National Wrestling Alliance: Somehow not dead...yet

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rare Magic card l00k: Jan 3, 2011

http://pwinsider.com/article/109356/exclusive-billy-corgan-finalizes-deal-to-purchase.html?p=1

PWI Insider posted:

Smashing Pumpkins front man and former TNA Wrestling President Billy Corgan has agreed in principle to purchase the National Wrestling Alliance, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources. The deal in place would see Corgan purchase the name, rights, trademarks to the NWA as well as the rights and possession of the NWA championship belt.

Formed in 1948, at one point the National Wrestling Alliance was the largest and most well known governing body in professional wrestling, a group put together by promoters to share one World champion and help share talent and protect each other's interests. The NWA Board of Directors would control who the shared World champion was and winning the belt was legitimately a feat in itself, because the champion was chosen for legitimate toughness, drawing power and the ability to enter member areas and help spark their business. For decades, the NWA champion was considered the most important champion in the business, often touring and traveling the world to defend the belt for member promotions. For older fans, the NWA championship was the belt in professional wrestling and was the measuring stick for greatness and what defined old school professional wrestling.

By the late 1980s, many of the members had gone out of business or been neutralized as Vince McMahon took the then-WWF national, helping to effectively destroy the territory system that the NWA flourished under. As the dust of WWF's expansion settled, the last true bastion of the old NWA was Jim Crockett Promotions, who waged a war against the WWF, empowered by names like Sting, Ric Flair, The Road Warriors and Dusty Rhodes. In the end, financial issues forced the Crockett family to sell to Ted Turner's Turner Broadcasting, who's TBS Superstation broadcast Crockett TV. While the NWA name was still utilized, Turner had not actually purchased the NWA itself, just the Crocketts' promotion.

By 1991, the NWA name was dropped after a dispute and Turner's company was re-titled World Championship Wrestling publicly. WCW tried again to work with the NWA in 1992 (including working with them and New Japan to crown a new champion in Mahahiro Chono) but that association was done the following summer when booking decisions were made to change the NWA title without consulting the NWA Board of Directors, who in theory still had power to approve or deny who carried the belt. At the time WCW, was filmed television months in advance and filmed material with Rude holding the belt. While the decision was made to move the belt from Ric Flair to Rick Rude, the NWA was never consulted. The NWA cried foul and by the time the Flair vs. Rude feud actually took place, it was over "the big Gold belt" and later, the WCW International World championship, clunky ways of getting around using the NWA name.

With no national outlet, most fans viewing at home likely believed the NWA just happened to morph into WCW. The reality, however, was quite different as the NWA soldiered on, albeit it on a much smaller scale, with the late Dennis Corralluzo being its prime (and in some cases, sole) cheerleader in attempting to bring the brand some notoriety New members were added, including Tod Gordon's Eastern Championship Wrestling. In August 1994, an attempt to crown a new champion at an ECW event instead resulted with Shane Douglas throwing down the title he had just won, instead declaring the NWA an organization that "died, R.I.P., seven years ago" en route to declaring the ECW championship the ECW World title.

The reality was, Douglas wasn't really lying. By the mid 1990s, the NWA was on its last legs. At one point, it almost shut down before Howard Brody was named President and asked members to give him one year to try and make things work. By the end of that year, the NWA was featured briefly on WWF TV. While that run was anything but memorable, the exposure on WWF television led to a slew of new member promotions paying to join the organization, saving it from going out of business and renewing it as a viable option for independent wrestling promotions. That story, and many others recounting Brody's attempts to keep the NWA viable can be found in his excellent autobiography Swimming with Piranhas.

In 2002, the Jarretts came to the promotion seeking the rights to utilize the NWA championship for their new venture, TNA. The organization agreed to a licensing deal and the rights to the championships. For the first several years of TNA's existence, the NWA title was the top championship and prize for the organization until a falling out over money led to the NWA pulling the rights to those belts. TNA responded by crowning the first TNA champion. Again, to the average viewer, the NWA disappeared.

The NWA was once again back to being a collection of independent wrestling promotions who shared the champion and the NWA banner, although a far cry from the united front that existed in the territory era, with names like Adam Pearce and Colt Cabana attempting to bring attention to the championship.

In a strange twist of events, Bruce Tharpe's International Wrestling Corp, LLC, sued the NWA and a number of its banner members in 2012, alleging insurance fraud regarding the liability insurance policy that was shared among NWA members. In a legal maneuver that has yet to ever be explained publicly, Tharpe was able to leverage the lawsuit into gaining ownership of the NWA brand, seeing a number of groups that were involved (including Dave Marquez' Championship Wrestling from Hollywood, at the time, one of the few NWA outlets with legitimate TV) depart the company. The change-over was captured firsthand in Adam Pearce's documentary Seven Levels of Hate, which was designed to capture his feud with Cabana but by the end, turned into a story about how they were now fighting for a title owned by a promotion that didn't care about what they were trying to do and indeed, didn't want Cabana as champion. In the end, both exited the promotion after vacating the belt in Australia.

Under Tharpe, the NWA changed from a group that allowed members to join to a promotion that instead licensed the NWA letters out to those willing to pay to use them. The promotion has at times worked with New Japan since Tharpe acquired it, but in recent years, the NWA's blip on the radar screen has increasingly faded over time, with little television exposure beyond what bookings the champion (and Tharpe) have gotten from NJPW. In an interesting piece of trivia, prior to the Tharpe takeover of the NWA, Sinclair Broadcasting looked into buying the promotion as they were seeking out wrestling programming. In the end, they passed and instead opted to purchase Ring of Honor, which they have operated since they acquired ROH in May 2011. So, in an alternative universe somewhere, the NWA is on Sinclair Broadcasting every week while ROH likely no longer exists.

Once finalized, the purchase of the National Wrestling Alliance would be Corgan's first move within the professional wrestling world since departing TNA Wrestling after failing to purchase that promotion. Corgan began investing in TNA in June 2016, helping to finance the company's Slammiversary PPV and subsequent TV tapings as part of a deal that saw him purchase a minority share in the company. Additional investments in the company led to Corgan acquiring a larger share in the company and on 8/12/16, TNA issued a press release announcing that Corgan had replaced Dixie Carter as the President of the company and would be handling the day to day operations of the company while Carter would "focus on long-term planning, strategic partnerships and global growth."

Shortly after being named President, Corgan announced his intentions to purchase the company and potentially change its name from TNA. He had meetings with different cable outlets about potentially working with him and TNA once that purchase was complete, but as time would tell, it never happened.

Corgan's negotiations to purchase the company saw him unable to close a complicated deal that would see him not only buy the company from Dixie Carter, but other minority owners including Aroluxe and The Fight Network. During promotional appearances to push the Bound for Glory PPV in October 2016, Corgan admitted that he had financed the three previous rounds of TNA Impact Wrestling tapings, describing those deals as last minute agreements where the "ink was drying" as talents were heading to the ring. He made it clear he would not be financing the Bound for Glory PPV tapings and subsequent TV tapings publicly. As it turned out, Anthem Media, the parent company for The Fight Network, silently backed the tapings in preparation of that company eventually acquiring TNA.

Upset over investing in something he would not end up being able to purchase, Corgan (still President) filed a lawsuit against TNA parent company Impact Ventures LLC, TNA Wrestling itself, CFO Dean Broadhead, President Dixie Carter and Serg Salinas in Chancery Court of Nashville, TN in October 2016. In that lawsuit, he sought a declaration from the court that he was, by virtue of a pledge agreement he made with Carter, entitled to Carter's 92.5% of the company, her voting rights and had the ability to replace the current managers with designated managers of his choosing. The court did not rule with him on those matters. Corgan also sought damages for the breach of contract, and at one point, had a temporary injunction preventing the defendants from making business decisions that could "further harm" Corgan and the company and prevented them from attempting to sell the company or it's assets until the lawsuit is resolved. Corgan's lawsuit revealed that while he had been named President, Dixie Carter was still acting without his knowledge to make deals on the company's behalf, including a potential sale of TNA assets to WWE that ended up not happening.

In the end, Anthem Media agreed to settle Corgan's dispute and it is believed he was paid back his entire investment in TNA ($1.9 million) as well as interest ($2.7 million total). Anthem Media now holds majority ownership of that company. In the ruling dismissing the lawsuit, Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle noted that the lawsuit was being dismissed without prejudice. That meant that Corgan would be free to re-file the suit down the line. In an interview with PWInsider.com following the settlement, Corgan made it clear that the settlement only released TNA, Impact Ventures LLC and Anthem from future legal claims, meaning Carter, Salinas, Broadhead and perhaps others could still find themselves in Corgan's legal crosshairs. To date, however, that has not happened.

After Anthem Media gained control of the company, Dave Lagana exited TNA, citing publicly on Jim Ross' podcast that no one could tell him who was in charge and he felt it was better to carve his own future. Lagana has worked with Corgan since, touring with him while documenting a cross-country road trip with that material posted daily on Corgan's social media platforms. One would expect that Lagana would be involved in some form in whatever Corgan's plans for the NWA brand are, if and when the NWA acquisition is completed. Matt Conway, who was Lagana's partner in creative in TNA, no longer works for Impact, so he may be free to work with Lagana and Corgan as well.

A lifelong pro wrestling fan, Corgan has flirted with his involvement in professional wrestling for years. In the late 1990s, he made numerous appearances for the original Extreme Championship Wrestling but rebuffed Paul Heyman's invitation to purchase 10% of the company for $1 million, feeling that the company wasn't worth $10 million at the time. At one point, Corgan acquired the ownership of the old Bob Luce wrestling library, comprised of material from the time period Luce was promoting professional wrestling at The International Amphitheater in Chicago. Corgan would later get involved in Chicago's Revolution Pro, working in creative and acquiring a deal to bring that promotion to AMC as part of a reality series before AMC opted to shut down its reality TV end. Corgan would later pull out of Revolution Pro.

A number of questions remain as the deal closes including what does new ownership mean for the current NWA member promotions and what would this mean for the NWA on Demand Video service. Of course, the biggest question revolves around what exactly Corgan's plans for the National Wrestling Alliance will be.

We will have to wait for those answers as attempts by PWInsider.com to reach Corgan for comment have, thus far, been unsuccessful.

I don't even.

Speculate all the dumb things this could lead to here, up to and including a war between NWA and TNA, or Corgan purchasing TNA and a return to NWA:TNA.

Nothing is off limits anymore.

Edit: 5/30 UPDATE: BILL CORGAN IS DESTINED TO NOT BE IN THIS STUPID BUSINESS

Aye Doc posted:

there is a hitch in billy corgan's masterplan for NWA world dominance

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=109950

Multiple sources have told PWInsider.com that the deal is described as "in jeopardy" due to issues regarding the transfer of the existing copyrights and trademarks for the National Wrestling Alliance.

PWInsider.com research indicates that the copyright and trademark on the brand name lapsed last year with his International Wrestling Corp, LLC applying for it again on March 30th of this year. The trademark has not been officially assigned, theoretically making it impossible for them to be transferred to Corgan.

Edit: 10/11 Update: The era of the NWA Mountain States of the world is over. Farewell, sweet Stro.

Luigi Thirty posted:

Corgan did a podcast interview. Highlights: Weekly free internet TV, hoping to start running shows in spring 2018, and no more NWA licensee promotions.

rare Magic card l00k fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Oct 11, 2017

# ? May 1, 2017 17:52

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 20:14

Midnightghoul: Oct 1, 2003; COME ON DON'T BE SCURRED

I can't name one person in NWA

# ? May 1, 2017 17:57

DoctorGonzo: Jul 25, 2016; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

I have faith that the man who got owned by Dixie Carter will succeed

# ? May 1, 2017 17:58

pathetic little tramp: Dec 12, 2005; by Hillary Clinton's assassins; Fallen Rib

I guess you could say he is

*dons glasses*

losing his religion

# ? May 1, 2017 18:05

Malcolm Excellent: May 20, 2007; Buglord

R I P NWA Shacho Bruce Tharpe des

# ? May 1, 2017 18:05

coconono: Aug 11, 2004; KISS ME KRIS

There's a bunch of TX promotions that are loyal to Tharpe. I'm not sure how this is going to play out.

# ? May 1, 2017 18:09

super macho dude: Aug 9, 2014

Join The Farce

# ? May 1, 2017 18:10

grack: Jan 10, 2012; COACH TOTORO SAY REFEREE CAN BANISH WHISTLE TO LAND OF WIND AND GHOSTS!

