The Wrestling Observer Newsletter started off as a way to keep fans informed of various wrestling regions that readers may not have been aware of or had no access to. The Observer's earlier years were also marked by revealing insider news and various behind-the-scenes happenings in the industry, a groundbreaking approach in a kayfabe-heavy era. In his first autobiography, Mick Foley claimed that even when he was just starting in the business, people as influential as Jim Crockett would sometimes change the booking direction of an entire promotion based on the opinions expressed in the WON.