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Hoops: Why do you think the AWA failed to compete nationally with the NWA or the WWF? Did a part of it have to do with the television and production?

Nelson: I think that all of it; I think that it is every bit of it. If you go back and watch some of those shows; I know the WWF spent money on special lighting, they brought consultants in to work with the announcers and wrestlers to wear the right clothes on television, the went into pyrotechnics and we refused to do anything as Verne wanted to stay traditional. And to me, that was the whole jist of it. That is exactly what happened. It was all because their television was better than our television. We had the same wrestlers from time to time; we had the same markets; but we just couldn’t keep up with the television.

Hoops: What was the atmosphere like from say 1986-1990 when you were in competition with the NWA and the WWF.

Nelson: We were in a losing fight and everyone knew it. Nobody said it, but everybody knew it. It was difficult because as we lost more and more money and Verne Gagne’s fortune began to dwindle, he got tense and everyone around him became more tense; and there it began, it just wasn’t a pretty picture at all. It was a valiant fight but then the big name wrestlers started bailing out, because they could see what happened. They weren’t drawing crowds and as you well know, that is how they were making their money; as a percentage of the gate. And when that stopped, they had to go someplace where they could make money. So we started losing big name talent and we had very little big name talent. In fact, at one point; Larry Zbyszko and Greg Gagne were the only two guys that were recognizable at the end that were wrestling for us. And that was it; one day Verne threw up his hands, said I can’t compete and that was the end of the organization.

Hoops: Towards the end of the days of the AWA, you were the host of the only PPV that the AWA presented; SuperClash 3 in 1988. It drew a really poor buy rate. What was your perspective on it, was it too late to compete with the NWA and the WWF at that point?
Nelson: That event just didn’t have enough star power. That was held in conjunction with Jeff Jarrett’s group. His group was well known in his small area and our group was well known in our small area; but none of them was that well known nationally, so there was just no way you were going to have a strong PPV. The matches drew well, but the PPV was terrible.

Hoops: Towards the end of the AWA days, did your role in the company change at all?

Nelson: Not really. There became less and less for me to do because the markets started to dry up. When I first got there, I would have to do a set of interviews for every market we had and there was 20 some of them. When I left, there was less than 10. So the role became smaller; we lost the ESPN deal; it just shrank. The role remained the same; I did play by play, I did interviewing; I did hosting but as the shows dried up, my role became less and less. They paid me for what I did; and so it got to the point where I couldn’t make enough money so I had to leave; so I packed my bags and went to the Florida keys. This was 1990.

Hoops: What was your last broadcast for the AWA?

Nelson: You know its sad, but I can’t remember. I know it was in July of 1990. They had my shows in the can, ESPN was re-running some of our shows, so I was on the air until the end of the year, well after I had left the AWA. Eric Bischoff had taken my place doing interviews. I’m sorry I just can’t remember.

Hoops: What have you ended up doing since you have left the AWA?

Nelson: Radio. I started in radio and radio has always been my first love. Radio is live and television is taped and it can be boring. You do TV over and over until everyone decides this is what they like. I went down to Key West, Florida for a radio job and then took a radio job in Denver in 1995 and have been out here ever since.

Hoops: Do you follow any wrestling now? Do you watch the AWA on ESPN Classics?

Nelson: I just found out about. It comes on out here at 11:00 pm and someone gave me a tape of it to watch and it was really fun to watch it. Now that I know about it, I will be taping it and checking it out. I really haven’t followed wrestling in years. It got to be too “showbizzy” for me. I am a lot like Verne in that regard. I am more traditional. They have pushed it over the edge now. Too much profanity, too many hints at nudity, things like that. It kind of ruined it for me.

Hoops: I would totally agree with that. Do you keep up with anyone from the AWA? Any of the announcers or wrestlers?

Nelson: I haven’t talked with anyone in years. A while back, Larry Zbyszko and I were friendly. We were friends and used to hang out together. It drove Verne crazy because on TV we supposedly hated one another. About five years ago was the last conversation I had with Larry and that was it.

Hoops: Is there anything else you would like anyone to know about or any other memories you would like to share with us that I have asked you about?

Nelson: I can’t think of anything. You have done a pretty good job of covering all the bases. I have told you my two favorite stories; Wally Karbo and Stan Hansen, so I think that is about it.

Hoops: It has been a pleasure visiting with you and I thank you so much for your time.

Nelson: Thank you, it has been fun remembering all this.


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