Can wrestling ever be popular again?
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Can wrestling ever be popular again like it was in the 80s, 90's and early 2000's ? thoughts
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46,590 Posts
Not the way its being presented on a mainstream level.
WWE's product is brain dead kiddy crap & TNA is so horribly written that its impossible to care. Its gotten so bad, that while some of us fans might say "Wow, that is so fucking stupid", people outside of the wrestling fan base think "Well, isn't that what they do?". People have been conditioned, by the wrestling promoters themselves oddly enough, to think its stupid. I mean we can blame the media's negativity towards wrestling all we want, but at the end of the day, is it even possible to defend what's being presented on a weekly basis? I don't think so.
What wrestling needs is a fresh creative mind with a vision that can take wrestling in a new direction, or even, dare I say, bring it back to its basic roots where things like losses & injuries sustained in kayfabe actually have lasting consequences. Unfortunately, you can't keep a creative job in the WWE unless you conform to what Vince wants, and in TNA, they are do dead set on going along with Russo and those surrounding him, that nobody new can get in anyway. It really a case of the inmates running the asylum because nothing is going to change as long as those minds have full control over creative.
Maybe someday it might, but in current creative environment, there is no chance in hell.
WWE's product is brain dead kiddy crap & TNA is so horribly written that its impossible to care. Its gotten so bad, that while some of us fans might say "Wow, that is so fucking stupid", people outside of the wrestling fan base think "Well, isn't that what they do?". People have been conditioned, by the wrestling promoters themselves oddly enough, to think its stupid. I mean we can blame the media's negativity towards wrestling all we want, but at the end of the day, is it even possible to defend what's being presented on a weekly basis? I don't think so.
What wrestling needs is a fresh creative mind with a vision that can take wrestling in a new direction, or even, dare I say, bring it back to its basic roots where things like losses & injuries sustained in kayfabe actually have lasting consequences. Unfortunately, you can't keep a creative job in the WWE unless you conform to what Vince wants, and in TNA, they are do dead set on going along with Russo and those surrounding him, that nobody new can get in anyway. It really a case of the inmates running the asylum because nothing is going to change as long as those minds have full control over creative.
Maybe someday it might, but in current creative environment, there is no chance in hell.
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5,515 Posts
I am getting sick of people saying why can't wrestling be popular as it was and why can't crappy atttiude era come back.
Wrestling is as popular as it has ever been. WWE in particular is as popular as it has ever been, just because some idiots on here don't agree with PG classification of shows they moan and cry about it. Fact is you are a minority, WWE is attracting more younger fans than it ever has.
TNA has gone down the route of being non-PG and see where that has got them, absolutely nowehere!!!! Times have changed, swearing and calling women bad names is no longer what people want to see. Whoever wants to see this type of TV is dumb.
WWE is making more money than it ever has. Just because you don't like WWE you think wrestling is not popular. Some people on here just don't understand.
Wrestling is as popular as it has ever been. WWE in particular is as popular as it has ever been, just because some idiots on here don't agree with PG classification of shows they moan and cry about it. Fact is you are a minority, WWE is attracting more younger fans than it ever has.
TNA has gone down the route of being non-PG and see where that has got them, absolutely nowehere!!!! Times have changed, swearing and calling women bad names is no longer what people want to see. Whoever wants to see this type of TV is dumb.
WWE is making more money than it ever has. Just because you don't like WWE you think wrestling is not popular. Some people on here just don't understand.
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8,542 Posts
The OP never said he wanted the Attitude Era back...
And please if you honestly believe wrestling is as popular as its EVER been you need to step outside the WWE Universe for a bit. I'm sure Vince would kill for another boom period like The Attitude Era or Hulkamania Era.
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2,679 Posts
Not a chance, there just isn't the same talent or as mass marketable wrestlers anymore like there was back in the attitude area. If someone says the attitude area was overrated, their either trolling, were too young or didn't watch it live back then.
Back in the late 90's to early 00's: The top wrestlers were household names: The rock, stone cold, triple h, Kurt angle, Undertaker, Mick Foley/Mankind, Vince McMahon etc.
Nowadays, the top wrestlers are not house hold names and its not "cool" to watch wrestling unless your a child. Back when the attitude era was in full swing, it was normal to watch it and you didn't get slagged over it if you talked about wrestling.
Those days are gone lads, just be happy if you were there to witness it live back then.
Back in the late 90's to early 00's: The top wrestlers were household names: The rock, stone cold, triple h, Kurt angle, Undertaker, Mick Foley/Mankind, Vince McMahon etc.
Nowadays, the top wrestlers are not house hold names and its not "cool" to watch wrestling unless your a child. Back when the attitude era was in full swing, it was normal to watch it and you didn't get slagged over it if you talked about wrestling.
