Millionaires Club
Encyclopedia
The Millionaire's Club was a professional wrestling
stable in World Championship Wrestling
in 2000.
decided that Kevin Sullivan
's booking style was not as successful as they had hoped. So, they decided to bring back former WCW president Eric Bischoff
and former head of creativity Vince Russo
, putting them together to run WCW with the thought that they could keep each other's failures in check.
Onscreen, Bischoff and Russo took over and declared all WCW championships vacant on April 10, 2000. They also declared a new stable with both of them at the helm called the New Blood. It consisted of most of the younger, up-and-coming wrestlers in WCW. Their main enemies became known as the Millionaire's Club, the older veteran stars of the company whom they claimed held back the younger talent. The idea was to get the younger talent over and generate more interest among the younger fans that watched the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) instead of WCW. Many argue that a primary reason the WWF defeated WCW in the Monday Night Wars
is because they greatly put over new talent rather than relying so heavily on long-established veterans. As such, this was seen as an overly extreme and late attempt at that strategy.
On April 16, 2000, at Spring Stampede
in Chicago, Illinois, all of the titles were filled with matches between the New Blood and the Millionaire's Club. The feuds continued for another month or so before both factions disbanded due to WCW management deciding the angle was not working due to it backfiring, as the Millionaire's Club got most of the positive fan reaction.
The true end of the angle occurred on July 9, after the infamous Vince Russo shoot, which caused Hogan and Bischoff to leave the promotion.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
in 2000.
History
In early 2000, World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
decided that Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)
Kevin Francis Sullivan is an American professional wrestler and booker, perhaps best known for his role in WCW as "The Taskmaster" and his leading of the "Dungeon of Doom".-Early career:...
's booking style was not as successful as they had hoped. So, they decided to bring back former WCW president Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
and former head of creativity Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, putting them together to run WCW with the thought that they could keep each other's failures in check.
Onscreen, Bischoff and Russo took over and declared all WCW championships vacant on April 10, 2000. They also declared a new stable with both of them at the helm called the New Blood. It consisted of most of the younger, up-and-coming wrestlers in WCW. Their main enemies became known as the Millionaire's Club, the older veteran stars of the company whom they claimed held back the younger talent. The idea was to get the younger talent over and generate more interest among the younger fans that watched the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) instead of WCW. Many argue that a primary reason the WWF defeated WCW in the Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars is the common term describing the period of mainstream televised American professional wrestling from September 4, 1995, to March 26, 2001. During this time, the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in a...
is because they greatly put over new talent rather than relying so heavily on long-established veterans. As such, this was seen as an overly extreme and late attempt at that strategy.
On April 16, 2000, at Spring Stampede
Spring Stampede
Spring Stampede was a professional wrestling pay-per-view from World Championship Wrestling held in the month of April in 1994 and then from 1997 to 2000.-1994:...
in Chicago, Illinois, all of the titles were filled with matches between the New Blood and the Millionaire's Club. The feuds continued for another month or so before both factions disbanded due to WCW management deciding the angle was not working due to it backfiring, as the Millionaire's Club got most of the positive fan reaction.
The true end of the angle occurred on July 9, after the infamous Vince Russo shoot, which caused Hogan and Bischoff to leave the promotion.
Members
- Ric FlairRic FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
- Scott HallScott HallScott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
- Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
- Kevin NashKevin NashKevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
- Diamond Dallas PageDiamond Dallas PageDallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
- Sting
- Sid ViciousSid EudySidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
- Curt HennigCurt HennigCurtis Michael "Curt" Hennig , also known by the ring name Mr. Perfect, was an American professional wrestler, manager and color commentator who worked for, among other promotions, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , the American Wrestling Association , World Championship Wrestling and the World...
- Lex LugerLex LugerLawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
- Miss ElizabethMiss ElizabethElizabeth Ann Hulette , best known as Miss Elizabeth, was an American professional wrestling manager. She gained international fame from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation, and the mid-1990s in World Championship Wrestling in her role as the manager to the late...
(managerManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
) - KroniKKroniKKroniK was an American professional wrestling tag team composed of Brian Adams and Bryan Clark. Their name was based on the word "chronic", a slang term for marijuana.-World Championship Wrestling :...
- Randy SavageRandy SavageRandall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
Associates of the Millionaire's Club
- Booker TBooker HuffmanRobert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
- Terry FunkTerry FunkTerrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
- Jim DugganJim DugganJames Edward Duggan , better known by his ring name "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment in the 1980s, when it was known as World Wrestling Federation , and World Championship Wrestling...
- Misfits In ActionMisfits In ActionThe Misfits In Action were a stable in World Championship Wrestling They were originally formed in 2000 from a group of wrestlers that Vince Russo considered too lazy to get over...
feuding with the Filthy AnimalsFilthy AnimalsThe Filthy Animals was a professional wrestling faction in World Championship Wrestling from 1999 until 2001.-Concept:The Filthy Animals was a group conceived after Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara were hired by WCW. The plan for the stable was to be WCW's version of the World Wrestling Federation's...
Championships and accomplishments
- World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
- WCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipWCW World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
(6 times) – Ric FlairRic FlairRichard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
(2), Kevin NashKevin NashKevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
(2), Sid ViciousSid ViciousSid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
(1), Diamond Dallas PageDiamond Dallas PageDallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
(1) - WCW World Tag Team ChampionshipWCW World Tag Team ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in World Championship Wrestling...
(1 time)- KronikKronikKronik may refer to:* KroniK, an American professional wrestling tag team* Kronik , 1998 album by Voivod* Kronik, a line of Warrior ice hockey sticks... - WCW Hardcore ChampionshipWCW Hardcore ChampionshipThe World Championship Wrestling Hardcore Championship was a title in World Championship Wrestling. The title was defended in Hardcore matches, in which there were few rules and restrictions and weapons were allowed. Eventually, the rules were changed so that matches began in the backstage area...
(2 time)- Terry FunkTerry FunkTerrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley... - WCW Cruiserweight ChampionshipWWE Cruiserweight ChampionshipThe World Wrestling Entertainment Cruiserweight Championship was a professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment and was originally a World Championship Wrestling title. It was challenged by cruiserweights at a maximum weight of 215 lbs...
(1 time) – Lt. Loco
- WCW World Heavyweight Championship