Post by Booker Thee on Jan 18, 2005 2:31:59 GMT -5
Courtesy Moondogmanson.com
Mike Davidson Posted on Jun 10 2004, 03:53 AM
Tony Condello to this day takes credit for some of the misfortune that sent Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association down the tubes. Nearly 20 years later, Condello still can be heard telling the story of how he ended the AWA's stranglehold over Winnipeg.
Told to me last year over lunch, (that's right, Condello and I did have lunch), the story goes something like this.
At some point between 84 and 86, Vince McMahon personally called Tony Condello to see if Tony could help Vince break into the Winnipeg market. Vince realised that Winnipeg was one of AWA's top money making markets (reports say that Verne was pulling in high 6 figures annually in Winnipeg at his peak). McMahon wished to have Condello work with the new vision for the global dominator that would become of the World Wrestling Federation.
Condello initially resisted, but having old scores to settle with Verne Gagne, Tony decided this could be the ultimate payback. As it was, in the early 80's Condello used to use Freddie Peloquin, simply as Mad Dog on some of his shows, and benefited from the immense marketability of Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon. When Verne Gagne heard that Condello was essentially infringing on an unofficial copyright, he immediately booked Freddie to do TV squash matches. He gave him the name "Puppy Dog" Peloquin, and instructed that the TV cameras caught close-ups of Freddie's face to ensure that no more people would be fooled into believing he was "Mad Dog". A furious Condello, with the Italian blood boiling swore he would get back at Gagne, and now McMahon was presenting the perfect opportunity.
At the time, Condello ran West Four Promotions (also known as West Four Wrestling Alliance), and while he was a successful second fiddle in this market, he did not have the television penetration, or the mainstream stars of the AWA. So he was limited as to what he could against Gagne.
The pair, Condello and McMahon, would team to produce an event at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, an event which would mark the return of Gagne's former top draws in the market, Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant. This event occurred in 1984 or 1985. And despite strong interest locally, it failed to out do the established product American Wrestling Association, which ran the Winnipeg Arena.
At this point Verne Gagne held a lease that was seemingly unbreakable. He would promote events in Winnipeg with a 30 day no-compete clause. At this time he was in Winnipeg every third Thursday night, and essentially made the Arena his venue to do what he wanted (what the MTS Centre would do to have a tenant 17 nights per year). Condello began an all out effort to break this lease. And met with the board of Winnipeg Enterprises. After much lobbying, a little negotiating, some strong arming, and potentially a favour or two, Condello was successful, and the Winnipeg Arena management sent word to Verne Gagne that they would be essentially breaking the lease by opening the Arena to all who wished to use it for Wrestling (perhaps a mistake when you consider the Arena lost considerable business after Vince started only coming twice a year).
Nick Bockwinkle later would tell Tony Condello, that it was potentially the worse day of Gagne's life when he found out that Condello, his earlier arch-enemy from Winnipeg, teamed with his newer arch-enemy Vince McMahon and essentially allowed the WWF to steal one of his top three markets.
Immediately following the knowledge that Vince could now run Winnipeg's most coveted wrestling venue, he immediately scored the AWA's deal with CKND and began running Saturday nights at 6pm, with WWF Maple Leaf Wrestling. That move essentially reversed the roles of the companies, with McMahon's then WWF controlling the market and Gagne's AWA, left with one fewer profitable market. A move he ultimately would not recover from, as three and a half years later, and a very diluted version of the American Wrestling Association would shut their doors for good.
Now as the 20 year anniversary of the expansion of Vince McMahon and WWE continues to roll along, one has to wonder...
What if all the Territorial promoters had stopped being so cut throat, and together worked to protect their individual Business?
What if...?
We do know now that, Condello became no stronger, the AWA became considerably weaker, and Vince continued to steamroll to the position he is now, an unchallenged entity. I can't help but wonder where the careers of Brian Jewel, Chi Chi Cruz, and many others would be all over North America would be, had the AWA, Jim Crockett's and Fritz Von Erich been able to keep going.
