If the initials WWF could be used again....

[Why Always Me]

......would you want the WWE to go back to the WWF?

Hypothetically, for whatever reason Vince was all of a sudden allowed to use the initials WWF again, would you want the WWE to be re-named the WWF? Or do you think that the company should stay as it has for the last 8/9 years?

I am sort of torn, on one hand the WWF is what I grew up watching. The initals WWF are known to people who don't watch wrestling but WWE is not. The World Wrestling Federation sounds better then World Wrestling Entertainment and the scratch logo for the WWF looks better than the WWE scratch logo.

On the other hand though the WWE has become an established brand and some may argue that it would be stupid to change the name back if opportunity arose. Some people may also argue that it would just be an attempt the re-create the glory days.

If I had a gun pointed at my head, I would probably go for the WWF, simply because the WWF as a whole is what I fell in love with, but I am interested to hear peoples answers and see how the poll plays out.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I would go back to the WWF in a heartbeat. I fucking hate the fact that "ENTERTAINMENT" is used in the name of WWE now, it just shows Vince and Kevin Dunn's dream of making the company a respected "show" rather than a wrestling programme, just like calling the wrestlers "entertainers". No Vince, they are "WRESTLERS"!!!

World Wrestling Federation makes the company look like a wrestling business, which is what it should be, and that is how it was traditionally known. I do not like the fact that the WWE is trying to move away from this.

Plus, reverting to the name WWF, would get rid of all the horrible editing that is on DVD's of old PPVs and blurring out of the logo, which is really distracting. I also liked how Howard Finkel would announce the champion as the "WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION CHAMPION", rather than "WWE CHAMPION" like now. Notice how saying the "WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPION" doesnt work Vince?!

So, yeah, I would go for WWF every time. I grew up watching a wrestling show, not a soap-opera entertainment show, put on by entertainers. It should definately go back to that

 

[#hamler]

You said it yourself the WWE is already an established company. Why go back to the WWF? Entertainment allows the WWE to focus on other parts of the Entertainment world as well as wrestling. It allows them to do movies, music and all that nonsense. Its an Entertainment buiness more than it is a "Federation" business. World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment sound like two different companies. The WWE sounds like a business for entertainment purposes rather wrestling purposes. And we all know Vince is the guy who first used "Sport Entertainment" to his advantage. Its like he's got his own words for what he calls wrestling. I say leave it. Also what if the WWE put an "and" inbetween Wrestling and then Entertainment? Actually sounds nice.

 

[Aaronliveshere]

I don't have a problem with it being called WWE since that has been the name for several years now. I do wish that "wrestling" was in there somewhere. I do remember that after they weren't allowed to use WWF, their first name change for the company stock holders was WWFE World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. I say stick with WWE

 

[Dzone]

I'd love it if we went back to WWF because then wrestling wouldn't be personified as entertainment, on the other hand if it wasn't wrestling would be considered a joke amongst actual fighters in the likes of UFC so I'm undecided.

 

[ARLO]

I'd take the WWF because it's synonymous with the glory days of the company and it's got more credibility. this thread made m think of something Matt Striker said on SD! during the Bryan vs. Ziggler match; "This is the WWE and a lot of people forget what that 2nd W is for". I'd agree with this and I think it being the WWF would just give it more credibility.

 

[Ferbian]

If WWE was known as WWF again it wouldn't change anything. It's a simple name. The very fact that it is now blatantly called World Wrestling Entertainment changes nothing. If people bothered to do a little background checking you would know that the actual name during the WWF era was World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc.

Being known as WWF or WWE changes nothing. Because originally Vince McMahon changed away from the NWA in order to create an entertainment product. Not a professional wrestling product that focuses on wrestling more than entertainment. Vince McMahon has always been in the sports entertainment business, not the wrestling business.

Changing the name back to WWF wouldn't change it back to a more wrestling based product, a product that was superior to the one that the World Wrestling Entertainment produced in any way. And to believe otherwise is just ridiculous.

 

[deadtaker]

It should be the WWF as the "entertainment" is the wrestling. I remember a quote I heard about the NFL that "it is an entertainment league. The entertainment is the Football game itself."

I don't remember who said it but it is really true. The Entertainment is the wrestling, not all the other stuff going on outside the ring. You use the stuff outside the ring to build up the in-ring plot which is the biggest reason wrestling is not as good these days.

World Wrestling Entertainment just doesn't sound right. Entertainment shouldn't be in any company name. Its not the NFE-National Football Entertainment, NBE ect.

 

[silverwraith720]

If WWE was known as WWF again it wouldn't change anything. It's a simple name. The very fact that it is now blatantly called World Wrestling Entertainment changes nothing.

I agree, but I would still prefer to see WWF again. It's constantly being referred to as "the WWE" such as "Stone Cold Steve Austin is the toughest S.O.B. in the WWE" which if you don't use the initials would be "in the World Wrestling Entertainment" which just doesn't make sense. Technically, they're still allowed to call it Federation AND use the initials. It's something relating to misuse of those initials in international markets that resulted in the name change. While I'm in favor of protecting wildlife, I think that panda is in need of a serious smack down for making such a big deal over one letter.

 

[Pepperami]

When Vince McMahon "got the F out", it took something away from the business. Despite 98% of wrestling fans knowing that it's an entertainment business not a real wrestling championship, I think we found it more comforting and entertaining when they didn't make it blatantly obvious. When they decided to replace 'Federation' with 'Entertainment' (albeit by legal requirement), it's as if they were throwing thier hands up and saying "yep, we're not real at all."
I'd love to be able to say "I'm watching WWF" again. WWE sounded ridiculous 7 years ago, and sounds ridiculous now. It's a matter preference.

 

[hatehabsforever]

With all due respect to the OP, there should be a third option in the poll: who really cares? I mean seriously, whether you call the company WWF or WWE, it will change nothing about the current product, whether you like it or not. It's not like a return to the initials WWF will mean the end of the PG era, or the return of the Attitude Era, or more blood, violence, language, sex, whatever. We will still get the exact same product and will have to make the decision as to whether or not we choose to continue to watch it.

There was a similar thread about this a while back, talking about whether or not TNA should come up with a new name, and my response was the same. TNA will be TNA, whether it be under it's current name, or a new one. Those who like it will continue to like it, and those who don't will tend to continue to be critical of it (I hear there are a few of those guys around these forums). The name of the company, whichever company, is irrelevant. People will choose to watch, or not watch, based upon the product, not the logo on the front of the product.

I guess if I absolutely had to choose, I'd revert back to WWF, for old times sake, the name of the company when I first became a fan. But as I said, when push comes to shove, it's totally irrelevant.

 

[Chadmw]

The only reason I wish they could go back to WWF is then when watching classic matches they wouldn't have to blur out the WWF logoes or bleep the interviews when the wrestlers say the name on old interviews. So yeah I wish Vince could make some kind of deal with the Worldwild life that he could still use the logo and name on classic matches.


Otherwise who really cares what it is called now, it' still the same company wether it's currently called WWE /WWF

As for the poster that said it should be called WWWE so they could have the word wrestling in the name WWE= World WRESTLING Entertainment

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I could see a purist saying "federation" but I personally think that "entertainment" does get the job done for which WWF was renamed to WWE.

Basically wrestling has always been seen as a slightly flawed form of entertainment. Some even call it entertainment of the garbage variety. By adding the word entertainment to their company name WWE has kinda distanced itself from pro wrestling in more ways than one. WWE tried to change its image so that it could be considered a mainstream form of entertainment like say sitcoms. Now again some people might not like it but it has turned out to be pretty good business decision even though business was not exctly the reason why the name was changed.

 

[eatdapoopoo]

The World Wrestling Federation name itself makes it sound somewhat legit. Almost like a true sports promotion. World Wrestling Entertainment sounds exactly what it is intended to be. Getting the Entertainment aspect over with everybody.

