>>7410434I hate VKM a plenty, but even if they hadn't already acquired most of both companys best guys, WCW by '01 hadn't turned a profit in years, and ECW never turned a profit even in their prime. Even if both companies landed five-year TV deals in early '01, they were both years away from touching the WWF at best.
Even AEW, which has done about as well challenging New York as any company's done since mid-'90s WCW, still isn't close to beating Raw in the ratings. Nor is it likely they'll get there for at least another two years, especially now that AEW's biggest star's almost assuredly persona non grata.