Are you too "old" for wrestling?

[Marty2Hotty]

Im making this thread because I reply to posts and I notice that a lot of the people I'm replying to are 18-20.. I'm almost 24.. and was about 13 when the attitude era started, 16 when Russo came on television the first time... These guys would have been like 7 years old when the attitude era started

Maybe I'm too old for wrestling. Most .. ahem.. all the people i talk to dont' watch wrestling anymore. They might tune in every now and then and know some of the guys out there.. but I doubt they make it a "must" to follow the shows every week.

Think about this. All the people that marked out to all the shows back during the peak are a little older now.. they may want a more adult-oriented product.. a little less insulting and predictable.. But yeah, I think it's going to be very difficult to get people to just tune into wrestling again unless you really start to push the envelope and have it be the "cool thing" to talk about.

I think I'm one of the 'older' posters because everyone here were kindergarteners as opposed to teenagers when the attitude era started.

 

[klunderbunker]

I don't think you can be too old for wrestling. I'm 20 years old and have been watching wrestling since I was at least 2. I've gotten bored with it, I've gotten sick of it, but I always stick with it. To me, wrestling is a source of escape from reality, like a movie or a comic book. I know none of it is real and it allows me to just take a break. Wrestling is fun to watch as you get to watch the wrestlers and their characters grow up in front of you. I've been a fan for 20 years+, and I think I always will be.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I've been watching wrestling for over 20 years. I've watched consistently throughout that time. I got involved during the Hogan era, but I didn't stop, then start again when Austin gained popularity. Like a lot of my friends did.

To be honest I don't see what was so great about the Attitude era, it wasn't any better or worse than wrestling is usually. It was just different.

Wrestling comes in waves. One day it'll get popular again. There will be a wrestler like Hogan or Austin and everyone will start watching it again. Maybe it's somebody currently in WWE or TNA, or maybe it's somebody we haven't heard of yet.

Anyway. When that next boom period comes I'm sure age won't be an issue. It'll be popular and everyone will be intrested in it again. Fan's who watched in the late 80's & 90's will come back. They'll remember what they liked about it all those years ago and they'll start watching. It works the same as any other TV show that you watched as a child. If you see it on TV then you'll sit and watch it. It just so happens that while He-Man, Thundercats & Transformers are no longer around, WWE is.

With popularity comes more advertising, and with more advertising comes more viewers. It's not an age thing at all.

 

[Total Impact]

I love wrestling, been watching it since I was born probably. I'm hardcore to wrestling which means I watch no matter what and would watch any wrestling program no matter what. I'm 22 and don't think I'm too old for wrestling as I think my best years watching wrestling have begun as I hope to go to some WWE shows this year for the first time. And it's not like how wrestling used to be with the cartoon nature, it more for adults anyway. I don't think you can get too old for wrestling, you can grow out of the obession, but you are never too old. I want to be like my great aunt, in my 70's watching the son of Randy Orton and John Cena fighting. I want to see how the WWE is run by Dylcan McMahon and Allore Rose. I'm in it for the long hall.

 

[MattMoses]

Despite what my friends and family tell me, I'm not too "old" for wrestling. I've been watching wrestling for 13 years now, though a little on and off during 2004-2006. People tell me all the time that I'm too old for wrestling, and I ask them why that is, and what the age limit is. They just tell me it's childrens entertainment and babble on about how fake it is.

I'm not obsessed like I was 7 years ago, but I still watch alot of wrestling and keep up to date with it. I dont plan to stop watching, regardless of people telling me I'm too old for it. I couldn't care less.

 

[RVDgurl]

I don't think you can ever be too old to watch anything. I'm 29 years old and I've been a wrestling fan since I was 4. I have gone through spurts where I didn't watch, but something always manages to draw me back.

It's true that many of the posters on this forum are in the 16-21 age range, but several of them have done their homework in regard to wrestling before their time. Just because they were toddlers during the Attitude Era doesn't mean they are not up to speed.

