Jim Crockett Jr.

James Allen Crockett Jr. was an American professional wrestling promoter who was born on August 10, 1944 and died on March 3, 2021, at the age of 76. He turned Jim Crockett Promotions, which he inherited from his father, into one of the largest wrestling companies in America in the 1980s; The company formed the basis of what would later become World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

At the head of the company

Jim Crockett Promotions was founded by his father, Jim Crockett Sr. It was founded by and grew as an organization based in North Carolina. Crockett Jr., who reluctantly took over the management of the company after his father's death in 1973, transformed the company from a regional structure into a national player over time.

He also gained prominence within the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and was elected as president of the union in three separate terms; The first period covered the years 1980-1982.

In the mid-1980s, he purchased the major broadcast slot on WTBS from Vince McMahon, thus increasing the company's national visibility. It acquired rival organizations such as Championship Wrestling from Florida and Universal Wrestling Federation and added new wrestlers and commentators to its roster. During this period, NWA organizers in other regions organized events in their regions without consulting them, which also caused tension within the union.

Apart from wrestling, he also owned the minor league baseball team, the Charlotte Orioles, from 1976 to 1987.

Sales and final years

Rapid growth and high expenses put the company in financial trouble. Nearing bankruptcy at the end of 1988, Crockett sold Jim Crockett Promotions to Ted Turner; Turner restructured the company as WCW. Crockett attempted a brief comeback in the early 1990s, but it did not last and he later turned to real estate. He died on March 3, 2021, due to complications related to kidney failure; COVID-19 was also cited as a factor contributing to his death.