Those days are gone lads, just be happy if you were there to witness it live back then.
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611 Posts
I still have no time machine since the last thread about this is not so long ago. My answer stays:" maybe, who knows?".
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20 Posts
Yes BUT ......
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4,265 Posts
Jeez you really are the biggest moron on this entire forum.
Where did the OP say he wants the AE back exactly?
WWE and pro wrestling is most certainly not as popular or mainstream as it was in the late 90's and early 2000's when the Rock and Austin were still knocking around, and the storylines were engaging and different.
Anybody who seriously things it is must either be VERY young, or incredibly naive. It clearly isnt.
I was around at that time, and I assure you it is nowhere near as mainstream as it was during the AE, no matter how much you may 'hate' that era.
It most probably never will be again either, certainly not with this current lame product.
I can only assume you are too young to remember how huge pro wrestling was in the 90's with Goldberg, Austin and The Rock all over the mainstream press and culture.
Today Cena is the only thing even close to that, and his popularity is mostly with women and kids, such as yourself.
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7,048 Posts
not when you have PG matches and characters like hornswoggle vs swagger soaring eagle >.<
Yeah, thats why TNA's ratings continue to go up
WWE is making more money becuase they bought out the competition, duh! (in fact the combined revenue the WWF and WCW made compared to today *does* indicate a massive loss of fan support and ratings HAVE significantly dropped)
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3,895 Posts
Hmmm I wonder who you're talking about
....Anyhow the only time it will be socially acceptable in the current climate is if it's 'cool', for people over the age of 12.
And it will take perhaps even longer to do so now as we are on the brink of a transitional phase considering Edge, Taker, Trips, Kane, Rey etc are on the way out so it will take it even longer to get Barrett, Del Rio, Miz, Ziggler etc really over, take their ^ place and lead the company along with Cena and Orton.
I grew up on the tail end of the AE onwards and saw people in Just Bring It and Ausitn 3:16 shirts in the town center and stuff, never see any of that now with Cena shirts, but it would be nice, in like 5-10 years time.
Also while TNA keeps breaking their records for ratings week after week. The WWF/WWE's highest rating is from 1999, go figure
That Raw scored a 8.1 When the hell has "PG" even topped a 5? In fact this "PG" crap has scored the lowest Raw ratings in WWE history and only 4 months ago just broke the record for lowest rating ever in October 2010 with *Gasp* a 2.7.
The product is utter shit in comparison and you have ratings for proof. Dont try to compare a product to one that existed when you werent even alive yet.
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That Raw scored a 8.1 When the hell has "PG" even topped a 5? In fact this "PG" crap has scored the lowest Raw ratings in WWE history and only 4 months ago just broke the record for lowest rating ever in October 2010 with *Gasp* a 2.7.
The product is utter shit in comparison and you have ratings for proof. Dont try to compare a product to one that existed when you werent even alive yet.
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1,123 Posts
Are you speaking about decline of popularity on TV ratings, on live shows, on PPV, on video websites or marchandising and toys ?
Pro-wrestling is very popular into specific demographics. Low TV ratings, live show attendance and PPV selling are nowadays totally compensated by video websites. Toys and marchandising really work with addicted kids. There is no real decline of popularity except among former fans.
Those former fans :
- are young adults (20-35 years old)
- hate PG-rating (root of all evil)
- don't like john Cena gimmick and Hornswoogle
- still watch Pro-wrestling but not regularly
- dig for the old product
- don't pay for shows anymore (internet users)
- read spoilers to be informed
- prefer "realism" over comedy.
- etc.
Yes it's the forum main population … that's what you believe there is a decline.
The problem is to reconciliate this lost demographic with the current product and to innovate a little to gain new fans (realism and MMA fans). Pro-wrestling can't be hugely popular again, we need to admit that. However i believe Pro-wrestling can still gain popularity through innovation, better storylines, better wrestlers and better marketing
Pro-wrestling is very popular into specific demographics. Low TV ratings, live show attendance and PPV selling are nowadays totally compensated by video websites. Toys and marchandising really work with addicted kids. There is no real decline of popularity except among former fans.
Those former fans :
- are young adults (20-35 years old)
- hate PG-rating (root of all evil)
- don't like john Cena gimmick and Hornswoogle
- still watch Pro-wrestling but not regularly
- dig for the old product
- don't pay for shows anymore (internet users)
- read spoilers to be informed
- prefer "realism" over comedy.
- etc.
Yes it's the forum main population … that's what you believe there is a decline.
The problem is to reconciliate this lost demographic with the current product and to innovate a little to gain new fans (realism and MMA fans). Pro-wrestling can't be hugely popular again, we need to admit that. However i believe Pro-wrestling can still gain popularity through innovation, better storylines, better wrestlers and better marketing
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