I personally miss the WWF. What I would have done, since they are allowed to keep using the full name "World Wrestling Federation" but not the scratch WWF logo, is go back to the old block logo, and ensure nobody says WWF and continues using the full name when making reference.

Either use the old block logo, or the current scratch logo with the Federation name.

Either way, the Entertainment name is....well....it's POO POO.

 

[People's Champ]

It really doesn't matter to me at all. If they had the option to change the name but did, I wouldn't care and vice versa. See I never watched WWF because of the name but because of the entertainment I was given. Yes it would be cool to see the WWF name and logo again just because that's what I grew up with. But its not important enough to change my view on the product. So it really wouldn't make a difference to me if they had the option and went either way.

 

[Why Always Me]

If WWE was known as WWF again it wouldn't change anything. It's a simple name. The very fact that it is now blatantly called World Wrestling Entertainment changes nothing. If people bothered to do a little background checking you would know that the actual name during the WWF era was World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc.

I did actually already know that, I distinctly remember on numerous occasions Howard Finkel announcing 'THE FOLLOWING CONTEST, SCHEDULED FOR ONE FALL, IS FOR THE WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION ENTERTAINMENT CHAMPIONSHIP'.............

With all due respect to the OP, there should be a third option in the poll: who really cares?

With all due respect, no there shouldn't. In a nutshell, I wanted to know if people would want WWF or WWE, not 'who really cares'.

Apart from the above, I have enjoyed reading peoples responses. The more I think about it, the more I would like to tune into Raw each week and see the WWF Champion Randy Orton, the WWF Universe and Stand Up For The WWF videos. But at the end of the day, one letter probably wouldn't make that much difference to the company as a whole.

The World Wrestling Federation name itself makes it sound somewhat legit. Almost like a true sports promotion. World Wrestling Entertainment sounds exactly what it is intended to be. Getting the Entertainment aspect over with everybody.

I personally miss the WWF. What I would have done, since they are allowed to keep using the full name "World Wrestling Federation" but not the scratch WWF logo, is go back to the old block logo, and ensure nobody says WWF and continues using the full name when making reference.

Either use the old block logo, or the current scratch logo with the Federation name.

Either way, the Entertainment name is....well....it's POO POO.

I have said they should of done that too - but what I have always wanted to know is why the issue with the WWF scratch logo, but not the block logo??

 

[JJ15776]

I have said they should of done that too - but what I have always wanted to know is why the issue with the WWF scratch logo, but not the block logo??

They had been fighting over the name for years. They reached an agreement that would let them use the old logo, but the scratch logo and the domain name wwf.com were not covered. It was the domain name that was the last straw, and the courts ruled that they couldn't use the scratch logo or promote the company as the WWF. Ironically, neither company owns the wwf.com domain name.

As for the poll...switching back would be asinine. First of all, the majority of people seem to think switching the name would be a switch back to their old product, and there's no way in hell that would happen. Second of all, somebody should probably point out that they lost more than $50 million dollars the last time they switched. Why on Earth would they do that again? Look, it'd be great to not have to censor all their old stuff, but aside from that - which they could do without changing their name, as long as they have the rights to the names - there is NOTHING to gain from the name change. They're PG, remember? Their fanbase is CHILDREN, remember? That means the fans they're targetting were NOT ALIVE when the company was called WWF. Even teenagers will have little to no memory of it being called that.

If this was a year or two after the name change, maybe. Now? It's ridiculous to even suggest it, and I'm more than a little scared that so many people think they should. This is why they don't listen to internet fans.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I wouldn't want the name to go back unless the product in some way resembled what it was when it had that name. The only reason people would prefer it to be WWE is because of association, you associate the name WWF with the attitude era and therefore you are more drawn to it. In terms of a name I really don't think I'd pick a one over the other because it makes very little difference really. People created this false idea synthetically that it was the fact that the company was named WWF that it was good, naturally this has absolutely nothing to do with it at all.

