ECW 2006

So we're 2 weeks in to the new ECW and the reviews are mixed at best. I'm hardly on the "extreme" negative end of things like a lot of people, but I also don't think there is any way the ECW of the past is coming back.

The largest hurdle to me is taping at large arenas that WWE shows are what people bought tickets to see. ECW in it's day was an outlaw promotion who's fans hated the current wrestling product and wanted something new. Small 600-2000 seat buildings created a totally different atmosphere then the generic WWE big arena shows. The low key, low class buildings were very much a part of the ECW experience. The idea of dimming the lights this past week certainly helped but it's simply not the same. If you ever attending an ECW show in the day, much like at One Night Stand, the audience was part of the experience. The chants, the bringing "plunder" to the show, the close proximity of the wrestlers...That's simply not going to happen at the DCU Center, Wachovia Center, etc.

The other major hurdle is the wrestlers themselves. Other then Sabu and maybe Sandman in his new role none of the old school ECW guys are going to get over with the fans. Most are being used as cannon fodder for the new WWE ECW guys and are there simply to bridge the gap for the old fans. They are going to have to stand by their concept of building and all new ECW. This is going to mean making stars of unknown development types. Paul Heyman has the ability to do this. The question is going to be will the other writers and VKM going to let this happen. Most of the WWE guys will consider moving to ECW a step down. You can already see a LOT of them are uncomfortable being so close to the unwashed masses. The other thing will be work rate and style. They have them on a pretty busy house show schedule right now and if they're working old ECW style, that's going to take it's toll.

I truly think this can work, but it's going to take time. Once the initial ECW/WWE feud ends (I don't think it will ever end totally but rather become less of a focus) they are going to have to truly develop their own style and stars for this thing to work. I'm hoping it does but I'm also aware it won't be MY ECW. That's cool too as I'm not the same wrestling fan I was back then.