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Ring of Honor is saddened to learn that influential wrestling promoter and former NWA President Jim Crockett Jr. has died. He was 76.
A second-generation promoter, Crockett assumed control of Jim Crockett Promotions in 1977. He promoted shows in the NWA’s Mid-Atlantic territory (the Carolinas and Virginia), which was a hotbed for pro wrestling and produced stars such as Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat.
Crockett, who was elected NWA President in 1980, took his promotion national in the 80s and purchased the coveted two-hour wrestling timeslot on SuperStation TBS on Saturday evenings. In 1983, Crockett created Starrcade, an annual supershow on closed-circuit television (and later on pay-per-view) that preceded WWE’s WrestleMania by two years.
Some of the biggest stars in wrestling worked for JCP, including Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, The Four Horsemen, Roddy Piper, and many others. In 1988, JCP was sold to Ted Turner and renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW),
ROH’s Director of Operations Gary Juster worked with Crockett for several years in the 80s.
“I am really saddened by Jimmy’s death,” Juster said. “He not only gave me tremendous opportunities as an aspiring promoter, but always acted with class and decency. Jim Crockett Promotions, back in the territory days, was the ‘state of the art’ when it came to pro wrestling. Presenting the Crockett Cup Tournament in Baltimore in 1987 stands out as one of many great memories of working with Jimmy and the Crockett organization.”
ROH extends its deepest condolences to Crockett’s family and friends.
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