Who cares about AE fans or fans of today?. I want the good old original ECW crowds back 
Do you agree with this sentiment about crowds?
I've seen some debate about crowds between AE/older fans and current fans.
AE fan: "I wish crowds were rowdy like they were during AE."
Today's fan: "Fuck no. AE crowds were drunk casuals who didn't care about wresting. They only liked to see blood and T & A. They don't care about wresting at all. Today's crowds actually appreciate wrestling. I'd take a quiet crowd over crazy ass grown men yelling profanity."
In your opinion, do you think today's crowd is superior to AE crowd? Was the audience in the late 90's casuals who did not like wrestling and wanted to see naked women and stupid brawls?
AE fan: "I wish crowds were rowdy like they were during AE."
Today's fan: "Fuck no. AE crowds were drunk casuals who didn't care about wresting. They only liked to see blood and T & A. They don't care about wresting at all. Today's crowds actually appreciate wrestling. I'd take a quiet crowd over crazy ass grown men yelling profanity."
In your opinion, do you think today's crowd is superior to AE crowd? Was the audience in the late 90's casuals who did not like wrestling and wanted to see naked women and stupid brawls?
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Older fan here, used to go to a buncha NWA/JCP shows and CWF shows..and later on WCW / WWF/E ones.
Honestly, fans were rowdy back in the old NWA shows I went to. There wasn't much in the way of T&A back then, but there was blood but only maybe in one on the card if that. Sometimes none. Even when there wasn't blood fans still cheered and yelled and had a good time.
One reason I think the crowds have gotten alot quieter is overexposure. There ain't a lot left the WWE can do at any live show that a fan has seen 1,000 times before and probably at least 3 to 5 times in the past few weeks on Raw and Smackdown..
Also for better or worse its gotten to be more of a family show and draws more families, women and kids and that group doesn't tend to get as rowdy.
Honestly, fans were rowdy back in the old NWA shows I went to. There wasn't much in the way of T&A back then, but there was blood but only maybe in one on the card if that. Sometimes none. Even when there wasn't blood fans still cheered and yelled and had a good time.
One reason I think the crowds have gotten alot quieter is overexposure. There ain't a lot left the WWE can do at any live show that a fan has seen 1,000 times before and probably at least 3 to 5 times in the past few weeks on Raw and Smackdown..
Also for better or worse its gotten to be more of a family show and draws more families, women and kids and that group doesn't tend to get as rowdy.
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Fans don't appreciate the wrestling these days any more than they did twenty years ago.
The difference between then and now is social media. Smart phones. Fuck, look at the fireflies for example; when they're not on the flashlight setting for Bray's entrance, half of them are looking at their screens and not giving a shit about the show itself. Plenty of images/videos showing distracted fans.
Also, the show back in the day was more compelling. People wanted to watch it. Nowadays there's nothing to keep you glued to the action.
The difference between then and now is social media. Smart phones. Fuck, look at the fireflies for example; when they're not on the flashlight setting for Bray's entrance, half of them are looking at their screens and not giving a shit about the show itself. Plenty of images/videos showing distracted fans.
Also, the show back in the day was more compelling. People wanted to watch it. Nowadays there's nothing to keep you glued to the action.
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WWE has a weird fan base. They have a crowd of families, hardcore fans that love them, hardcore fans that hate them. And they get just a weird fucking reactions.
AEW is proof right now you can have hot crowds, eating out of the palm of your hand. Unfortunately for WWE they've squandered that ability to have rowdy crowds of any kind
AEW is proof right now you can have hot crowds, eating out of the palm of your hand. Unfortunately for WWE they've squandered that ability to have rowdy crowds of any kind
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The best crowds were still the 80s crowds because they were truly invested. The Attitude Era fan base was largely "bandwagon" hence why once wrestling was no longer popular the fan base drastically dwindled. Watch some of the late 80s WWF shows. You literally see fans come to their feet in excitement for a small package. Today, fans are too busy trying to get that next picture on their phone to get likes to even cheer.
In the late 80's,I certainly didn't appreciate some drunken bastard yelling at the top of his lungs to Iron Sheik" GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY,YOU IIII-RANIAN CORKSUCKER". My younger brother and sister were there with me and so was my mother and it just diminished the good time we were having. The same idiot did make me laugh as he chanted USA! USA! to support Dave Boy Smith. :heston
I feel the crowds back then were hotter than now. Were they more passionate? I don't know. I do believe more of them thought it was real, even though it was common knowledge that it was scripted. Perhaps the complete overexposure of wrestling has led to a more docile crowd environment and the advent of social media has people paying more attention to their phones than the matches.
