Jeff Jarrett Reveals What Killed WCW: “I Don’t Think Anybody Knows What Really Went On”
Former WWE Hall of Famer turned AEW star, Jeff Jarrett, recently delved into the sombre moment he recognised the downfall of WCW.
Speaking candidly on his podcast My World with Jeff Jarrett, the wrestling luminary, deeply entrenched in WCW’s history, illuminated the multifaceted reasons behind its demise. Jarrett candidly acknowledged the prevalence of production mishaps within WCW, yet underscored that despite these blunders, the ratings consistently outperformed network averages. However, Jarrett cautioned against solely relying on ratings, pointing to declining live event attendance and merchandise sales as pivotal signs of the brand’s struggles. He emphasised that these metrics collectively signalled a broader systemic issue plaguing WCW.
I think there’s a lesson in all this. The ratings are a barometer but not the only one. The live event gates but just the decline in attendance. Merchandise follows and now they’re so many other barometers.
Reflecting on the internal dynamics of WCW, Jarrett painted a picture of behind-the-scenes power struggles akin to a high-stakes chess match. He hinted that the full extent of these machinations might one day be unveiled through documentaries or biographies, leaving fans intrigued by the untold tales lurking beneath the surface.
No. To this day, I don’t think anybody, and look, Dark Side of the Ring or maybe there’ll be an A&E biography one day, what really went on behind the scenes was the chess match.
Jarrett expressed incredulity at the shockingly low price at which the WCW library was sold to WWE, describing it as a deal struck at “less than Pennies on the Dollar.” He suggested that there was a lack of foresight regarding the brand’s value, with decision-makers failing to anticipate its true worth.
I don’t think anybody saw that coming. I don’t think there was ever an exercise that, ‘We’re going to get top dollar for this brand.’ So up until that decision was made, my gut tells me it was made after Gainesville.
Why Does Jeff Jarrett Think WWE Dropped The Ball With Cody Rhodes?
Jeff Jarrett believes that the WWE missed many opportunities to put the WWE Universal Championship on Cody Rhodes. Jarrett stated that he doesn’t think the casual wrestling fan cares about the length of a title reign and that extending Roman Reigns’ reign at the expense of Cody winning the title at WrestleMania 39 was a missed opportunity.
H/t to itrwrestling.com