circulate of Time Warner's intention to sell World Championship Wrestling.

Eric Bischoff emerged as the leading contender to purchase the failing company, backed by Fusient Media Partners, Brian Bedol and Stephen Greenberg.

 

WCW Monday Nitro was pre-empted on Monday 1st January 2001, however when the Wednesday 3rd January edition of WCW Thunder was cancelled at the last minute, fans feared the end of the once great promotion.

 

After a 7 day period of silence Time Warner released an official statement regarding the pending sale........

 

 

Despite originally stating that Time Warner would continue to broadcast WCW programming, a further statement from TBS CEO Jamie Kellner confirmed that with immediate effect all WCW events and shows had been removed from the network putting the agreed sale to Fusient Media Ventures in doubt.

 

Edited April 10 by s7eve_s
ocd

[s7eve_s]

 

On Monday Week 3 of January, it was finally confirmed that the purchase of World Championship Wrestling had been completed by Fusient Media Ventures.

 

The acquisition of WCW is believed to be to the sum of $7.5 million, which will be offset against the company. The figure to secure the purchase is believed to be much reduced following the announcement that no Broadcasting Deals are included, however does commit the buyer to taking on all contracts associated with WCW, including that of Hulk Hogan, who remains under contract but absent from the business due to an ongoing defamation of character lawsuit, following the incidents at WCW's Bash at the Beach back in July 2000.

 

Edited April 9 by s7eve_s

[s7eve_s]

 

In an interview immediately following the purchase, Eric Bischoff mentioned that the original idea for the relaunch of the company was to go dark until May 2001.

 

 

Due to the financial strain of taking over the Time Warner contracts however, WCW are required to return to almost immediate broadcasting, beginning with the PPV "New Years Revolution" on Sunday, Week 4 of January. 

It was also announce that the Power Plant facilities had been sold in an attempt to finance the debt accrued from purchasing WCW.

 

A deal has been completed with Cable Commercial Channel FX to broadcast "Monday Nitro" in a late night slot starting Monday, Week 1 February.

[sonny912]

Please tell me your gonna fire Hogan and hall? Sid will have to leave too cause of his leg injury, meng's gonna debut at the royal rumble and Macho Man retired the year before. Will Jeff Jarrett stick around this time now that mcmahon can't fire him? Can his father Jerry join wcw's booking committee?

[s7eve_s]

Breaking Kayfabe for a moment just to give a little info on the "Challenge".

Firstly, the MOD is a conversion of Lucas' TEW16 New Blood Rising MOD, I believe there were two versions, one starting in Jan 2001 (this) and one in May as a WCW LIves by Genadi and the MOD Squad. I have updated the majority of the main Workers attributes as well as importing Venues and Broadcasters and doing a little work on them to make the game more enjoyable to play for myself.

This dynasty is based on the "What if" Bischoff got the deal over the line. Having listened to a number of interviews and Podcasts, the main reason it failed was due to no TV, so I've taken a little creative license in a deal with FX, who were one of the rumoured potential broadcasters.

However, rather than just a standard WCW Lives game, I wanted to accurately reflect things at that time. WCW were never going to rise immediately from the ashes and become a force straight away, so I have edited the finances to start $7.5 million in debt. I landed on this figure as its double the amount of the rumoured fee WWF paid to purchase WCW, so to tie in with the story,  figure this fee would seal the purchase ahead of time.

The TV deal is a late night deal, so viewership and subsequently income is not going to be massive, and the first aim to try and raise Popularity... FAST! 

This will open up the possibility of better broadcast deals for both TV and PPV and increase income, though in the initial months I expect to lose money.

Mostly due to Contracts, I have done a little editing based on information found online regarding the WCW contract situation in 2001, I have posted the Roster above, though that doesn't really tell the full story as most contracts have TV/PPV bonuses which will initially be debilitating.