If you changed the name and not the product there would be outrage, and the product aint changing so honestly I think despite voting the opposite in the poll, after thinking I would prefer it to remain WWE although I have honestly no preference over the words entertainment and federation

 

[theHeadliner]

I wish they would refer to it as World Wrestling Federation in whole. As long as its not the acronym "WWF" I think they can say World Wrestling Federation. They could still use WWE, but refer to it as the World Wrestling Federation.

 

[The Wrestler`s Wrestler]

I wish they would refer to it as World Wrestling Federation in whole. As long as its not the acronym "WWF" I think they can say World Wrestling Federation. They could still use WWE, but refer to it as the World Wrestling Federation.

I'd go for that. The word entertainment just dosn't sound credible to me :-/
I never liked the look of the 02-05 wwe title, Because if you read it, It basically reads your the champion of "entertaining" people through wrestling

It just sounds stupid to me Remember the days when someone like Chris Beniot would say in a promo "IM GOING TO BE THE NEW WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION CHAMPION!" Never in the 8 years that its been the wwe have I heard a wrestler say "IM GOING TO BE THE NEW WORLD WRESTLING ENTERATINMENT CHAMPION!" It just sounds lame to me

 

[HBKevin]

I don't see the problem with the word Entertainment, considering everyone knows nowadays that it's scripted, and the fact that they have branched out into movies, etc. The initials WWF sound better spoken, but it doesn't really matter. The fact is, they can never go back, because Vince was stubborn and kept using the WWF initials in Europe, where the World Wildlife Fund had given him numerous warnings to stop, because they owned it.

 

[Kenny Powers]

I prefer the WWF, but it really doesn't matter. Whether the name is WWF or WWE, it won't change anything about the company. I just thought when WWF had to change their name years ago it was amazing to think a company that has been around as long as they have could lose their initials due to a wildlife company.

 

[P. Nut Butters]

The "WWE" thing has never really stuck for me. A logo with "WW" but the name pronounced with the "Entertainment" pronounced at the end of it also seemed stupid to me.

Good on them for changing to something that wasn't drastically different than "World Wrestling Federation (Entertainment)", but I'd still definitely prefer the "WWF" initials and logo if it were available for them to use. I still don't think the product would change if they ever changed the initials back. I've read a lot of people claiming that when they changed to "WWE", the programming got soft and became weak and stale... but I think that was inevitable regardless of company name or initials.

Since they can still call it the "World Wrestling Federation" even now, I've always thought that there may have been some way to get around the initials and logo thing without dropping the "Federation" from their name. I mean, for one thing, they're still allowed to use the old WWF logo today.

I reckon the change was acted on without proper thought although they probably had to make the change as soon as possible at the time, I really think there could have been better avenues to walk down besides "WWE".

Nevertheless, if the opportunity to change back to the WWF did arise, I doubt they'd take it. WWE (like others have already mentioned) is an established brand, and it just so happens that this lawsuit and name change happened as they moved away from the attitude era. Now that they're PG especially, that could be a blessing as they have some kind of way of separating the line more from then and now.

I'd love for the WWE to be the WWF again. I'll never say never, but I'm 99.9% sure they wont change to the WWF again.

 

[Taz]

I don't see the World Wildlife Fund giving up the name anytime soon. But I would love to see WWE return to the WWF name. I've never liked having the word "entertainment" in the name.

I too grew up with the name WWF, and seeing the logos being blurred out in old video just bugs the crap out of me. Plus it would be the return of the traditional name of the company that goes back decades to Vince McMahon Sr.

 

[ABMorales787]

I think one change is enough. I don't care how good calling the "World Wrestling Federation Champion" sounds, but one change is enough. Jumping from one name to another for such a high profile company is not a good thing. It's like Prince when he changed his name for some music tracks. It doesn't go well with the exposure, it confuses people and it's pretty pointless.