Somebody should tell Corgan that it would be easier and faster to just set a pile of money on fire.

DoctorGonzo posted:

I have faith that the man who got owned by Dixie Carter will succeed

Well, Corgan did get all his money back, which is more than I can say for anyone else involved.

grack fucked around with this message at 18:19 on May 1, 2017

# ? May 1, 2017 18:14

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

Justice for Bruce Tharp

# ? May 1, 2017 18:36

DoctorGonzo: Jul 25, 2016; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Jarret is going to con Billy into a NWA-GFW feud. GFW will win.

# ? May 1, 2017 19:40

Defiance Industries: Jul 22, 2010; A five-star manufacturer

Midnightghoul posted:

I can't name one person in NWA

Big Daddy Yum Yum, the most improved wrestler?

# ? May 1, 2017 19:50

Sigma: Aug 24, 2003; ...; Grimey Drawer

Buying the NWA today is like buying Bob's Big Boy: it was huge in the medium years ago, but basically operates as a franchise company for the for remaining franchisees

I can't wait to hear about Billy jacking up the licensing fees in order to launch a national TV product that undermines the entire association.

If I owned a NWA franchise in 2017, I would start rebranding about twenty minutes ago

Sigma fucked around with this message at 20:03 on May 1, 2017

# ? May 1, 2017 20:00

Bigass Moth: Mar 6, 2004; I joined the #RXT REVOLUTION.

he knows...

This had better lead to a Bram NWA title reign.

# ? May 1, 2017 20:01

Mel Mudkiper: Jan 19, 2012; At this point, Mudman abruptly ends the conversation. He usually insists on the last word.

Midnightghoul posted:

I can't name one person in NWA

Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, DJ Ren...

# ? May 1, 2017 20:03

coconono: Aug 11, 2004; KISS ME KRIS

the NWA model only works if you have a touring group of proven draws under contact. Billy's gonna throw all his money on guys he likes that won't do poo poo for gates.

# ? May 1, 2017 20:18

astrollinthepork: Sep 24, 2007; When you come at the king, you best not miss, snitch

HE KNOWS

I saw the majestic Rob Conway defend the NWA title at River Valley High School in Caledonia, OH 4 years ago.

# ? May 1, 2017 20:27

EdsTeioh: Oct 23, 2004; PRAY FOR DEATH

So, what WAS the deal with Colt vacating the NWA title?

# ? May 1, 2017 20:47

DJExile: Jun 28, 2007

BRING BACK NWA MOUNTAIN STATE

# ? May 1, 2017 21:09

Bigass Moth: Mar 6, 2004; I joined the #RXT REVOLUTION.

he knows...

Just noticed that NWA's current champion is a 51 year old guy named Tim Storm with a killer roid gut. Now that's what I want out of my territory champ.

# ? May 1, 2017 21:13

coconono: Aug 11, 2004; KISS ME KRIS

EdsTeioh posted:

So, what WAS the deal with Colt vacating the NWA title?

This was pre-Tharpe. Colt and Pearce were doing a best of 7 with the title using NWA Hollywood's TV spot as the setting for the feud. Bob Trobich didn't like that and made lovely demands. Colt and Pearce both said gently caress it, so 2nd Hand Sheik ended up with the belt after putting down a cash deposit on it.

# ? May 1, 2017 21:15

Lid: Feb 18, 2005; And the mercy seat is awaiting,
And I think my head is burning,
And in a way I'm yearning,
To be done with all this measuring of proof.
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth,
And anyway I told the truth,
And I'm not afraid to die.

Bring back The Sheikh

# ? May 1, 2017 21:18

Mel Mudkiper: Jan 19, 2012; At this point, Mudman abruptly ends the conversation. He usually insists on the last word.

coconono posted:

the NWA model only works if you have a touring group of proven draws under contact. Billy's gonna throw all his money on guys he likes that won't do poo poo for gates.

I almost wonder if several major Indies could ever work together in a territory system again or if the internet has killed that.

# ? May 1, 2017 21:52

EdsTeioh: Oct 23, 2004; PRAY FOR DEATH

coconono posted:

This was pre-Tharpe. Colt and Pearce were doing a best of 7 with the title using NWA Hollywood's TV spot as the setting for the feud. Bob Trobich didn't like that and made lovely demands. Colt and Pearce both said gently caress it, so 2nd Hand Sheik ended up with the belt after putting down a cash deposit on it.