With that being said, I do think it's true that you cannot truly appreciate something unless you've lived through it. I always use ECW as an example here. I think alot of people that trash ECW are those who were too young to remember the impact it had or just didn't have it available to them while it was happening. I live an hour from Philly and I was in my late teens when ECW was at it's peak, so I got to live it.
The Hogan Era is also a good example. I am in no way a fan of Hulk Hogan, but I am also old enough to remember when Hogan WAS wrestling, so I have a greater appreciation for his contributions.

All true wrestling fans will always educate themselves on the past, but there is no substitute for the actual experience. There is only so much you can get from watching a DVD.

 

[bambam]

Again like everyone else on this topic so far, don't think you can be too old for almost anything. Wrestling isn't only marketed for kids. It's for anyone who likes wrestling. I have friends and cousins who make fun of me watching wrestling all the time. Just last month I was going to a house show with a friend, and we asked another friend if he wanted to go, he said, "sure, but I just threw out my Ultimate Warrior costume yesterday, Darn!". Wrestling will be part of anyones life who used to watch. I was 4 (1990) when I was first showed wrestling, Hogan vs Warrior at Wrestlemania, I'll remember that match forever. I'll remember when I was 9, and my older cousin took a trip to Philly and sent me some 3-5 tapes of this little wrestling company he found called ECW. I fell in love with it, and still am to this day. Shit I would buy a tape almost everyweek from that number if mom said it was ok. Just because you get older, doesn't mean your too old to still enjoy it. Hell if my younger cousins come over, I still love to watch cartoons too. I love WWE 24/7 to watch old matches. Love me some old Macho Man Randy Savage, ECW, anything. and like RVDgurl said

All true wrestling fans will always educate themselves on the past

. You can't be to old for wrestling, you will want to show your kids and cousins, and grandkids, great grandkids, whatever.

 

[Father:_Polley]

at 22 i dont think im too old for wrestling. what i enjoy about it has changed from more gimmicky to genuine wrestling. also, yeah i appreciate the impact the attitude era had despite the fact that i only got into wrestling about 10 years ago. that doesn't mean i can't enjoy it or appreciate older footage.

as far as being able to salvage what wrestling was, people like hogan, savage, andre and undertaker were what got most people interested and talking about wrestling. the attitude era made headlines and got younger fans interested because it was edgy, but it didnt make it cool for adult discussion, unlike the previous era

 

[Phenom ste]

People are akways insulkting wrestling who r my age saying its not real so people have to get hurt for t to be entertaining? No I love wrestling and always will and im 16 btw if ur a wrestling fan and someone says its shit and fake dont be discouraged u jst gotta blank em narrow minded *****

 

[matty]

I don't think you'll find someone on the a wrestling forum saying that they are too old for it. That being said, I have watched it since I can even remember. I saw Hogan slam Andre. I saw Hogan lose to Warrior. I saw the Bret Hart era, the Shawn Michaels era, The Attitude era. I went to the monday night raw where Shawn was fired and gave Vince sweet chin music. I have been to many house shows, seen all the greats past and present. I was at Wrestlemania 18 when the crowd was electric for Rock vs. Hogan, my most memorable moment! I stopped watching it right around the time it changed from WWF to WWE. Partly because I was in a house with a bunch of friends and nobody could afford cable. But, I like others have said always come back to it. I find it funny when my wife says it's lame and other friends think it's stupid that I watch it. Hell, I played with the figures till I was 16. Call me what you will but I was obsessed! Now, I watch just Monday Night raw. I don't have to watch, I just do. I DVR it if I am going to miss it but I don't DVR smackdown for some reason, and I would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS allow myself to watch ECW. It's disgusting how terrible their show is. I feel bad for some of the guys on it. CM Punk and Shelton need major pushes.

Anyways, I will continue to watch wrestling because I appreciate the talent these guys have. I don't see the difference in watching another tv show or watching a movie. It's all entertainment. I own a bunch of the dvd's that have come out. I love the Raw history one, the stone cold legend dvd, shawn michaels, undertaker's tombstone dvd, tha ladder match. I enjoy the classics like I was a little kid. I JUST WENT TO ROYAL RUMBLE in NYC and I live 6 hours away. Granted I had never been there before but I went to see the Rumble and I loved it. I was like a kid again when Cena came out. Spare me the Cena sucks stuff because the reason why it was a great moment is because it was one of the few moments we could not have predicted in today's wrestling world. I am 24 years old and have never been ashamed of watching and I never will be!

