Verne didn't get ESPN until Summer 1985 which wouldn't have happened probably if not for WWF getting big ratings on USA.
Verne & Watts were friendly but they weren't business partners per se.....Watts did show AWA matches on Power Pro in 1985 and got a booking on the Road Warriors
The problem was that Verne already had his hand in St. Louis as one of the owners plus he had way too many alliances with other promoters that he wasn't going to go in their territories. Notice he picked the Bay Area after Roy Shire left and Salt Lake City was nothing before he started going there. He got Chicago after Bob Luce retired and eventually started running Indianapolis after he felt out with the Bruiser.
VKM had no allegiances to any promoters in the NWA like his father did hence he had no reservations in taking them out to achieve his goal of worldwide domination.
What I would do is have two NXT crews....one that tours and one that runs the old Florida schedule with that crew being made up of all the trainees and guys not on the main NXT shows. That way you get to do both things you want to do.
That was all Vince's words though just with Trips as the mouthpiece since Vince personally writes his and Steph's promos now. He does a great job of conveying Vince's feelings.
Great writeup Dylan.....I really need to watch this from a video perspective than a live one because it's always different to do that. Regarding with Tim said about the crowd heat....that place was loud when it needed to be and everyone in my area around ringside had their hands hurting from banging on the metal ROH signs on the railings.