Eric Bischoff has admitted he regrets bringing Bret Hart to WCW in 1997.
During a recent episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, former President of WCW, Eric Bischoff openly admitted that he regrets signing the five-time WWE Champion. He described the situation as a losing scenario for the promotion, Hart and most importantly the audience.
It’s no reflection on him, but Bret Hart. I mean, nothing good came out of it. Not for him. Not for us. Not for the fans. Everybody lost.
When probed about what Hart might have done instead of joining the Ted Turner-owned organisation, Bischoff suggested that Hart would likely have returned to work for WWE, albeit for a significantly lower salary.
Yeah, no. Either he would have gone to ECW or Japan, or he would have gone back and worked for Vince for a significantly less amount of money than he had been promised. I’m sure Bret would say the same thing. That was just a bad situation.
Bischoff expressed his preference for opportunities where everyone involved benefits. Unfortunately, the situation with Hart in WCW was a complete disappointment.
I strive for, embrace, and am grateful for opportunities where everybody wins. If there are three parties involved, and it’s a win-win-win situation, that’s optimal, right? You hope for these types of opportunities throughout your career or your life. With Bret, it was a lose-lose-lose, and for that reason alone, I wish I wouldn’t have done it.
Reflecting on the impact of Bret Hart’s time in WCW, it is evident that the move did not live up to expectations. While it was a monumental shift in wrestling at the time, it ultimately failed to deliver the success and memorable moments that fans had hoped for.
Does Eric Bischoff Have Any Other Regrets About WCW?
On a different episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff admitted that he regretted not having a more definitive long-term plan for the NWO in WCW. Eric Bischoff feels that a lack of a long-term plan hurt the group by not being able to control its growth and manage the success of the group more effectively.
Eric Bischoff is currently on tour with Inside the Ropes and Bischoff will be in Dublin tonight and in Belfast on the 26th, followed by London on the 27th and Glasgow on the 28. Select tickets are still available and can be purchased here.
H/t to Fightful.com