We've got some stiff competition in the third installment in the battle of the Granddaddies of 'Em All. For one, the decision was made to run the same multiple host markets as the prior year. For the other, the decision was made to go for history.
A good resource for this would be the Lapsed Fan Wrestling Podcast's 30 Week WrestleMania Journey and Starrcade Memorial Tour, going into incredibly meticulous detail before, during, and after the events.
Starrcade 1986 - November 27, 1986
Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC
The Omni in Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 30,000 combined (Wikipedia)
Closed circuit viewers: Not listed (Wikipedia)
Hightlight matches: Rock 'N Roll Express vs. Arn & Ole Anderson; Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff; Ray Traylor vs. Ron Garvin; Road Warriors vs. Midnight Express (Condrey/Eaton)
Marquee matches: Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff. Rock 'N Roll Express vs. Arn & Ole Anderson; Road Warriors vs. Midnight Express (Condrey/Eaton)
WrestleMania III - March 29, 1987
Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac (Detroit), MI
Attendance: Approximately 78,000 (Dave Meltzer and Zane Bresloff)
PPV Buys: 400,000 (http://www.2xzone.com/wwe/buyrates.shtml#.WSU5T2jyvIU)
Highlight matches: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat; Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis; British Bulldogs & Tito Santana vs. Hart Foundation & Danny Davis
Marquee matches: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant; Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat; Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis
A good resource for this would be the Lapsed Fan Wrestling Podcast's 30 Week WrestleMania Journey and Starrcade Memorial Tour, going into incredibly meticulous detail before, during, and after the events.
Starrcade 1986 - November 27, 1986
Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, NC
The Omni in Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 30,000 combined (Wikipedia)
Closed circuit viewers: Not listed (Wikipedia)
Hightlight matches: Rock 'N Roll Express vs. Arn & Ole Anderson; Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff; Ray Traylor vs. Ron Garvin; Road Warriors vs. Midnight Express (Condrey/Eaton)
Marquee matches: Ric Flair vs. Nikita Koloff. Rock 'N Roll Express vs. Arn & Ole Anderson; Road Warriors vs. Midnight Express (Condrey/Eaton)
WrestleMania III - March 29, 1987
Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac (Detroit), MI
Attendance: Approximately 78,000 (Dave Meltzer and Zane Bresloff)
PPV Buys: 400,000 (http://www.2xzone.com/wwe/buyrates.shtml#.WSU5T2jyvIU)
Highlight matches: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat; Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis; British Bulldogs & Tito Santana vs. Hart Foundation & Danny Davis
Marquee matches: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant; Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat; Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis