If it's wrestling analogies you're interested in, then don't mind if I do...
I'd argue that we currently sit in the middle of Orlando's version of pro wrestling's "Monday Night Wars" of the 1990s, which pitted wrestling promoter Vince McMahon's
World Wrestling Federation (WWF) against media mogul Ted Turner's
World Championship Wresting (WCW).
Now, analogies are never perfect, but I'm always amazed by how many parallels exist with this one...
Through savvy business decisions in the early 1980s, plus the emerging star power of Hulk Hogan (Mickey Mouse),
World Wrestling Federation (TWDC) developed into the world's most recognizable professional wrestling brand. By 1995, Vince McMahon (Disney > Eisner > Iger) had built WWF into an unchallenged giant within the industry and American culture. Eventually, with a lack of competition, complacent management styles and the emerging 1990s counter-culture of Generation X, it became evident to wrestling fans that Vince McMahon and WWF's version of storytelling, which was traditionally campy, unimaginative and predictable, wasn't aging well (Epcot and DHS stagnation). Yet, with no serious competition, McMahon and company were never given a reason to be self aware.
Enter billionaire Ted Turner and
World Championship Wrestling (Universal/Blackstone/Comcast). Through an aggressive business strategy, Ted Turner and WCW began challenging the industry dominance of WWF. This was never more apparent than when Ted Turner premiered
WCW Monday Nitro (Universal Orlando Resort) on TNT Network to compete directly against WWF's flagship television show
Monday Night RAW (Walt Disney World) on USA Network in 1996. What would follow would be an all-out, arms race between these two competing television shows (resorts) to capture the attention of wrestling fans (tourists) on monday night (on vacation).
Unfortunately for McMahon, Turner's
Monday Nitro not only cut into his monday night cable share, it was also an edgier, perfectly Generation X-geared wrestling show (Wizarding World of Harry Potter). In addition, Turner's deep pockets allowed WCW to lure away many of the well-known wrestling stars of the time, like Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall from WWF, in effect, giving WCW the more relevant wrestlers (or IPs
). By 1997, Ted Turner's WCW had surpassed WWF when considering many of the industry's measuring sticks, like monday night television ratings and pay-per-view buy rates (attendance growth). In addition, wrestling fans generally believed Turner's WCW provided a more interesting, complex and relevant product than McMahon's WWF.
At first, McMahon didn't know what hit him and therefore had trouble adjusting, which resulted in a costly financial agreement with a wrestler named Bret Hart (Fantasy Land redo). However, Hart was hardly a house hold name like "Hulk Hogan" and was viewed as a "doubling down" on a failing strategy. The decision did little to effect WWF's poor ratings (park attendance). McMahon would not see real recovery, or growth, until he adopted some of WCW's edgier strategies (engaging, all-immersive lands). These adjustments by McMahon resulted in a product that was modern and highly geared toward late-90s culture (millennials, parental Gen Xers). Now, relying on younger, more relevant characters that stretched the boundaries of their traditional storytelling techniques, such as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Paul Levesque a.k.a. "Triple H" (or the Pixar Lands, Pandora, Galaxy's Edge, Zootopia, etc), WWF's ratings and pay-per-view buy rates skyrocketed and they soon regained market dominance. Eventually, McMahon and the WWF would also regain perception as an industry leader and innovator.
…and that's where the analogy ends. As a big wrestling and Disney fan, I've always had this kicking around in my head.
***sorry for such a LONG inaugural post
