What Vince seems to not understand about the Attitude Era.

[BillAlfonso]

Why doesn't Mr. MacMahon understand this? The Attitude Era wasn't really about divas in skimpy outfits(to tell you the truth, if you're not about to do anything sexual with her a half naked woman is only interesting for about a minute), or bloody matches(although they were entertaining). It was really about what it was called, The Attitude Era. You had characters who actually had attitudes, Stone Cold was gonna do whatever he wanted to do, the Rock and Jericho were both cool as hell, Mr. MacMahon was a control freak, DX were the rebellious punk that everyone had in them and that's just it. Just about every character was actually some sort of manifestation of what various members of the audience were feeling or think, each audience member's own attitude. All of us, whether we know it or not thinks we are or wants to be that guy that kicks our tyrannical bosses ass, or thinks we're the coolest guy ever, or just doesn't want to listen to authority or wants to be that authority so why doesn't Mr. MacMahon use that like he used to anymore. Which one of us acts like Cena, Batista, Edge, or Orton? None of us, or very little.

 

[mateoontherocks]

I think you touched on a key point there. WWE is giving us a lot of characters we can't relate to. Batista doesn't even have a character, he's just a huge guy in a suit and they call him "The Animal." In my opinion, part of it is simply the age of most of the Main Eventers, many of whom are 35-40 and up. They're fathers and family men, they're certainly sitting on the cutting edge of cool like Austin and Y2J. Perhaps this helps to explain Jeff Hardy's appeal- he's young, and he makes dangerous, violent decisions that sacrifice his own body. What American male aged 11-25 can't relate to that on some level?

 

[bulldog76]

I fully understand your point. The only thing I can think of is that Vince has had several of his fans of the "Attitude Era" grow out of the wrestling stage. So now, he is trying to establish a new generation of fans. He probably understands (or he should) that this could lead to short term loss (like a few years). But he is hoping that the kids that see Cena today, will be the equivilant of today's Hogan mark.

Plus, (I don't know if he has thought of this) he has a chance to reshape pro-wrestling's image with a new generation. Right now pro-wrestling is C-list celebrities, a "fake" sport, and "bad" acting. Many people view it as smut programming for "white-trash rednecks." (Funny since Shaquille O'Neal and Cowboys RB Marion "The Barbarian" Barber are both said to be big fans. Anyone calling them white-trash?) "Oh and lets not forget that it is filled with and fueled by drugs; especially steroids."

A new generation comes up, the WWE attempts to keep clean, the slowly evolve into more adult programming again (or not), and try to make it something that fans can love for a life-time like in other countries.

Why not continue with attitude? What does his target audience really have to have an attitude about? "Daing it Mom. I want to stay up to see Cena. He's in the main-event. Let me stay up please." Out of the names you listed, you hope kids grow up to be hard-working, have loyalty and respect (Cena's motto). Similar to "take your vitamins and say your prayers."

 

[ThaRaph]

I think Vince is a genious overall. He's said time and time again that he's not in the "wrestling business", he's in the "sports entertainment business". He told that to Ted Turner when WCW first hit the scene.

I think this is how Vince sees it. When you play up on the violence and sexualy suggestive plots, you'll get single guys, and husbands/fathers who want to get away from the wife/family for a few hours. They're gonna spend $80-$100 on a single ticket, and maybe a hot dog and a beer. If you go TV-PG, you appeal to a larger group. So now instead of one guy payin 80 for one ticket, you have a family of 4 payin upwards of $200 for tix, then the kids love Cena, so he's spending another $200 on merch (more if he gets a replica belt for his son), not to mention snacks for everyone, and there you have it.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I might be mistaken, but the Attitude Era was about ''Stone Cold'' Steve Austin and people associated with him. Nothing else. As Steve Austin is no longer an active wrestlers there's no real reason for WWE to be like it was then.

Anything else was just there to fill air time.

 

[Sharmania]

It wasn't just about Austin at all. Other great feuds occured like Triple H Vs. The Rock. Does that mean the Attitude Era went on hiatus when Austin was injured?