2nd Hand Sheik ftw

# ? May 1, 2017 21:54

Davros1: Jul 19, 2007; You've got to admit, you are kind of implausible

Mel Mudkiper posted:

I almost wonder if several major Indies could ever work together in a territory system again or if the internet has killed that.

I think the same poo poo would happen again with promoters egos getting involved and everyone looking out for themselves to the detriment of the overall business.

I give it a year unit Corgan sells the whole shebang to the WWE.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:07

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

Mel Mudkiper posted:

I almost wonder if several major Indies could ever work together in a territory system again or if the internet has killed that.

Nationwode cable distribution killed that 30 years ago.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:15

corn in the bible: Jun 5, 2004; Oh no oh god it's all true!

Davros1 posted:

I think the same poo poo would happen again with promoters egos getting involved and everyone looking out for themselves to the detriment of the overall business.

I give it a year unit Corgan sells the whole shebang to the WWE.

Somehow Dixie gets it due to another confusing lawsuit

# ? May 1, 2017 22:20

CubsWoo: Aug 17, 2005; Where the big boys RAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGH FUCK YOU

Bigass Moth posted:

51 year old guy named Tim Storm with a killer roid gut.

quote:

Nicknames
"Big"

Looks good to me

# ? May 1, 2017 22:21

Jerusalem: May 20, 2004; Would you be my new best friends?

Midnightghoul posted:

I can't name one person in NWA

Bruce Thar.... wait I guess he's gone now? :smith:

# ? May 1, 2017 22:37

TheRico: Mar 1, 2007

Turns out "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" is the title for Corgan's time in the business.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:40

Okuteru: Nov 10, 2007; Choose this life you're on your own

Remember when a 70-something Greg Valentine won the NWA world title a few years ago.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:43

MassRafTer: May 26, 2001; BAEST MODE!!!

Forceholy posted:

Remember when a 70-something Greg Valentine won the NWA world title a few years ago.

No?

# ? May 1, 2017 22:53

rare Magic card l00k: Jan 3, 2011

He might be thinking of then-57 Ricky Morton winning the NWA Light Heavyweight Championship.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:54

Okuteru: Nov 10, 2007; Choose this life you're on your own

rare Magic card l00k posted:

He might be thinking of then-57 Ricky Morton winning the NWA Light Heavyweight Championship.

There you go. My bad.

# ? May 1, 2017 22:57

Davros1: Jul 19, 2007; You've got to admit, you are kind of implausible

Nothing will ever beat WWE putting the US title on Bret Hart, who couldn't physically compete, at all.

# ? May 1, 2017 23:01

Mel Mudkiper: Jan 19, 2012; At this point, Mudman abruptly ends the conversation. He usually insists on the last word.

CubsWoo posted:

Looks good to me

I really want that guy in the corner to be his manager

"Cowboy Crossing Guard" Tex Malhoon, the most high concept gimmick this side of Dragon's Gate

# ? May 1, 2017 23:03

Go RV!: Jun 19, 2008; Uglier on the inside.

maybe NWA will get the ROH timeslot once WWE buys it out and kills it

# ? May 1, 2017 23:17

Push El Burrito: May 9, 2006; Soiled Meat

This is a good match since neither of them have been relevant since 1979.

# ? May 1, 2017 23:34

Tomahawk: Aug 13, 2003; HE KNOWS

When people talk about indie wrestling this is what they mean right

# ? May 1, 2017 23:42

Pinche Rudo: Feb 8, 2005

Push El Burrito posted:

This is a good match since neither of them have been relevant since 1979.

Slow clap, good sir

# ? May 1, 2017 23:57

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# ? Apr 23, 2024 20:14

OJ MIST 2 THE DICK: Sep 11, 2008; Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes
And I am taken to a place
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings
Take up shelter in the base of my spine
Sweet like a chica cherry cola
-Cheap Trick; Nap Ghost

Davros1 posted:

Nothing will ever beat WWE putting the US title on Bret Hart, who couldn't physically compete, at all.

WCW putting the title on a guy in back who left the company the next day.

# ? May 2, 2017 00:00

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > National Wrestling Alliance: Somehow not dead...yet

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