No Longer The 10%ers?

[The Brain]

Years ago I think it was Eric Bischoff who said the IWC makes up about 10% of wrestling fans. He believed the overwhelming majority watched wrestling when it was on and didn't really think about wrestling when it wasn't. Most fans didn't discuss wrestling on the internet and didn't know about anything that went on other than what they saw on their television screens. At the time I agreed with that and believed that most people in the audience did not understand backstage references or 'insider terms.'

Times have changed. It seems to me that A LOT more of the audience are now 'smart fans' or 'smarks' ( I hope I'm using these terms properly). What percent of fans do you think the IWC makes up today?

 

[#tamale]

In WWE? I would say between 50% to 70% of the audience is aware of what goes on behind the scenes in WWE (depends on what area of the country they are in). With how social media has exploded in the past couple of years, the definition of the casual fan has changed. They don't read the sheets, but they still get the dirt and are in the know.

 

[Papa Pillman]

I really tend to think now that if you take out of the equation the children who watch wrestling, and their parents who watch as a result, and strictly evaluate the remainder of fans, I would bet that the number is atleast very close to a 50/50 split between the informed fans and the more peripheral followers.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I don't know really. Sure, they are a lot more now... But 50% really? I don't know.

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

I would say about 15-30% knows whats going on behind the scenes. I say this because the majority of my friends and coworkers have no idea what is going on behind the scenes when I try to go "smark" on them

 

[L@RISANO]

Highly doubt it is 50/50...especially as a guy who follows WWE on FB...when I check comments regarding anything WWE, 1 in about every 10 comments reflects someone who is an active part of the "IWC"/"Smark" etc...


I'd say probably 25-30% at most, and it could be even less than that.
Now if WWE was to ever get the kind of the AE did, then you'd be sure that number would rise to even more, as there would be more interest in the product as a whole in terms of hardcore WWE fans.

 

[The Butcher]

100%

 

[A11oftheLights]

I'd probably say about 40% have some idea of the backstage happenings. Of that 40% I dont think they all can be considered as part of the IWC as they still wouldnt discuss wrestling they just get their news and maybe comment

 

[Bernkastel]

The number is allot greater. Wouldn't be surprised if it were greater than 70%. Because the internet is so readily available and more advanced than it was in the late 90's. However most of that high percentage of fans aren't on message boards, or forums, or Youtube arguing with people about wrestling. Those are still the minority. Most casual watchers would probably be on Facebook or Twitter updating their status on how they went to a show or something.

 

[BaconBits]

I believe more fans are aware of the goings on in wrestling via the innerwebz, but I don't believe the level of smarkdom is any higher now than it was back then. The vocal "IWC" folks are still massive minority to casual fans.

 

[The Butcher]

After actually reading other replies before mine (I used to do it all the time, but non-spam ruined it for everybody), I agree with Marlene's Disaster about fans getting the dirt regardless of how they get it. Bernkastel also raises a valid point as to how we label the IWC. If it's just commenters like us, then sure, it's a decided minority. However, I've seen plenty of stories on Yahoo, SB Nation, and ESPN/Grantland (remember when ESPN had a dedicated WWE column? That was a fun couple of weeks). In any case I really do feel as if the percentage of fans adequately informed enough to be labeled "smart marks" is closer to 100 than 10.