 

[Slyfox696]

WWE is giving us a lot of characters we can't relate to.

And what does that say about society when it can't relate to a character that tries to do the right thing, works hard, and always stands up for what he believes in, no matter the odds (talking about Cena).

Isn't that a little sad that people can't relate to that?

In my opinion, part of it is simply the age of most of the Main Eventers, many of whom are 35-40 and up.

As most main-eventers in wrestling history have been.

Perhaps this helps to explain Jeff Hardy's appeal- he's young, and he makes dangerous, violent decisions that sacrifice his own body. What American male aged 11-25 can't relate to that on some level?

Me?

I fully understand your point. The only thing I can think of is that Vince has had several of his fans of the "Attitude Era" grow out of the wrestling stage. So now, he is trying to establish a new generation of fans.

Precisely.

That was the problem with Attitude Era. The Attitude fans moved on, and Vince had no one to replace them. The last several years was spent replacing those fans. And if not for Benoit and the steroid scandal immediately after, the WWE would probably be pulling low to mid 4s right now.

It wasn't just about Austin at all.

You're right, it was also about the Rock....and MAYBE Vince

But other than that, everything else was filler. And there's no denying that Austin WAS Attitude, without him it wouldn't have existed. The Rock and Vince played in the sandbox that Austin made.

 

[Alanson]

This is an ongoing issue that i have read non-stop for the past couple of months or so. The 2 basic problems are.. Vince is on 1 side.. and the fans aged 25 or so like myself are on another. Vince has had a big hit way before he finally decided to go through with the PG-13 route. Thus, making him change the way the program plays out. Personally, i kept watching.. but many did not. You can't blame Vince for trying to take a new approach to kids. Who knows.. get a new generation of kids interested, and in their teen years switch back to the attitude era.

On our side.. my side. It sucks. I go through every day at my job being PG-13 so to speak in order to keep my job. I enjoyed stuff like the attitude era. But i also can't say i didn't enjoy The Hulkster and Warrior when i was a little kid.

In closing, the situation sucks because i'm a wrestling fan but it's directed towards kids more now.. but at the same time, you can't blame Vince for making a change.

 

[BernacK6]

This thread is assanine. Vince McMahon understands everything about the Attitude Era. HE FUCKING CREATED IT!!! Thread done. Conversation over.

WWF was competing for ratings weekly with WCW. This is why the Attitude Era was what is was. If he hadn't had competition, the Attitude Era would have never needed to be created.

Does anyone ever have anything good to say about wrestling?? Right now, it's pretty good.

 

[davy190260]

why cant people just accept that the attitude era is history and wont ever be duplicated? it doesnt have to be either as that is what wrestling is all about, moving from one era to another and creating new stars along the way. if some of these clowns cant accept that then i suggest they stop watching wwe or shut the fuck up, enjoy what we are getting, look forward to whatever the next era will be and stop coming onto these forums to cry and moan about how wrestling isnt the same anymore. i liked the old times a lot more, loved the attitude era and miss those times but i accept what we are getting just now and still look forward to raw smackdown and ecw and every wwe ppv as i am still a wrestling fan. get over yourselves.idiots!!!!!!

 

[Total Impact]

Like everything in life, the attitude era got boring. I know everyone says it was great and cool, but at the same time it ran it's course and we were welcome to the Notsalgia age, of seeing the old wrestlers from the past, HBK, Hogan, Taker, Flair, etc come back one more time for the spotlight and the crowd pleasure. Because seeing bloody matches and half naked women can get old if you don't change it up sometimes and that is what the WWE did and I like it.

I mean look at TNA, they try so hard to be attitude and extreme, but what it comes out being is like two guys who try to be cool by doing what other "cool" people did and it makes them uncool because they were not cool in the first place. It's wierd but you'll get my point if you were cool.

