TNA Needs A Real Attitude Era to Shine!

[Shadow of Darkness]

Hell Yah!!!

Okay i expect some heat on this topic!!!

Let see the wrestling before 1998. The so called nWo-WCW Nitro rulled the ratings for 84 constant weeks. But when Austin won the World title at WrestleMania XIV, the whole world witnessed the start of one of the most controversial era of wrestling to ever step in. Things changed from then; it trashed the nWo era and proclaimed itself to be number one.

One important thing to be noted that plenty of wrestling experts didnt liked this era because of the too much sexualized, controversial stories and profanity that had defined the Attitude Era. Many complained that THE A-ERA drastically changed the way professional wrestling television was written.

But what remained most highlighted were the ratings during this period (***8.1***do you all remember).

Now look at Financial situation back then. WCW had tons of Money. To counterpart this Vince's Youth Generation Push became a massive heat.

But after Attidue era ended Wrestling lost a significant amount of audience, because they never recieved the UN-ORTHODOXIAL taste of Attitude era back.

And thats why both WWE and TNA is sucking now. Thing WWE's current product with the Golden era; the present condition is better but the ratings are lower than Golden era. WHY?

the same reason as Attitude era changed the way wrestling was seen.

IF TNA really wants to push Home and Young wrestlers then A-Era is the only way to benifit.

I know plenty of you would say that TNA tried their OWN version of Attitude era. But their Attitude era had no promotion, no big production and most importantly no similarity with the ATTITUDE era we wrestling fans wittnessed.


Hell Yah!!!

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

No, they certainly don't. Here is the thing, so much of what TNA does, feels like it is riding WWE's coattails at times. Trying to create yet another TNA Attitude Era would simply make the promotion yet again look like it's trying to copy a WWE model for success.

With Russo gone, and a product that is starting to come together, and is better than any time in recent memory, they need to stay the course. TNA has already shown it's not afraid to let their wrestlers swear, that they will engage in 'hardcore' wrestling (Monster's Ball), and that they don't mind shock value...what more attitude does there need to be?

The company should continue to focus on it's young talent, expanding it's X Division, and creating coherent, compelling storylines. Trying to push the envelope is only going to get them back in the muddy waters they are just now wading out of.

The Attitude Era was a response to WCW, to try and take back the ratings war. TNA has never been in the hunt yet. By saying that that injecting another 'Attitude Era' into the mix is the only way they can reach their potential is cutting their talent and their promotion to the quick.

 

[snoopy]

No, they certainly don't. Here is the thing, so much of what TNA does, feels like it is riding WWE's coattails at times. Trying to create yet another TNA Attitude Era would simply make the promotion yet again look like it's trying to copy a WWE model for success.

With Russo gone, and a product that is starting to come together, and is better than any time in recent memory, they need to stay the course. TNA has already shown it's not afraid to let their wrestlers swear, that they will engage in 'hardcore' wrestling (Monster's Ball), and that they don't mind shock value...what more attitude does there need to be?

The company should continue to focus on it's young talent, expanding it's X Division, and creating coherent, compelling storylines. Trying to push the envelope is only going to get them back in the muddy waters they are just now wading out of.

The Attitude Era was a response to WCW, to try and take back the ratings war. TNA has never been in the hunt yet. By saying that that injecting another 'Attitude Era' into the mix is the only way they can reach their potential is cutting their talent and their promotion to the quick.

Hey look Wrestling is Wrestling and the WWE didn't create Wrestling! And they didn't even create the Attitude Era, ECW did! Which they admitted to copying! People like you get on my nerve with this Bullshit like the WWE has created this shit. They didn't,Even one the Attitude Era' s main characters Triple H was a copy of the Franchise Shane Douglass!

So the WWE can't be praised for things they didn't create and made to look above anything! They did it so why can't anybody else?

Even the signs ECW fans made themselves and brought to the ECW arena,The WWE made those type of signs and passed them out to be like ECW!

 

[Headman]

This is like saying we can save music by bringing back Limp Bizkit. They worked in the 90's so of course they'd work now, right? Wrong. The only way to make people care about TNA or any other company is to have wrestlers people care about and have them do something interesting.

 

[Lowdown]

TNA needs to improve more, but right now they're doing alright such as having someone like Bobby Roode as champ. The Attitude Era was significant in wrestling, but it doesn't mean it should be repeated. There is a certain flavor to TNA that already differs from WWE. One of them is the quality of matches the KO's have compared to the Divas in WWE. And also you periodically see blood in matches and interview segments, albeit infrequently. The best thing to do for now is, like previously stated, stay the course.

 

[Champ1432]

You supplied the very reason an Attitude Era in TNA would be a bad idea in your post. The ratings drop. It wouldn't create enough lasting fans.

OTMP had a lot of good points. In many ways, TNA is already more "Attitude" than WWE. The language, the matches, etc. They don't need to get any more oveer the top.

When WWE started the AE, they were losing in the ratings, but not the way TNA is losing now. The AE pushed WWE over the top when they were close. TNA is not close enough yet to be pushed over the top by anything, even an Attitude Era. Even if they went that route, the raise in ratings would only be temporary. Once the program got less "Attitude", as is inevitable since you can't maintain that forever, the viewers would leave again because they wouldn't be loyal.

They're on a good path now. Let them continue to slowly build, develop their young talent and the X Division. Get people interested and invested in the people, the characters, not ridiculous storylines. That will ensure loyal viewers and will be the way they will grow to challenge WWE if they ever do.

 

[Rayne]

So, what's your point? Performers need to say "shit" and "fuck" more often, and the women need to show more titty? This will be the formula that drives TNA/IW to success?

People didn't tune into the "Attitude Era" because wrestlers said bad words and ladies wore revealing clothes. (They still do, btw.) People tuned into the Attitude Era because there were compelling storylines and characters people cared about. Anyone could go back and point to some of the more face-palming moments of the '90s- we don't usually see Mae Young give birth to a hand these days, thank you Jesus- but it was the star characters that sold in the '90s. Who is this generation's Triple H? People making awkward comparisons to Robert Roode? (Roode's damned good, but he's got a long way to go before that conversation should be had.) Who's this generation's Steve Austin? (John Cena? Not taking away from Cena's drawing capacity, but I take Austin in his prime every day over Cena at his prime.)

Build characters, have them in interesting stories, and the rest falls together very easily. Professional wrestling writing has gotten both lazy and reactive, and it shows in the ratings.

 

[chrisddusombre]

Hey look Wrestling is Wrestling and the WWE didn't create Wrestling! And they didn't even create the Attitude Era, ECW did! Which they admitted to copying! People like you get on my nerve with this Bullshit like the WWE has created this shit. They didn't,Even one the Attitude Era' s main characters Triple H was a copy of the Franchise Shane Douglass!

So the WWE can't be praised for things they didn't create and made to look above anything! They did it so why can't anybody else?

Even the signs ECW fans made themselves and brought to the ECW arena,The WWE made those type of signs and passed them out to be like ECW!

ok first ecw wasn't attitude it was people tearing each other apart in matches that didn't even make sense most of the time.. WWE created the attitude era nuff said.. and omg triple h a copy of shane? really....... and no we can bring our own signs to events i do it when they are in Florida and i will at mania this year

 

[chrisddusombre]

Dude how old are you Twelve? Go learn the history of the Pro Wrestling business, Because it's obvious that you don't what the hell you're talking about!

There's books and DVDS out there, go find them and brush up on your Pro Wrestling History!

i know exactly what im saying ecw was just what king said extremely crappy wrestling. whats happened to most of the ecw stunt artists now huh? the only decent two is in the hall of fame being terry funk and mick foley ( Should be in hall of fame by now) The rest? bingo halls anyone? jail? dead? i rest my case the ones who post how old are you are really the ones who are young and ******ed. Ecw was crap and Tna will do better when hulk is done leaching from it. What i meant to say about wwe making the attitude era is that they made it interesting violence not stupid no sense violence.

 

[Rayne]

i know exactly what im saying ecw was just what king said extremely crappy wrestling. whats happened to most of the ecw stunt artists now huh? the only decent two is in the hall of fame being terry funk and mick foley ( Should be in hall of fame by now) The rest? bingo halls anyone? jail? dead? i rest my case the ones who post how old are you are really the ones who are young and ******ed. Ecw was crap and Tna will do better when hulk is done leaching from it. What i meant to say about wwe making the attitude era is that they made it interesting violence not stupid no sense violence.