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Im 21, and have been watching since the age of 6, and enjoy the show just as much as I ever have. In fact, I enjoy it MORE now I think, becuase I nuderstand more whats going on. I used to get all pissed when one of the "bad guys" won, but now I can recognize and appreciate good heel preformances. My age and maturity makes the whole experience more enjoyable, and makes me appreciate a great match more than ever. I dont see any forseeable scenario were im no longer a fan. My grandfather, at the age of 67 still watches the programming, and whenever I get to go home and see him, we totally mark out together during programming. So no I dont think there is a such thing as "too old" fr wrestling. If that exists, then people must become too old for Tv in general correct?? becuase every TV show is fake right?? exactly.

 

[dannythecodfather]

Agree, Ive gone from liking the characters and story to now how the characters progress and the technical ability of them (it shocks me to see some older hulk hogan stuff now) it has a plot like a soap, and a good one usually, just annoys me when they start making daft moves like Jesse and Feutus characters and Eugene ect when they can do so much more great mature stuff. I think they should make Raw for adults and Smackdown for kids personally, with ECW for young developing talent ect

 

[Rocky3:16]

I'm 20 years old, and have been watching WWE since the age of 5 but really started watching it on a regular basis when I was about 8, and I can recall the "Attitude Era" very well even though I was very young in age at the time. I don't think you can be too old for wrestling. That' like saying you are too old for Reality Shows. IMO, its all a matter of what your interests are.

 

[Gus]

I am 16, i "watched" wrestling in 1999, (I was like 7) then i think when RAW moved to TNN, i didnt watch it and kind of forgot about it until 2004 when i was watching UPN one night and Smackdown came on, Eddie Guerrero was the champion, and i remembered the days of old, watching Triple H rise, and Stone Cold and The Rock, DX, Nation, all of that, and yes, i have done my homework on wrestling, and i dont think i will ever stop watching it, even if i do, i will still probably remember wat i learned about it, like I used to be a Poke'mon super fan, and i havent even touched a gameboy in around 8 years, but i still know a lot about it, anyway, i dont think there is even a "age limit" to wrestling

 

[Enigmania]

Started watching 11 years ago but never really "watched" it till 1998 when Heat came on Channel 4 - I used to be a closet wrestling fan at school but towards the end I honestly didn't care what people thought of wrestling. Always where ma Hardys watch to work and found out nearly everyone I work with were fans also. Good Times

 

[ROHDude]

I'm 23 for a couple more months, and I can literally say I've been watching wrestling my whole life. My dad and a couple of his buddies were into it during the 80's, so from day 1 I've been around it. I consistantly watched the E up until last year. I have now started to fade out the E, and just focus on ROH & other independent promotions. I don't see myself ever growing out of it.

 

[kmamou]

I've been watching wrestling since day one and i will never stop watching it the longer u watch it it becomes more appealing 2 u.I'm 16 and i always think about becoming a professional wrestler

 

[wwe_rules]

i hope to god this never happens ....... i would be in grief for ever but......

does anyone think that WWE will ever be canceled or run its course, close down ?

i hope to god it dosent

i personaly dont think it will

 

[rKo0019]

i hope to god this never happens ....... i would be in grief for ever but......

does anyone think that WWE will ever be canceled or run its course, close down ?

i hope to god it dosent

i personaly dont think it will

Yeah right. Your fears are unfounded. Anyway..

I have been watching wrestling since I was 6 or so, every weekend WWF Superstars came on after Monster Jam here in San Antonio. I kinda got out of it after the Attitude era and the Monday Night Wars, when WCW started to decline. However, not for long as the "Invasion" angle began in the WWF. Kinda didn't play out like I wanted to, but I still have been hooked ever since...

One thing I say to people who utter things like "Aren't you too old for wrestling?" or "You know it's fake right?": I ask them if they like movies and TV and crap, and usually their reply is yes. I then ask them if it entertains them. Usually the reply is yes. Well, I tell them, wrestling may be scripted and fake and so on, but it still entertains me. 'Nuff said...

