Controversy creates Cash?

[Cracker5000]

One of the most appealing aspects of the Attitude Era was controversy. Controversy is an important factor in any entertainment business as it lets viewers wanting to know what's going to happen next. A great example of controversy is from the most dominant and most well known stable in the wrestling world: The NWO.

They put WCW straight through the ratings barriers and made the WWf their bitch for many weeks. Who would believe that the American Hero Hulk Hogan would tell the hulkamaniacs to go to hell. Everyone then wanted to see Hulk to get his arse kicked. Some bought the T-Shirts because 1. They looked pretty cool and 2. They loved to feel like a bad guy. The NWO would then go on to beat up randoms and half the roster (the other half was probably in the NWO by the time it ended).

One controversial faction made money for WCW so the WWF thought hey if they can make money from some ruthless yet charismatic thugs, why can't we. Thus DX was formed. They were involved with the most controversial incident of wrestling's history: The Montreal Screwjob.

Other factors made money for each business such as: Stone Cold, Sting (he beat people up with a baseball bat), The Rock, Eric Bischoff, HHH and sadly Vince Russo. Before you say anything, he did make money for the companies AT FIRST.

However there are certain factors that leave a bad taste in your mouth ad put plenty of money down the shitter such as: Katie Vick, Hawk commiting suicide, viagra on a pole match, Sexual Chocolate, Mae Young, Mae Young stripping, Robocop, The Oddities, RTC, XFL, Dungeon Of Doom, KISS Demon, Ready To Rumble, David Arquette and the Ultimate factor Vince Russo.

I have to ask, does controversy draw people to the TV? The WWE's ratings aren't as high as they used to be and a majority of the forum agrees that it's the same old shit. WWE did try to create a shocking turn of events by Vince exploding in his limo but that had to be cancelled as we all know. But would you tune in if that storyline continued and if there was more violence, swearing etc?

 

[Shocky]

Controversy works to a certain degree. The main thing that led to the booms of the 80s and 90s was competition, not controversy. The over all story telling of the big two raised dramatically to out do each other.

The Attitude Era was around for one reason, all of those 5 year old Hulkamaniacs in 1985, were pissed off rebelious teenagers in 96-99. The product had finally grown up with the core audience of Vince McMahons WWF. This is why the company has reverted back to getting more "kid Friendly" Us twenty somethings are now starting to pop kids out, much like Vicne's Children. The WWE now sees it as, the kids we brought in to the business twenty years ago now have kids, and the way to get money is to put a product out that is tamer then ten years ago. You get the first generation WWE fans from the 80s bringing the second generation fans to the events now. And eventually, in 15 or so years when the McMahon grandchildren are teenagers, you will probably see another "Attitude Era" beign born.

 

[X]

You know that is one damn good point Shocky that I never thought about before. I never thought about it like you did of how the kids of the 80s grew up to the rebelliousness of the Attitude era and how it has since reverted back to the kids. If thats the case then god damnit I cannot wait for 5 or 10 years from now!

But I was never a Hulkamaniac as a kid. I was more of a Macho Man fan.

 

[Shocky]

Haha, ya it's a hard pill to swollow, but it's gotta be the logical explanation for the toning down of everything. Look at Triple H and Shawn Michaels, some of the leaders of the Attitude Era, they both pop kids out, and bam, the tone of the company goes a different way.

Wrestlemania 17 was probably the climax of the Attitude Era, and between 17-20 we got to see some damn fine wrestling with the gimmicks and stuff toned down. The WWE didn't need to compete with anyone, so they started to cater to the Smarks online by breaking kayfabe and letting people in. Wrestlemania 20 is the grande finally of this movement, as Shane O'Mac has a kid.

Vince becomes a grand dad and maybe something hits him in the face. He wants said, he was the Walt Disney of professional wrestling. Maybe he realized to himself, damn, I could make a lot of money if we brought the kids back into this. So these kids today will grow up with Cena as their Hogan, Austin as their Superstar Billy Graham, and Hogan as their Bruno Sanmartinos.

In ten years, Cena will make the inevitable heel turn sparking another attitude era.

 

[emceelokey]

When you really think about it, it's not oto much controversy that sold the attitide era. We look back at all these things that happened in that era and just way over state what they really were. The whole Rick Rude being on both Nitro and Raw on the same week really didn't do anything during the time but looking back it was built to be something tremendous and earth shaking. I didn't even know that happened until way after.

tTo me the most controversial things that happened during that era was Madusa trashing the WWF womens title on live tv and the Outsiders initial invasion. The Madusa angle was a true act of disrespect but still didn't really do anything because WCW didn't really have a womens division anyway. The outsiders angle was great because you really didn't know what was happening back then and those guys were staples of the WWF roster at that time.

The whole Controversy Creates Cash doesn't really make that much of a difference. Competetion Creates Cash. People liked to see two different promotions that had huge budgets try to top each other every week. Controversy was great to a certain aspect but I think the controversies of back then are just a little overstated nowadays looking back.