Former WWE or WCW World Champions with ECW experience

Chris Jericho
Chris Benoit
Eddie Guerrero
Rey Mysterio Jr.
Rob Van Dam
Mick Foley
Steve Austin
Scott Steiner

I was going to make a list of US/Intercontinental champions too, but that list just got to be too long to fact check. I can tell you're familiar with ECW towards the end of its run, once the larger two companies had made it famous by purchasing their talent. They weren't all about tables breaking or barbed wire- in fact, the only two people that performed much, if at all in the hardcore ECW style in that list above were RVD and Mick Foley. Once most of their pure wrestling talent had been offered bigger paychecks, they tilted more towards the "extreme" style in order to hold onto their fan base.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

First off I must say that I strongly disagree with the OP. I think Vince McMahon said it once when I recall on a Wrestlezone report he spoke about TNA and said "it's not what culture wants these days". Of course that could be a bit of over exaggeration on his part but he got the basic concept.

TNA doesn't need to resort to using unadulterated trash TV to gain more success. Their TV14 rating as of now has distinguished them somewhat from the current WWE product but there is no need to take it another level. Like Vince said (a business man that has in the past experienced so much prosperity nonetheless.) it's not what the people in today's society seek. They don't need to go out there naked and shout "Fuck" and "Shit" all the time to have a compelling product. Like said before what maid the original AE successful were the great stories and captivating matches. Whatever direction TNA is heading towards I can assure you that an AE rebirth isn't the way.

Now then:

Hey look Wrestling is Wrestling and the WWE didn't create Wrestling!

Fair enough.

And they didn't even create the Attitude Era, ECW did! Which they admitted to copying!

What? ECW had no role in creating the attitude era, WCW did. You think Vince was jealous because ECW was so "innovative" and "brutal" not to mention that they were not making nearly as much cash as him? The NWO is what sparked WWF to create the Attitude Era, after all they were the once who winning in ratings.

Even the signs ECW fans made themselves and brought to the ECW arena,The WWE made those type of signs and passed them out to be like ECW!

Or it was because they knew that it could attract some ECW fans if they were allowed to bring signs. I stand by the fact that WWF had no desire to copy ECW, they simply wanted to capitalize on it's persistent yet insignificant following.

 

[billm75]

Attitude era worked because it was new and fresh at the time. WCW was already going towards pg-13 so WWE mimicked that and went one better. That's all it really was.

To do it again for an extended amount of time would be sad to witness and might spell the end for TNA. TNA needs FRESH ideas. Quit trying to be WWE-Lite. Do YOUR thing, do it with conviction and have fun. Play to a larger audience than the die-hard smarks.

They have talent, they just don't have a long term plan. Everything seems to be decided on a day to day basis.

 

[sTyLnK]

Most of the people that watched the "Attitude Era" are older and have moved on from wrestling. If you want edgier wrestling TNA is where it's at. It's not the "Attitude Era", but it's certainly edgier than the WWE. Leaps and bounds. So why would they go one step up? It's not going to bring better ratings. Because like I said, most people that watched the "Attitude Era" don't watch wrestling anymore and aren't going to watch TNA because they just don't care. Wrestling doesn't interest them anymore. The WWE fanboys as you people put it don't care either. The only people that would watch are the hardcore fans and most watch both already.

 

[VencomHardcore]

TNA does NOT need an Attitude Era. TNA needs to find out what the next wave will be and then present that. That is what made ECW what it was. It wasn't the same old same old territory type of promotion. It was rebellious, anti - establishment and the current pop culture of the day.

TNA is on the way to becoming good again but the issues they are having are being felt throughout the industry. An Attitude era won't help when your fans love MMA and spend more money on the product than they do for wrestling. You can't have an era when all the talent doesn't want to wrestle but work for Dana White. And the talent that is out there is not that good.

I go to alot of indy shows and I tell you that the talent isn't great anymore. Sure there are a few people here and there but in order to take a promotion to the next level, you have to have something innovative and fresh. And TNA IS NOT FRESH. It is riding the coat tails of WWE.

If they had followed Paul Heymans advice and get rid of everyone but one Legend and book around having the youngest and most innovative product then we could see a new type of era being born. ROH is in the ball park but not there yet. But whatever happens next will be a youth movement.

 

[iwinulose]

sorry dude, but look at the past, history will tell you that trying to do that of which worked in the past won't work as well in the present. Tna needs to do something new, something exciting, something so dam crazy that it couldn't possibly fail, but having their own attitude era, in my opinion, isn't the direction they should go, they need to do something similar, with the more hardcore styled matches, but they need to find some kind of median that won't just lead to a otherwise recycled product.

