I'm gonna flip my lid at people if they call this a "failure" because it didn't draw "this rating" or "that buyrate". To older fans viewing this thread, would we consider Bret/Austin a failure?? Sure it was at the lowest drawing 'Mania of all time, and outside of to much for there own good HBK marks, and Hitman haters, I really can't recall too many people calling that match a failure. And here's why:
At that point, Vince McMahon was starting to realize that what they're doing, isn't working. And he had to do something to shake things up. WCW was kicking his ass, and he needed to try a different appproach, Ausitn's rise and the heel turn of Bret was just that very thing. Only Hogan's heel turn the year before, was the only one of the 90's that was more appalling and hateful than Bret's. The WWF was getting interesting in the main event scene again, and bit by bit, things started to happen, The Undertaker was having good matches as champion building up his stock day by day and the Kane buildup began (yeah the feud is basically a self parody now, but back then I remember every wrestling fan I knew being captivated), Shawn's downward spiral which may very well have been real, but made for some VERY entertaining TV, and the formation of D-X. Then it went on and on and on, the chain reaction kept on going, guys like Foley, HHH and a youngster known as The Rock, were all rising in prominence.
When the Bret/Austin double turn began, Raw was averaging in the 2's up and down throughout the year. By January '98, post screwjob, they were well into the 3's. That was nearly 10 months later. My point? It took THAT long to get there.
I don't understand how ever supposed "smarts" like Wade Keller or Dave Meltzer and even the big boss himself Vinnie Mac can expect results after Punk had only really caught fire in recent weeks. Yes, Punk has always been appealing, and unique, and connected with the fans wether they were booing him or cheering him, and always got his charachter over in different ways, he was never portrayed on the "big guns" level until recently. The highest level he was ever built as an equal too was Jeff Hardy.
Now, as for the Pay Per View buys. I hate to break it too most, but the last time a B-PPV increased from a previous B-PPV, with a six digit number (slightly over 100 000), was 2006. Since then the largest B-PPV increase from the previous month is 60 000.
The 10 largest B-PPV buy increases of all time, 7/10 were in the Attitude era, and generally involved Austin, only one was in the last 5 years. (This took me FOREVER to research, this is what happens when you work a front desk and nobody comes in on a horrid humid day).
Despite R-Truth's recent antics and as entertaining as they may be, I don't see it making Capitol Punishment a major domestic success. I'd say at the MOST, 90 000. I think MITB can make 150 000, I would like it to do better, but I'm not holding my breath.