I have also amended Merchandise down to Growing Business (Spoiler, in the first month this made me $50k). Due to the fast acquisition it's very reasonable that Fusient would be in a position where they are unable to make the most of Merchandising in the early stages. It will take around 25 weeks to reach the next level and improve income from this.

[s7eve_s]

5 minutes ago, sonny912 said:

Please tell me your gonna fire Hogan and hall? Sid will have to leave too cause of his leg injury, meng's gonna debut at the royal rumble and Macho Man retired the year before. Will Jeff Jarrett stick around this time now that mcmahon can't fire him? Can his father Jerry join wcw's booking committee?

Hall isn't with the company, Hogan is but is out for the first 3 months due to legal reasons. From what I can decipher, he was still being paid by WCW and had Bischoff taken over, its highly likely he would have been brought back.

I've started the dynasty before the PPV where Sid Viciously broke his leg. Meng is on a Handshake deal so available if anyone wants him

[sonny912]

6 minutes ago, s7eve_s said:

Hall isn't with the company, Hogan is but is out for the first 3 months due to legal reasons. From what I can decipher, he was still being paid by WCW and had Bischoff taken over, its highly likely he would have been brought back.

I've started the dynasty before the PPV where Sid Viciously broke his leg. Meng is on a Handshake deal so available if anyone wants him

Yeah no, don't bring Hogan back. With his huge salary and creative control in his contract you know he'll want despite the debt wcw has at the moment he'll be a massive headache backstage with heat from everyone.

[s7eve_s]

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING: NEW YEARS REVOLUTION

SUNDAY, WEEK 4, JANUARY 2001

 

Held in LA LSU Assembly Centre (South East)

Attendance = 14203

 

With the Pyro still ringing around the arena, Eric Bischoff makes his way out to the ring as the announce team of Mike Tenay and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan welcome the viewers to the first PPV of a new era in WCW.

 

Bischoff gets on the mic welcoming the audience in attendance and the viewers at home to a new dawn, as he looks to right the wrongs of the last few years that all but killed this once great company and confidently professes that there is no one better placed to rebuild than the man who nearly put WWF out of business just a few short years ago!.... Ric Flairs music hits as the Nature Boy strides to the ring, and the CEO of WCW begins berating the owner, blaming Bischoff for the downfall of a company that Flair had dedicated most of his life to! 

An irate Bischoff reminded Flair that he was the CEO when the company all but died and needed his intervention to rescue it and therefore as outright owner, the Nature Boy would no longer be continuing in his position of CEO, un beknown to Flair, he is flanked by security at the beckon of Bischoff who proceeds to inform Ric Flair that his services in WCW are NO LONGER REQUIRED!

Flair attempts to jump Bischoff but security manage to restrain Naitch, with Bischoff ordering them to remove Flair from the building

 

Backstage, Tag Team Champions, The Insiders (Kevin Nash and DDP) are interviewed by Gene Okerlund ahead of their Title Match with the Natural Born Thrillers. Rather than discuss the forthcoming match, DDP takes the time to welcome back his wife..... Kimberley Page, who will accompany the Champs to the ring tonight!

   

The first match of the night will be a 20 Man Over the Top Battle Royal to determine to number one contender for the US Title currently held by General Rection

"The Franchise" Shane Douglas is out first and cuts a promo guaranteeing victory as he looks to continue his feud with Rection and his MIA faction, however he is interrupted by the music of the debuting ROB VAN DAM! Tenay informs the viewers that WCW fought off competition from the lieks of WWF to secure the signature of RVD, as the ring fills with participants:

(Alex Wright, Bam Bam Bigelow, Brian Adams, Bryan Clark, Kanyon, Disco Inferno, Ron & Don Harris, Ernest Miller, Sgt AWOL, Jim Duggan, Jimmy Yang, Kaz Hayashi, Rick Steiner, Shannon Moore, Norman Smiley, Dustin Rhodes and another new signing Jerry Lynn).

As the match reached a conclusion, General Rection ran interference allowing Rob Van Dam to eliminate Shane Douglas over the top rope, however RVD fell victim to a chair shot from Kanyon to topple him out of the ring, with Kanyon victorious and No 1 Contender.

   

Backstage, Mike Sanders finally revealed which two members of the Natural Born Thrillers would challenge Nash and DDP for the Tag Team Titles, as he introduces Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire

    

Flanked at ringside by Shawn Stasiak and Mark Jindrak, the whole arena was left in shock when Kevin Nash turned on Diamond Dallas Page and left him at the mercy of Palumbo and O'Haire, with the latter finishing the match in 10:51, pinning DDP to become the New Tag Team Champions

Totally Buff (Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell) cut a Narcissistic Promo ahead of their forthcoming Tag Match against Goldberg and The Sarge

 

Chavo Guerrero Jr successfully retained the WCW Cruiserweight Championship against Shane Helms when he illegally used the ropes to assist his pin

  

The cameras pan backstage to Gene Okerlund who has Ric Flair on the phone following his removal from the building, Flair intends to fight his dismissal, but promises a big surprise in the Main Event tonight as his final act as CEO. Eric Bischoff interrupts Okerlund and threatens his job and anyone in the production truck who allowed Flair to make contact!

 

Goldberg and Sarge ran out winners in their Tag Team Match with Totally Buff, Goldberg hitting Bagwell with a spear following by the Jackhammer to get the 1,2,3 in 7 minutes 32

 

Sid Vicious was interviewed by Gene Okerlund backstage ahead of the Main Event which sees him challenge Jeff Jarrett and WCW Champion Scott Steiner in a Triple Threat Match, Sid came up short back at Starrcade 2000 but promises this will not be the case again despite Jarrett and Steiner plotting to work together in the Match

Crowbar was successful in winning the WCW Hardcore Title in the next match pinning Champion Terry Funk in a Hardcore Triple Threat also involving Meng

  

Backstage, Scott Steiner and Jeff Jarrett discuss Sid Vicious, with Steiner concerned about Flair's comments earlier. Jarrett reminds Steiner that he won the No 1 Contender bout back before Xmas to allow them to work together against Sid, who Flair inserted into the match, and nothing Nature Boy can do now will harm the Genetic Freaks chances of retaining

 

In the penultimate match, The Filthy Animals (Rey Mysterio Jr, Billy Kidman and Konnan) were victors over Team Canada (Lance Storm, Mike Awesome and Elix Skipper). Mysterio with the pin on Skipper following a distraction by Torrie Wilson, who had accompanied Kidman to ringside

      

Back in his office, Eric Bischoff settles in for the Main Event as he is joined by Stacy Kiebler, convinced he has heard the last of Ric Flair, until.........

THE NATURE BOY appears on screen!

Naitch frantically announces that his final act as CEO of WCW, was to sign off on the Main Event, making it a Fatal 4 Way, and introduces.........

 

STING!!!!!

Tenay and Heenan are adamant that Stinger must be the mystery man who had been attacking Steiner in the weeks prior to the shutdown of WCW, in an act of revenge for Big Poppa Pump injuring him back in November 2000.

As the Fatal 4 Way went on however, the Masked Man appeared and attacked Sting, with the two battling up the ramp. As they disappeared out of sight, Jarrett attempted to take out Sid Vicious with a guitar shot, but Sid countered and power bombed Jarrett, with Double J down and out, Sid went for the pin but Steiner had obtained the guitar and broke up the pin with a vicious shot to the back, and rolled Vicious over to make the pin and retain the title!

Steiner's celebrations were cut short by a returning Booker T, who appeared on the stage and informed Steiner that he was back and invoking his rematch clause having lost the title back at Mayhem in November 2000

 

Edited April 10 by s7eve_s
edit

[sonny912]

Pretty good show, interesting that rvd debuted. Figured he'd be too expensive or loyal to heyman and would rather go with him to wwf rather then wcw. I honestly expected someone like Masato Tanaka or Steve corino.