WWE will never be as big as it was...... complete death of kayfabe, rise of MMA, etc... have all hurt it. Just like Heenan said on that interview, it will "never be the same." And i think the internet has had a huge negative effect on it as well. I can remember thinking it was SO cool in the mid 90's when i found on the "smart" websites, backstage stories, etc... but in the long run, i think it will prove to be a huge factor in why it will never be the same.
And, that echoes my feelings about seeing territories start up again.
The original territories were built on kayfabe and other outdated premises.
A big reason those qualities became dated is that, when Vince modernized his product, he ultimately modernized the entire industry.
You can’t reverse evolution.
You can’t recreate kayfabe after you smarten up the public.
Also, nothing means the same as it did years ago.
The fans have evolved.
They’re more demanding - primarily because they’ve seen just about everything within the realm of human possibility.
The fact that fans are smart, as well as desensitized to almost everything now, makes it damn near impossible for anyone to get heat.
The qualities that made the old territories work are obsolete.
I find it believable that we’ll see some smaller outfits pop up - orgainizations that are some degree bigger than your typical indy promotion.
But, I don’t think these new-version “territories” will serve the same ends as their original incarnations, because the old recipe can never be used again.
The same things that took wrestling to its greatest heights also killed it.