Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #88603 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-06
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Synopsis
Under Eric Bishoff's watch as president of WCW, the company went head to head with Vince McMahon's WWE and beat them at their own game before WCW itself spectacularly imploded. But by then, Bishoff had made an indelible mark on televised wrestling, producing shows that had appeared more dangerous, more sexy, and more edgy than anything that had come before. He did this to such an extent that in 2002, McMahon seized the chance to bring in his former nemesis as General Manager of RAW; since then, true to form, Bishoff regularly surprises fans with matches that would once have been unthinkable for television. In this revelatory look at his life and career, Bishoff frankly discusses the things he did, both right and wrong, as he helped shape the sports entertainment industry into today's billion dollar business.

Customer Reviews

A refreshing autobiography
Controversy Creates Cash is certainly a unique and enjoyable autobiography.Rather than a reliance on constant storylines which is so common in wrestling books,it was refreshing to read his perspective focusing on the business aspect and his mode for how to create entertaining television, such as marketing practices as well as the issues he had to face.While it could be said that Eric Bischoff does deflect some of the reasons wcw went out of business (eg the merger as opposed to the poor use of talent),it is undoubtable an interesting and entertaining read.

Mark David Bradshaw

Not great, but not bad either.
I got through this book in about 3 days... I don't know if thats because it was so interesting or what but I came away from it remembering Sean O'Haires line "but I'm not telling you anything you don't already know". I hated WCW, but I like Bischoff, and it was interesting to read his side of the story. The only problem is that so much detail is lacking, and so much more could have been said. I thought it was a little disappointing, glossing over years of really, really bad booking at WCW and failing to answer several of the standard criticisms that were levelled at the company. I'm glad I read the book but I think unless you're a Bischoff fan you're really not going to get much from it. To be honest (and don't laugh) I actually enjoyed Hogan's book more!

Worth a look- but be sure to get both sides.
I really enjoyed reading this. I was an avid wrestling fan during the wars, and the issues that surfaced since the battle ended remain of interest. So much so that many a book has been published.
Eric Bischoff's book has plenty going for it in terms of credibility. He knew the financial details, and the insider information which (as he claims throughout)"dirt sheets" simply think they know, or make up.
Bischoff has the decency to admit to making mistakes with personal issues. Arn Anderson was a true "blue collar" worker, and his send-off, with the nWo mocking him for no felt reason (there was no angle with him or the Horsemen planned) was a disgrace. At least Eric admits to it now.
I still feel some mistakes were kept from us, which is why I suggest anyone with more then a passing interest looks for additional material. He talked about how Kiss were a marketing dream, yet fails to reason why the segments with them performing did nothing to improve the ratings war, the sole reason they were brought in.
However he does shed plenty light on how the company got taken away from him. He was forced to work under conditions which meant WCW were the inferior product, and I think he does a good job convincing people this was the case (it convinced me over other accounts anyway). The AOL-Time Warner merger was demonstrated to be a key issue, one of the best parts of the book came when he was meeting executives, who were trying to tell him what he could and couldnt do.
"What is my show called?"
"Um...Nitro"
"What night is it on?"
No answer.
This, I feel, highlights superbly what he was up against.
He mentions "Chemical abuse" throughout. Following the time that this book was written, former WCW superstar Chris Benoit killed his wife and son, followed a day later by himself. WWE have come under scrutiny for refusing to recongise the drug problem in wrestling, at least Bischoff has to an extent here.
Bischoff's book gives a great insight into how a tiny organisation became a mulit-million dollar machine, then went out of buisness. Well worth a look, but as Ive said be sure to query some of his more dubious soundign claims.