What did you think was ECW's biggest PPV?

[agent817]

Continuing on with my series of what certain promotion's biggest shows were (and I was inspired by the AEW thread about DoN being their version of WM), I decided to close out with this one.

Unlike WCW, ECW didn't last a full decade and their PPVs only went from 1997 to 2001. I just realized that November to Remember was the only one that had more longevity compared to the others, as that one had four PPV shows. The one that came close was Heat Wave, as that one had three and other ECW Arena shows before it, unlike the likes of Living Dangerously and Guilty as Charged (with the exception Hardcore Heaven as that had three PPV shows and other shows before that). Yes, I am aware that some of those events lasted longer as they had their shows at the ECW Arena before they had started having PPV shows, and I am not sure how they were shown as I did not know about ECW's existence until 1998 when I saw a PPV promo (I live on the west coast and I didn't get ECW until the PPVs were shown, and when ECW was on TNN).

I had read threads and stuff about how November to Remember was supposedly ECW's biggest show. I remember that Joey Styles sold it as such when I watched the pre-show for N2R 1998, but a lot of announcers say as such to help sell the event. The only N2R shows that I have watched were 1998 and 1999, but not 1997 and 2000, and I know that in 2000, ECW was in bad shape financially. However, that's not the point here as I don't want to get into that.

But at the same time, Heat Wave felt like it could have been ECW's second biggest show as it was their premiere summer show. WCW had Bash at the Beach. WWE has Summerslam. I suppose from 2006 to 2010, TNA/Impact had Victory Road as their summer show (unless it was Slammiversary as that's always held in June; or maybe Hardcore Justice with that being in August).

What do you think?

[Jindrak Mark]

I think November 2 Remember usually felt bigger. It was definitely the biggest in the pre-PPV days. Once they started on PPV I think it was supposed to be the marquee one too because they usually ran bigger arenas and had bigger crowds. In 97 for instance N2R had a crowd of 4,634 while Barely Legal had 1,170 and Hardcore Heaven had 1,800. The main event with Douglas beating Bigelow was a big deal too with the heel Douglas getting cheered by his hometown crowd and beginning his long title reign.

In 98 N2R was again the highest attended PPV, drawing 5,800 (just below ECW’s all-time record which was 6,000 for Anarchy Rulz 99). The show was mostly built around who Dreamer’s mystery tag partner would be and it ended up as Jake Roberts who got a big reaction even if he was in no condition to put on a good match.

It didn’t feel as big in 99 and was overshadowed by Anarchy Rulz the month before. It was main evented by a 6 man tag just like 98 but it was a pretty lackluster one that didn’t even last 10 minutes and was won by a brand new Rhino and midcard Impact Players. The 6 man the year before was way bigger (Triple Threat v RVD, Sabu and Taz).

I have no recollection of N2R 2000 (or any of their PPVs that year really). Looking it up and Steve Corino won the world title.

[Celexa Bliss 54]

So I've been thinking about it and if I had to pick the show that they put the most effort into making feel like a huge deal, it's November To Remember. You usually got a big marquee main event, huge developments, big debuts or returns, and, most importantly, the killer hype video set to Guns and Roses' "November Rain". It really felt like the show where the major storylines either ended or had the stakes upped.

[Deleted]

For some reason the only ECW PPV I bought (talked my parents into buying) back in the day was ECW November 2 Remember 1998 so that is it by default for me...Must have been Jake Roberts hell I dunno I was 14 haha


Note: 37-year-old me wont go re-watch it though cause by all accounts it's a terrible show

[agent817]

Jun 7, 2022 20:07:50 GMT -5 @slickrickstyles said:

For some reason the only ECW PPV I bought (talked my parents into buying) back in the day was ECW November 2 Remember 1998 so that is it by default for me...Must have been Jake Roberts hell I dunno I was 14 haha


Note: 37-year-old me wont go re-watch it though cause by all accounts it's a terrible show

Oh, I could tell you that it's not that good of a show. I have watched it, and it's not that good.

[Tea & Crumpets]

I found a VHS of Anarchy Rulz 99 in around 2003 or so and it sold me on ECW when I'd previously barely heard of it (I only started watching WWE in autumn 2002 when we got Sky, was WCW before that).
Seeking out more ECW after that, I enjoyed it but never found a show which felt as "big" to me with the possible exception of Heatwave 98 or GAC99, so Anarchy Rulz Heatwave and Guilty As Charged felt like their biggest 3 to me. Maybe Living Dangerously also. I was probably spoiled by starting on one of their best PPVs and their biggest crowd but if AR99 isn't the actual peak it's definitely the final moment the company felt "big" before the decline began, N2R99 is a bit flat.