Mike Davidson Posted on Jun 10 2004, 03:53 AM
Tony Condello to this day takes credit for some of the misfortune that sent Verne Gagne's American Wrestling Association down the tubes. Nearly 20 years later, Condello still can be heard telling the story of how he ended the AWA's stranglehold over Winnipeg.
Told to me last year over lunch, (that's right, Condello and I did have lunch), the story goes something like this.
At some point between 84 and 86, Vince McMahon personally called Tony Condello to see if Tony could help Vince break into the Winnipeg market. Vince realised that Winnipeg was one of AWA's top money making markets (reports say that Verne was pulling in high 6 figures annually in Winnipeg at his peak). McMahon wished to have Condello work with the new vision for the global dominator that would become of the World Wrestling Federation.
Condello initially resisted, but having old scores to settle with Verne Gagne, Tony decided this could be the ultimate payback. As it was, in the early 80's Condello used to use Freddie Peloquin, simply as Mad Dog on some of his shows, and benefited from the immense marketability of Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon. When Verne Gagne heard that Condello was essentially infringing on an unofficial copyright, he immediately booked Freddie to do TV squash matches. He gave him the name "Puppy Dog" Peloquin, and instructed that the TV cameras caught close-ups of Freddie's face to ensure that no more people would be fooled into believing he was "Mad Dog". A furious Condello, with the Italian blood boiling swore he would get back at Gagne, and now McMahon was presenting the perfect opportunity.
At the time, Condello ran West Four Promotions (also known as West Four Wrestling Alliance), and while he was a successful second fiddle in this market, he did not have the television penetration, or the mainstream stars of the AWA. So he was limited as to what he could against Gagne.
The pair, Condello and McMahon, would team to produce an event at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, an event which would mark the return of Gagne's former top draws in the market, Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant. This event occurred in 1984 or 1985. And despite strong interest locally, it failed to out do the established product American Wrestling Association, which ran the Winnipeg Arena.
At this point Verne Gagne held a lease that was seemingly unbreakable. He would promote events in Winnipeg with a 30 day no-compete clause. At this time he was in Winnipeg every third Thursday night, and essentially made the Arena his venue to do what he wanted (what the MTS Centre would do to have a tenant 17 nights per year). Condello began an all out effort to break this lease. And met with the board of Winnipeg Enterprises. After much lobbying, a little negotiating, some strong arming, and potentially a favour or two, Condello was successful, and the Winnipeg Arena management sent word to Verne Gagne that they would be essentially breaking the lease by opening the Arena to all who wished to use it for Wrestling (perhaps a mistake when you consider the Arena lost considerable business after Vince started only coming twice a year).
Nick Bockwinkle later would tell Tony Condello, that it was potentially the worse day of Gagne's life when he found out that Condello, his earlier arch-enemy from Winnipeg, teamed with his newer arch-enemy Vince McMahon and essentially allowed the WWF to steal one of his top three markets.
Immediately following the knowledge that Vince could now run Winnipeg's most coveted wrestling venue, he immediately scored the AWA's deal with CKND and began running Saturday nights at 6pm, with WWF Maple Leaf Wrestling. That move essentially reversed the roles of the companies, with McMahon's then WWF controlling the market and Gagne's AWA, left with one fewer profitable market. A move he ultimately would not recover from, as three and a half years later, and a very diluted version of the American Wrestling Association would shut their doors for good.
Now as the 20 year anniversary of the expansion of Vince McMahon and WWE continues to roll along, one has to wonder...
What if all the Territorial promoters had stopped being so cut throat, and together worked to protect their individual Business?
What if...?
We do know now that, Condello became no stronger, the AWA became considerably weaker, and Vince continued to steamroll to the position he is now, an unchallenged entity. I can't help but wonder where the careers of Brian Jewel, Chi Chi Cruz, and many others would be all over North America would be, had the AWA, Jim Crockett's and Fritz Von Erich been able to keep going.