And no i don't mean to contradict myself, but lot's of guys got seriously hurt during the attitude era (hence one of the several reasons why they stopped it), but yes TNA needs to come up with something fresh, something more exciting, i mean they have their storylines going good but they need to take it to the next level. if that makes any sense to anyone

 

[Xumer]

They say that when people are exposed to extreme content they become "desensitized" and personally I think with WWEPG people have become re-sensitized. WWE is the measuring stick and this is what they are doing now and people have accepted it and now look at it as the norm. I remember when WWE took a stance against blading, most of the fans were pissed about it but now the majority are against blading. It's the same thing with the attitude era. Years ago it was almost universally agreed that it was the best time in pro wrestling history but now since WWE says PG is the best thing, the fans follow suit. We can "never" go back to that again, they say. Of course we could and we could at least TRY. Personally I hope TNA pushes the envelope even more but I'm not sure it would be wise. The fact is pro wrestling is PG now and I don't think the average PG fan could handle a more adult product. They'd probably contact the FCC themselves to protest.

 

[ocekit]

There is no recreating an era. It's absolutely impossible to do so. You can't force something to become trendy again. It either does or it doesn't.

The success of the AE was due to a combination of desperation, good marketing, skilled wrestlers, compelling characters, okay writing, surprise factor, good timing, and a shit ton of luck.

TNA can certainly take aspects from the past and make them work for the modern day. They do so on a regular basis. But they need to make sure that they don't stay in the past and manage to find something or someone that connects with a general audience. Otherwise, all the violence and sex in the world won't make them interested.

 

[Amarillo del Bosque Verde]

NO.
Seriously. No.
The Attitude Era ENDED in 2001. It's going to stay dead. You think WWE and TNA sucks now. Why? Because there's no attitude era? So are you like a redneck or something?

So in your opinion wrestling sucks right now because:
-There's no blood
-No over-the-top language
-No brutal violence
-No softcore porn or nudity.

Damn. Wrestling isn't Trash TV anymore. Wrestling is about great in-ring matches and compelling, non trashy stories now. That must suck.

Wrestling, is in a new era. One that focuses on wrestling and exciting storylines. The Attitude Era is over. The world has moved on. TNA isn't going to move in that direction. Just a few months ago, they tried doing that. Being more edgy and violent. It didn't work. Now they're back to mild blood, less gimmick matches, and censoring words.
I have no problem with that. Like I said, I want to see wrestling and feel like a wrestling fan, not a redneck.

 

[Self High 5]

I'm as big an Attitude era mark as there is... and that's exactly why I don't ever want to see it again. The Attitude era was bottled lightning. Sure it was trash, but it was exciting trash. And the main difference between then and now, is that back then, the WWE had almost bottomless awesome talent who could make it work. Austin, Rock, HHH, 'Taker, Kane, Foley, Jericho, Angle, Chyna, D-X, Hardys, Dudleys, Edge and Christian and plenty more. As much as I generally like TNA's current roster, to make the comparison is laughable.The other key difference, is that it was new and cutting edge. Attempts to re-create 'Attitude' like wrestling always come off as a bit sad and desperate (just like all the attempts to re-do ECW).

Furthermore, wrestling was cool and mainstream back then. I'd say it hasn't been cool since about 2001. The sex and blood pulled in non-wrestling fans. No wrestling product these days can draw in non-wrestling fans. You're a wrestling fan, or you're not, and it's this group TNA needs to try and impress to increase their ratings. Sure, Brandon Jacobs or Hogan may spike the ratings a bit, but - and we're all sick of saying it - TNA just needs to keep putting out the (mostly) quality product that they currently are, gradually improving as they go. People always expect TNA to turn around overnight. What bullshit!

TNA already sets itself apart from the WWE by allowing just enough language and gore to keep it interesting. I wouldn't want them to change the tone much from what it currently is. On a side note, it's nice that despite their extreme hotness (mostly ) the main focus of the Knockouts division is always the wrestling and storylines, not tits and arse.

If you want the Attitude era, I suggest you get yourself a few DVDs and please - as Jericho would have said back in the day - shut. the hell. up!

 

[Fenris]

TNA definitely DOESN'T need an Attitude Era. What they NEED is to brainstorm and figure out what the next era of wrestling should be and do it before they again miss the boat or before the WWE does it. Trying to recapture a slightly overrated 3 years of wrestling history won't turn them around, sorry.