Found a great 1983 Mod on the site so I'm checking that out right now. Immediately, did some editing here and there to work a bit better, but playing it, I decided to go with the AWA, because of course. Immediately, things I see right now are:
- The Main Event scene is not good, frankly. Your main event guys starting out are Jesse Ventura (who I will retire to make a Color Commentator soon-ish), Ken Patera (who is not great), Nick Bockwinkel (who is 48 by this point), Rick Martel (the only great competitor in the ME scene), and Wahoo McDaniel (who is not long for my company, if I'm honest). I need to get Jerry Lawler a main eventer ASAP to take the title off of Rick Martel once he holds it for a few months, or to take the title off of someone for a time as a sort of transitional champ.
- The Tag Team division is literally nonexistent. You have Patera & Bobby Duncan and The High Flyers, and that's it. It's going to need a major overhaul to fit my vision.
- Hulk Hogan and Curt Hennig are Midcarders by this point, so luckily Vince will not come calling for them and if built up properly, they will be the guys to push AWA to Cult size and hopefully they stick around long enough to push it to National.
- Rod Trongard and Gene Okerlund are the announcing team which isn't half bad, but I might bring in a newer team to replace them. As iconic as Trongard is to Minnesota announcing, he doesn't really fit my vision and I'd much prefer Gene to be an interviewer.
- The backstage score is 71% with a lot of negative relationships. For example, Jesse Ventura and Hulk Hogan hate each other (even though there wouldn't be any beef until at least 1984), Verne and Hulk don't like each other (which again, doesn't make sense in this point in time), and Hogan is an extremely negative influence. This just doesn't make sense in 1983. Gonna have to do a little editing to fix this.
So with all that, we can start looking at roster changes. Here are the names I'm looking at to fix AWA's stagnant roster and make some interest with it:
Ric Flair: Immediately, Ric Flair is available to hire even though he's working Mid-Atlantic as a Main Eventer. He's also on of the most popular wrestlers in America. He's worth paying the downside for as his skillset will bring great rated matches and angles. Making him the AWA Champion is the right idea.
Midnight Express and Jim Cornette: Immediately I could bring in Bobby Eaton, Dennis Condry, and Corny (in his rookie year) as their involvement will bring a major boost to the Tag Division. While it would take some time to build Jim Cornette up as the renowned manager he would become, Eaton and Condry are good enough in this point in time to cover for Cornette's lack of name recognition.
The Rock 'N Roll Express: Punky & Hoot would also bring a boost in prestige to the AWA's Tag Division, and if I bring in Midnight Express we have a natural rivalry ready to go. Don't know why I wouldn't want to go with this.
The British Bulldogs: This would work twofold, really. One because the Tag Division would be better off for it, and two Dynamite Kid being in the AWA brings more recognition to the Lightweight division, which is the drizzling shits at the moment (I have Steve Regal, Greg Gagne, and Buck Zumhofe as my Lightweights; take a guess which pervert I'm getting rid of).
Randy Savage: I mean, it's Randy Savage. Why wouldn't I? Instant boost to the workrate of my roster and he can help get Hogan and Hennig over the hump into the Main Event.
Roddy Piper: Piper can work as a natural rival to Hogan as they both grow to be Main Eventers and working an AWA Championship program.
The Hart Foundation: I know they haven't formed yet in real life, but I don't know why you wouldn't want to get Bret Hart while he's still available? AWA's tag division with Midnight, Rock 'N Roll, Bulldogs, and the Harts would be a killer division, no doubt.
Paul Orndorff: His workrate would be a good addition and he'd be someone Bobby Heenan would be all over. I'm just not sure if he's gonna be a Main Eventer (which I don't want him to be atm) or not. I want him to be a B+ player helping certain guys get over, but always staying below the Main Event level while challenging.
Jake Roberts: He'd be the quintessential midcarder for the AWA and would help get Hogan and Hennig over as he is the backbone of the AWA International Television Championship scene.
Bruiser Brody: The biggest problem with Brody is he is a massively negative backstage influence. I can't afford any more negative influences even after bringing in Dynamite Kid, he's also working three other companies, meaning his availability is horribly diminished. However, he is insanely popular and would bring eyes to AWA and could potentially be a great foil for Ric Flair.
David Von Erich: It would just feel wrong to bring him in but I cannot deny his popularity and work rate. This one I'm gonna have to mull over.
Larry Zbyszko: This one is a must have. Larry's only 29 in 1983 and if we can get him a Main Eventer we have someone to challenge for the Title on a consistent basis and maybe even winning it down the road. He's also credible enough to put on a great match with anyone. Him, Hogan, Piper, and Martel are four guys I want as franchise players by 1984.
Ricky Steamboat: Steamboat, Savage, and Flair are three guys who theoretically should all have great chemistry with each other. I have no bones about bringing in Steamboat to bring better matches to AWA.
Tiger Mask: He would instantly help the Lightweight division, but he's a freelancer. I'm gonna have to pass.
Sgt. Slaughter: I'm just not feeling it bringing him in at this point in time. Dunno why, I feel he wouldn't fit my image for AWA at the moment.
The Fantastics: I might as well bring them in if I'm making the Tag Division as best it can be in the year 1983. I'm just afraid that would be overkill to bring in Keirn and Lane.
The Minnesota Wrecking Crew: The biggest thing to remember is that Arn is a rookie; a very good rookie, yes, but still a rookie. Ole is a negative influence; Arn is a very positive influence so it might just even out. This one I'll have to think about.
Brad Armstrong: Not a need, but a slight want. He's a lightweight and he is a pretty above average wrestler. He'd help the lightweight division somewhat but at this point, I'm just wondering if I should even have a division.
Stan Hansen: It would be much too early for Hansen to come in to the AWA, but I can't deny his popularity. He'd also be like the umpteenth heel I would have brought in. I need faces more than heels. He is 33 and would be great to have around though.
Ted DiBiase: This one I just don't know about. He's 28, could be a decent Midcard face (even though he's greater as a heel), and is a good promo, but I don't really have anything for him if he's a heel, since Roberts is gonna be the midcard backbone. The other worry is him getting auto-pushed as Upper Midcarder and higher, which I don't want right now.