Bischoff on Wrestling Recap – Working as a Guest Referee, Bret Hart in WCW, Why Was Bischoff Hired in TNA? More!
Bischoff is joined on today’s show by his co-host Nick Hausman. Today’s show will be a question and answer session with Bischoff.
One listener writes into the show and asks Bischoff what he considers to be the new key performance indicator for professional wrestling, since television ratings are starting to become out of date. Bischoff thinks that’s a great question and he’s not really sure if the answer. There’s no denying that television ratings were his main consideration in WCW in the late 90s, but today’s promotions don’t seem to be nearly as motivated by ratings alone.
Another listener asks Bischoff if he thinks finishing moves are beginning to become obsolete. Bischoff says that the style of professional wrestling that we see today requires different things from the performers, and finishing moves aren’t nearly as ‘effective’ as they have been in years prior. Fans seem to enjoy multiple false finishes in matches, and this devalues finishing moves. He believes the devaluation of finishing moves is a result of the change in the in-ring product over the last two decades.
The next listener asks Bischoff what it was like to be a guest referee. Bischoff says that he hated it, and he always felt very uncomfortable. Being a professional wrestling referee is an art within itself, and it takes a lot of time and practice in order to master. He points out that a good referee does more than count to 3, they direct the match and are as important to the match’s execution as the two talents involved.