Bret should have went to ECW.

[ShinobiMusashi]

Bret was hardcore. I loved his work with Austin at WM 13. He actually wrestled Terry Funk in an ECW show if I remember correctly. It was a Terry Funk tribute show, and was his retirement show. Bret was WWF champion at the time iirc.

I don't think the WCW did as much as they could have with Bret in 98/99. Had Bret went to the ECW at that time, he would have skyrocketed the popularity of the promotion. He could have worked with Shane Douglas, Taz, Bam Bam Bigelow, Chris Candido, the Dudleys, Lance Storm. There were a lot of interesting things they could have done, and he would have gotten some good young talent over with a big push(Lance Storm, RVD).

I think it would have been great for his career, and for the ECW. Even after a year in the WCW(98), he could have done a lot for the ECW in 99.

 

[Steve Starlight]

Although I do agree that Bret would have done good things in ECW, the problem is the one thing that made ECW die, money. Bret got a huge salary in WCW and there was no way ECW could have paid him that money.

 

[Odisho]

I agree with steve starlight, but bret should have jumped to ECW, its funny because i was just watching the rise and fall of ECW, iv been an original ECW fan, but after watching the DVD i learned a ton of things, ECW didnt have anything political or stuff like that. the wrestlers were doing alot for ECW outside the ring, lke Taz who acctyally made the merchendise like shirts and posters and such. they were really holding on by finger tips. And whats amazing is they lasted as long as they did.

TO THE QUESTION, yes i think bret would have been better off going to ECW, maybe ECW would be on still today. Paul Heyman stood for his wrestlers and acctually cared for them. unlike WCW. WCW tried to kill ECW by stealing their stars such and dean melinko, chris benoit, eddie guerrero. If bret went to ECW, im sure bret would bring his fans to ECW and help it get more known. And as i remember WWE/F tried helping ECW alot.

 

[The Brain]

Paul Heyman couldn't even afford to pay his own guys how the hell was he going to pay Bret? I'm pretty confident in saying that WCW paid Bret more in one year than Heyman paid his entire roster combined over a five year period. Bret wasn't going to go from headlining MSG to the bingo hall for a bunch of bounced checks. It's fun to think about from a fantasy booking point of view but it's just not realistic.

 

[kokoBawesome]

I'd love to make a comparison.... This is like John Cena going to FCW, or instead of Edge retiring he signs with Chirkara.

Bret was a money guy. Even if he wasn't, his wife was. On top of that, the extreme thing is for young crazy guys trying to break in (jerry lynn), guys with limited skill but balls (balls mahoney, sabu), or old guys winding down (Bam Bam, Funk). Not to be disrespectful to the ECW guys, but there is a reason the really talented ones weren't there long (Eddie, jericho). Bret Hart vs the Sandman or Bret vs Flair.... I'd feel better about my career wrestling Flair.

I won't deny that ECW would have had enough money to pay their guys if Bret spent a few months there.

 

[WunNightStan619]

Paul Heyman couldn't even afford to pay his own guys how the hell was he going to pay Bret? I'm pretty confident in saying that WCW paid Bret more in one year than Heyman paid his entire roster combined over a five year period. Bret wasn't going to go from headlining MSG to the bingo hall for a bunch of bounced checks. It's fun to think about from a fantasy booking point of view but it's just not realistic.

Absolutely right. Bret still had a family to support, ECW couldnt pay him what he needed, maybe even at all. Not a very realistic idea. Hell Bret wudda stayed eith WWF if they could match what WCW was giving him

 

[#hamler]

ECW would have never reached the popularity the WWF and WCW did back in the late '90's. Yet, it was a fine place for wrestlers like Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio to get their name out there to show off their talents and whatnot. ECW was more of a stepping stone for some very fine athletes. I can't imagine why Bret would want anything to do with ECW in the '90's. Other than a select few, ECW's wrestlers were complete garbage and I'm sure Bret didn't want to lower himself to that level. Bret was a one time the ultimate star of the WWF, wrestling in front of 20,000 strong. Why would anyone want to go from a powerful juggernaut like the WWF to a small company which could barely keep it's doors open? Bret would've meshed fine with some of the better athletes but ECW wasn't the place for him.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Paul Heyman couldn't even afford to pay his own guys how the hell was he going to pay Bret? I'm pretty confident in saying that WCW paid Bret more in one year than Heyman paid his entire roster combined over a five year period. Bret wasn't going to go from headlining MSG to the bingo hall for a bunch of bounced checks. It's fun to think about from a fantasy booking point of view but it's just not realistic.

Exactly right.

It would not have made any financial sense for Bret Hart to go to ECW, and Paul Heyman would have never been able to afford him. He was still one of the biggest names in the business at that time. Perhaps if he had been a free agent then ECW could have brought him in for 1 or 2 shows to boost the company.

It would have been a major coup for ECW to ever sign the Hitman, and his fans would likely have followed him to the promotion, therefore making money for ECW, boosting its popularity and who knows where the company would have gone had Bret been there and stayed healthy.

There are alot of good feuds that he could have been a part of, but its all wishful thinking, Hart would never have gone to ECW on a full-time basis.

 

[ShinobiMusashi]

I think Bret would have boosted their PPV revenue's through the roof. Would that not have been enough to pay him?

ECW had outgrown the ECW arena by 1999. They were filling up some decent sized venues by that time, just look at the crowds they drew for Hardcore Heaven 99, Anarchy Rulz 99, and even their Heatwave 2000 in LA. Even though they outgrew the ECW arena, it was still their homebase for their fans. A name like Bret Hart would have helped them get more casual fans to buy their PPV's, and may have helped them pass the WCW up as #2. I think the ECW was closer to passing up WCW in 99 than most people realize.

The only thing that really ever held the ECW back was TV coverage. Had their been a network around like Spike TV, or all of these satellite sports channels like VS, and Fuel back then, and the ECW made some moves to sign a name like Bret Hart they would have passed up WCW for sure as the #2 behind WWF in 99. There just wasn't anywhere for them to go on TV, so they just couldn't draw the PPV numbers they needed to stay alive.

The ECW had a rabid fanbase that was growing in 99-00, whereas the WCW was in decline. the ECW's growth was cut when they lost tv coverage.