World Class vs TNA

Hey Scott,

This is inspired by the Observer Flashbacks. Even as they were drying up in 89 World Class seemed to still hold clout as a major promotion (based on how it is covered). How do they compare to the de-facto #2 of the 00’s to today, TNA?

My assumption is that World Class was a bigger promotion, overall. Is that correct? If so, shouldn’t whatever World Class’ top-title was, have world title status, since TNA’s title has it?

​World Class was definitely bigger in that they could actually book arenas and had legit national TV distribution. Unfortunately Fritz Von Erich was basically sticking a 100W bulb into a 40W socket with the promotion and as hot as his kids were in 83/84, by the time they were truly ready to expand and leave the NWA in 86 there was very little juice left in them. They were a part of the NWA, so the American Heavyweight title was the de facto top one in the territory until it became the World Class World Heavyweight title, and I think most people DID consider that a World title. And then it got unified with the AWA World title at the end of 88 anyway. ​