Title: The Death of WCW
Author: R.D. Reynolds
First published October 14, 2014
456 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781770411760 (ISBN10: 1770411763)
Rating: 4.03
Overview
In the late 90s, World Championship Wrestling was ruling the pro wrestling world. With its high ratings, sold-out arenas and a fan base that was growing by the day, WCW seemed invincible.
However, just a few years later, the company had hit rock bottom. It had lost a staggering 95% of its audience and was sold for next to nothing to Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment.
What happened? The expanded and updated version of The Death of WCW provides a comprehensive analysis of the company’s decline, featuring even more commentary from the people who were there.
This book serves as a cautionary tale for WWE and TNA as they approach the 15th anniversary of WCW’s collapse.
Editoral Review
The Death of WCW by R.D. Reynolds is a book that examines the fall of one of the biggest sports entertainment brands, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), in the early 2000s. Reynolds, a wrestling historian and enthusiast, provides an in-depth analysis of the events leading to the demise of the company, including its mismanagement, reckless spending, and internal power struggles.
Through meticulous research and interviews with key players, Reynolds presents a comprehensive account of how WCW, once a formidable rival to the WWE, went from dominating the wrestling world to becoming an industry punchline. The book’s clear and accessible writing style conveys complex events and concepts without sacrificing detail or nuance.
The Death of WCW has significant cultural significance, as it offers a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the wrestling industry and highlights the consequences of corporate greed and mismanagement. Given the ongoing discussions around workers’ rights and fair pay in the current wrestling landscape, Reynolds’ work is as relevant now as when it was first published in 2004.
The strongest aspect of the book is its blend of rigorous research and hilarious anecdotes. Reynolds balances heavy-handed analysis with punchy one-liners, making it a compelling read for both wrestling fans and non-fans alike.
The book’s pacing is excellent, with the author building tension and suspense throughout as he chronicles the unraveling of WCW. However, The Death of WCW is not without its flaws.
There are points where the author lapses into repetition, going over events that have already been exhaustively covered. The book’s focus on the top-level executives within the organization means that some of the wrestlers and lesser-known personalities aren’t given the same amount of attention or depth.
Overall, though, The Death of WCW is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of wrestling or corporate failures. Reynolds’ thorough research and entertaining writing style make it a definitive account of the inner workings of WCW’s collapse.
It provides a valuable insight into the consequences of unchecked corporate greed, and the lessons it offers are as important now as they were in the early 2000s. For these reasons, The Washington Post recommends The Death of WCW to anyone interested in the intersection of wrestling and business with a rating of 4.5/5.
