Jim Herd

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James Herd (born March 24, 1939) is a former television production executive, Pizza Hut manager, and professional wrestling executive. Herd was the Executive Vice President of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1988 to 1992 following Turner Broadcasting's acquisition of the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988.

Before beginning his role in WCW, Herd had been a station manager for the St. Louis TV station KPLR-TV,^[1][2] which broadcast the then-popular wrestling show Wrestling at the Chase. Later on, he served as a regional manager for Pizza Hut.^[1]

Herd was hired as Executive Vice President of World Championship Wrestling in 1988 and his tenure officially began on January 3, 1989. Many pro wrestling personalities have criticized Herd for his perceived lack of knowledge of the wrestling business. In The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection, Ric Flair had stated that Herd "knew nothing about wrestling, other than the fact that the station he ran had a hot show".^[3]

During his run in WCW, Herd tried to compete with Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) by emulating the gimmicks that WWF were known for. Such examples include "The Hunchbacks", a tag team that could not be pinned because their humps would prevent their shoulders from touching the mats; a bell-wearing team called "The Ding Dongs" (portrayed by The Rock n Roll Rebels);^[4] and Big Josh, a lumberjack who was accompanied by dancing bears.^[5]

Stan Hansen would leave WCW and return to All Japan Pro Wrestling after he was pitched an idea to become a part of a comedic cowboy stable called The Desperados.^[6]

Herd regularly clashed with the then-NWA World Heavyweight Champion and booking committee member Ric Flair. According to Flair, Herd wanted him to drop his entire "Nature Boy" persona, cut his bleached blond hair, and adopt a Roman gladiator gimmick by the name of "Spartacus"^[7] in order to "change with the times". Flair and the committee (committee member Kevin Sullivan was quoted as saying in-response: "While we're doing this, why don't we go to Yankee Stadium and change Babe Ruth's number?").^[8] Instead of Flair, Herd wanted to push Sting and Lex Luger.

During contract renegotiation, Flair refused to take a pay cut.^[7] He also refused to drop the title to Luger as Herd wanted. Herd accused Flair of holding up the company, while Flair said he was "holding [Herd] to his word". Flair offered to drop the title to fellow Horsemen Barry Windham, as he felt that Windham long deserved a run as World Champion,^[9] but on July 1, 1991, two weeks before the Great American Bash, Herd fired Flair from WCW and stripped him of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair was still in possession of the physical championship belt.^[7]

Upon notification, Flair called World Wrestling Federation owner Vince McMahon who offered Flair a deal with the WWF in exchange for him sending McMahon the belt, to which Flair agreed. Two weeks later, promos of Bobby Heenan with Flair's belt appeared on WWF broadcasts.^[7] The matter with Flair caused a lawsuit between WCW and WWF that was eventually dropped. In the 2008 WWE DVD Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection, Flair said he kept the "Big Gold Belt" because he was never paid back his $25,000 deposit for the NWA title, plus interest, which totaled $38,000. Herd resigned from WCW on January 8, 1992.^[10]