 

[teamratedcds]

ive watched wrestling since 1997 wgne it had all the old good exciting people dont get me wrong the superstars are good but just think if owen the bulldog mr perfect brian pillman or any of them were still alive how wrestling would be great to c owen compete again in the ring i could never grow away from wrestling i dont care wat any one else thinks about it its wat i think and i think its entertaining to me

 

[MattButcher]

I am thirty years old and I am probably too old to watch wrestling. I have been watching in one form or another since the cartoon era, though I kind of skipped out on the attitude era because I was in high school and I was attempting to be an edgier, more artistic person than I really was. Pro wrestling is undoubtedly the silliest past time in my life and when I consider the hours I have spent watching, downloading, hunting down tapes, listening to radio programs, scouring news sites, and posting on forums it makes me wonder why I do it. Especially because I feel wrestling bookers, writers, and performers regularly insult my intelligence particularly in the majors (wwe/tna).

Having said all of that, I really love to watch professional wrestling. It is a kind of physical theater that I developed a taste for at a young age and there must be something that I get from pro wrestling that I don't get from movies or books or other kinds of television shows. Also, I believe that at a certain point you get to have your silly hobbies. As long as your life continues its forward momentum and you are achieving the kinds of things that you mean to accomplish you get to be a nerd about whatever you want. For me it's a lot of things, but I imagine wrestling will always be one of them.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I don't think you could ever get too old for wrestling. I'm only 16, so generally even younger than the ages you pointed out as being average for you to reply to. However I've watched wrestling all my life, and unlike almost everyone else I know that watched it at one point, I never stopped watching. Watching Raw and Smackdown is just like a weekly ritual for me. Staying up for PPV's etc. I've been doing them all for so long, I probably wouldn't be me without it.

At the end of the day, I just love watching WWE. Week in and week out, I can't deny that I really do love watching these athletes in the ring. What they do is just mindblowing, and I could just watch forever. The passion of these guys shines through and is matched by nothing else I've seen. Seeing it live is amazing; whether it's a house show or a televised taping. I don't think the passion I have for the business will ever leave, so I'll be watching wrestling until I die.

Also, the reason I got into wrestling at such a young age, is because of my family, who all watch the sport, and haven't stopped either. My mum is 40, my granddad 60. So with that in mind, how can you ever think you can get too old for wrestling?

 

[welcometotheterrordome]

Well, I guess you could be too old. It all depends on if you still want to believe. I've been a fan for 23 years and there are still times I mark out. I just think that really it's all been done. Wrestling at this point is like the music business. When everything has been done and artists start rehashing older generations, it's harder to get into what's around and you'll start going back to where everything came from.
Right now, I'm doing the same with wrestling. Instead of reveling in the new product, Im watching WWE 24/7 and going back through my old tapes. I think this point in wrestling is actually good for a wrestling fan. If it wasn't for the lackluster era right now, I would've never appriciated some of the old school that I didn't pay attention to when I was younger. I have a much fonder appriciation for things like JCP and WCCW(even though I still can't be a Von Erich fan).
In closing, While waiting for the next group of oustanding wrestlers to come about, I'm still maintaining my status as a fan by still watching wrestling but, Just growing more as a fan.

 

[WWEIsLife]

I guess you could be too old for Wrestling but in most people's case like mine I can't see myself ever growing out of it. Ive been a Fan since Late 1990/1991 and I just have never been able to get enough of it. Its my form of Entertainment every week and I love it all the more.

 

[insertwprds10791]

when i read the first post, one thing came to my mind.

i was at the 2007 No Mercy in Chicago, which was my first live event (i'm 16) and a few seats + and aisle away, i saw a man, probably in his late 60's or 70's, waiting for the show to start. all night, when i turned over, he was just as into it as everyone else, and seemed to be having just as good of a time as anyone else. the single idea of it made me smile.

when that image came to my mind, my answer for you became clear; no. you can never be too old for wrestling. hopefully, when i'm his age, i'll be enjoying wrestlemania 85 or so lol