I feel the crowds back then were hotter than now. Were they more passionate? I don't know. I do believe more of them thought it was real, even though it was common knowledge that it was scripted. Perhaps the complete overexposure of wrestling has led to a more docile crowd environment and the advent of social media has people paying more attention to their phones than the matches.
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What about ECW crowds…
The 2005 - 2009 TNA crowds were also something special.
The 2005 - 2009 TNA crowds were also something special.
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751 Posts
80's and Attitude crowds were great for me. They were invested in the action and loud and passionate.
Today the WWE crowds are usually too quiet and passive, or just plain negative because WWE is serving them up complete and utter shit to watch.
AEW has decent crowds to be fair.
Today the WWE crowds are usually too quiet and passive, or just plain negative because WWE is serving them up complete and utter shit to watch.
AEW has decent crowds to be fair.
Idiot fans exist today. I went to WrestleMania in Dallas and a drunken fan in his 20s was trying to get back to his seat and stumbled. He then went and cursed everyone out, making a small child next to us cry. I thought that the kids dad was going to deck him. Ultimately the drunken oaf’s girlfriend persuaded him to leave, and he stormed/staggered out right before the main event began.
The crowds today are awful. I watched a bit of Raw the other day and the whole side of the arena opposite the hard camera are just sat on their hands. It gives a terrible visual on TV. Not to mention you could hear a pin drop.
A rowdy crowd just improves the match imo. Rock vs Hogan at Wrestlemania still gives me goosebumps.
Where are the signs? Stick on any Raw from say 1999 and the crowd is full of signs, rowdy, loud, ready to pop for Crash Holly. It gave the show a sense of importance.
Now you get near silence. Randy Ortons last few appearances have been met with silence. The crowd are just sat there in a coma.
Say what you want about the Hell in a Cell ending. At least it woke them up.
A rowdy crowd just improves the match imo. Rock vs Hogan at Wrestlemania still gives me goosebumps.
Where are the signs? Stick on any Raw from say 1999 and the crowd is full of signs, rowdy, loud, ready to pop for Crash Holly. It gave the show a sense of importance.
Now you get near silence. Randy Ortons last few appearances have been met with silence. The crowd are just sat there in a coma.
Say what you want about the Hell in a Cell ending. At least it woke them up.
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I'm not sure why you would go to a wrestling event and be silent for it. It's like a bunch of the people I see at these live shows show zero reaction, and I question why you would even buy the ticket at that point.
I just want a crowd that just takes enjoyment in the product given to them. Sure, sometimes those UK crowds are annoying, but fuck that NXT UK Takeover show was top with how much they were enjoying themselves, and it helped the show was fantastic. AEW's crowds have been hot too given the excitement over a new product and the fact that they genuinely care about their fans and putting together a good product to enjoy. Attitude Era fans enjoyed what they got too, there was plenty to be excited about, even if a good chunk of it seems pretty meh in hindsight outside of the main event feuds.
I'm not entirely sure what a modern main roster WWE fan is supposed to be really excited for these days. If you don't try to put out a good product, why would you expect fans to be hot or into the show?
I just want a crowd that just takes enjoyment in the product given to them. Sure, sometimes those UK crowds are annoying, but fuck that NXT UK Takeover show was top with how much they were enjoying themselves, and it helped the show was fantastic. AEW's crowds have been hot too given the excitement over a new product and the fact that they genuinely care about their fans and putting together a good product to enjoy. Attitude Era fans enjoyed what they got too, there was plenty to be excited about, even if a good chunk of it seems pretty meh in hindsight outside of the main event feuds.
I'm not entirely sure what a modern main roster WWE fan is supposed to be really excited for these days. If you don't try to put out a good product, why would you expect fans to be hot or into the show?
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Fans are rowdy or loud when they have someone they care about or seems larger than life. In the 80s it was Hogan, the Road Warriors, Dusty. In the AE it was Stone Cold and the Rock. Now there’s nobody like that. People are tired of Roman and Seth and Brock. And there’s nobody to really get behind.
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