Eric Bischoff has heralded the importance of Jim Crockett Promotions as instrumental in the success of WCW as well as the wrestling on TV today.
Speaking on his 83 Weeks podcast, the former WCW President discussed the importance of the company that traces its roots back to 1931.
Bischoff explained:
“Jim Crockett Promotions was the birth of WCW…Had there not been a Jim Crockett Promotions there would not have been a WCW. There would not have been a Nitro, there would not have been a Monday Night Wars. There would not be, in my estimation, a WWE as we know it today.”
“My life would be completely different today. I don’t know where I would’ve been…but it’s like a spider web…when you follow that web it all goes back to the centre…and the web of WCW, in my opinion, the success of WWE, the product that you see today, the success of AEW on TNT, all of that goes back to the centre of that web which was Jim Crockett Promotions.”
The company based in Charlotte, North Carolina had been expanding its reach throughout the 1980s. Showcasing the NWA Championships, the promotion began expanding throughout the southern United States. WWE had its sights set on its own national expansion and by the late 1980s, JCP had fallen into near bankruptcy.
Jim Crockett Promotions was bought in November 1988 by Turner Broadcasting System. TBS would ultimately rebrand the company as World Championship Wrestling.
Eric Bischoff discussed a lot on his podcast with co-host Conrad Thompson. Bischoff would discuss another influence on today’s wrestling – the cruiserweights of WCW.
Credit: 83 Weeks