I watched in the 80s thanks to TBS, before Turner bought the company, when Jim Crockett Jr was in charge and it was the NWA. The production values were not as slick as WWE (this is circa 86-87 range) but they were good enough. The promos were often more adult and violent in nature compared to WWE and the in ring wrestling was far superior, they also had a much higher level of brutality in their matches (old school NWA cage matches are the basis for todays Hell In A Cell just like todays Elimination Chamber is based in part on the War Games Matches). The talent was unreal, Jim Cornett & Midnight Express vs Rock & Roll Express was an awesome tag team feud back when tag team wrestling was a big deal (WWE tried to duplicate this creating the Hart Foundation, whth their wimpy, loud, southern manager, vs British Bulldogs), the bad *@# biker Road Warriors had an awesome look and gimmick, one of the 1st true examples of wrestlers changing from heel to face due to the positive crowd reaction to their character in spite of their booking (imitated by WWE with creation of Demolition), The Horsemen were great villains, particularly Flair & Tully Blanchard, nationwide no wrestler in the 80s was more popular than Dusty Rhodes except Hogan, Young stars like Magnum TA, Sting, & Nikita Kolloff were very popular, plus a good mix of veterans like Wahoo McDaniel, et all. Those programs circa 84-88 were often much more entertaining than the more kid friendly, Disney like WWE.
I think the 1st year after Turner's buyout (89) was good at the top of the card with Flair, Steamboat, Luger, Sting, Funk, and Mutah but the midcard was poorly promoted (a problem the company would struggle with throughout the 90s). Once Flair and Road Warriors left I quit watching, although Im aware of how good Ron Simmons was (I liked him earlier with Butch Reed in the tag team Doom), plus Sting, Rich Rude (who wrestled in the NWA 86-87 before joining WWE), Vader, all did good work even if the product was lackluster.
Flair's return and subsequent runs vs Vader & Steamboat were very entertaining pre Hogan. WCW was building a strong undercard in this time period getting good returns on Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, Steven Regal, and Mick Foley, not too mention a young "Johnny B Badd" Marc Mero and Harlem Heat tag team. I actually really started enjoying the product in WCW 93-94 range more than WWE. Before Hogan signed it seemed WCW was heading for a Rick Rude faceturn, a major run vs Vader, and maybe a vs Flair and Sting in the World title scene which had a lot of potential. Ultimately Rude's injury and Hogan joining nixed much of that.
Favorite moments, there were many, Dusty & Magnum getting shafted by JJ Dillion in the $100,000 vs TV Title match with Tully Blanchard, Flair's feud with Jimmy Garvin over Prescious (the manequin date promo is an all time classic), Magnum TA vs Nikita Kolloff in the best of 7 series for the US title, Magnum vs Blanchard and the two title changes, Midnight Express cowardly trying to avoid The Road Warriors, Flair vs Ricky Morton (the training bra promo, the cement face rub locker room beat down, the cage matches), Simmons title push, Vader & Harley Race as a tandem, Hollywood Blondes, great Flair bouts vs Whyndam and Steamboat. Lotta great memories.
