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Wrestling historian Tim Hornbaker, who has written several excellent books on the business, officially released his latest, Death of the Territories: Expansion, Betrayal and the War that Changed Pro Wrestling Forever on 9/18. The book provides an excellent, well researched account of the pro wrestling's world's reaction to Vince McMahon's push to take the WWF national and how Vince's moves and their reactions led, one by one, to the end of the promotions that had long carved out their own fiefdom in professional wrestling. Armed with excellent research, it really makes you feel as you are a witness in the eye of the storm that changed pro wrestling forever and I cannot recommend it enough.
Promotional material for the book notes:
For decades, distinct professional wrestling territories thrived across North America. Each regionally-based promotion operated individually and offered a brand of localized wrestling that greatly appealed to area fans. Promoters routinely coordinated with associates in surrounding regions, and the cooperation displayed by members of the National Wrestling Alliance made it easy for wrestlers to traverse the landscape with the utmost freedom.
Dozens of territories flourished between the 1950s and late ’70s. But by the early 1980s, the growth of cable television had put new outside pressures on promoters. An enterprising third-generation entrepreneur who believed cable was his opportunity to take his promotion national soon capitalized on the situation.
A host of novel ideas and the will to take chances gave Vincent Kennedy McMahon an incredible advantage. McMahon waged war on the territories and raided the NWA and AWA of their top talent. By creating WrestleMania, jumping into the pay-per-view field, and expanding across North America, McMahon changed professional wrestling forever.
Providing never-before-revealed information, Death of the Territories is a must-read for fans yearning to understand how McMahon outlasted his rivals and established the industry’s first national promotion. At the same time, it offers a comprehensive look at the promoters who opposed McMahon, focusing on their noteworthy power plays and embarrassing mistakes.
The book is published by ECW Press.
Hornbaker has previously written books on the history of The National Wrestling Alliance and the Capital Wrestling territory, following it's origins from the NYC territory into the WWF, among other subjects.
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