But anyway, I like the way wrestling is now, and remember thatr even during Austin era, wrestling was geared toward kids, I mean they did sell action figures did they? Wrestling has always been in the last 30 or so years a kids show. So it makes since to target kids. They wil grow up and get their own attitude era like we did and we will be old wrestling fans complaining about how its too extreme for kids like my grandma did.

Get over the attitude era, it's over!

 

[loretta]

Its true that its not about half-naked women. It was these scantily clad women but they had attitude and chatacter and so you wanted to see them. We get half-naked women today but no attitude/character so no one cares. Sable was so huge because she was basically the female Austin. She wasn't going to take shit from marc mero and stood up fpr herself. Chyna was the strong women that people looked up to and she inspired females to make it in amns world. Lita was the extreme diva and got the punk rockers and risk takers admiration. everyone reached out to some member of the public and we could relate to them. Who can relate to the Bella twins, Jillian Hall, Candace Michelle, Rosa Mendez? Most don't.

 

[Nev]

I fully understand your point. The only thing I can think of is that Vince has had several of his fans of the "Attitude Era" grow out of the wrestling stage. So now, he is trying to establish a new generation of fans. He probably understands (or he should) that this could lead to short term loss (like a few years). But he is hoping that the kids that see Cena today, will be the equivilant of today's Hogan mark.

Plus, (I don't know if he has thought of this) he has a chance to reshape pro-wrestling's image with a new generation. Right now pro-wrestling is C-list celebrities, a "fake" sport, and "bad" acting. Many people view it as smut programming for "white-trash rednecks." (Funny since Shaquille O'Neal and Cowboys RB Marion "The Barbarian" Barber are both said to be big fans. Anyone calling them white-trash?) "Oh and lets not forget that it is filled with and fueled by drugs; especially steroids."

A new generation comes up, the WWE attempts to keep clean, the slowly evolve into more adult programming again (or not), and try to make it something that fans can love for a life-time like in other countries.

Why not continue with attitude? What does his target audience really have to have an attitude about? "Daing it Mom. I want to stay up to see Cena. He's in the main-event. Let me stay up please." Out of the names you listed, you hope kids grow up to be hard-working, have loyalty and respect (Cena's motto). Similar to "take your vitamins and say your prayers."

He is thinking the same exact way I was thinking.

There was the good conservative era, than there was the push-the-limit attitude era.

What else is there left? Nothing.

Best thing is, is to appeal to the new generation. The fans from the attitude era will grow up and send their kids to live events(well at least the loyal wrestling fans from that era) and the kids that grew up watching Cena & Batista, well since they still watch the mediocre programs that's on today, are likely to be watching wrestling until then. Also, the "casual" viewers on television, like the basketball viewers that only watch the NBA because of Michael Jordan's hype, or people who only watch football until the superbowl, etc etc; fans like that will also watch wrestling when its popularity explodes. You know, the country as a whole is family-friendly so expect the WWE to pull off 10-20 million viewers around that time. PLUS the PPV buyrates come in huge with family shows rather than 19 years olds on justin.tv.

Then after that, with a good little society, some kind of attitude era will probably happen some 10 years after that. Probably A LOT worse than from the late 90s-early 00s, maybe more gore, actual nudity, etc etc. As a country, "the right to censorship" is decreasing and more boundaries are becoming open as the years go by y'know.

The WWE should go with this path. I'll give it until the mid 2010's when wrestling becomes a household sport again.

If the WWE just decides to put bra & panties match and lesbian segments, it's not really a big deal. Back in the 90s, if a woman stripped to her bra and panties on tv; it was forbidden. Nowadays, it's pretty normal. The attitude era had something to do with how society grew. Appeal to the new generation I guess.

Also,

@Total Impact: Haha! I remember those action figures. Everyone brought it school back in 2000-2001. Good ol' days. The Rock and the Hardy Boys were really popular action figures.

 

[Deathvalley]

People say the Attitude era was ALL about Austin. Austin this Austin that. Austin did this Austin did that. But you people forget about DX, The Rock, Vince, and more. But all in all the Attitude Era is over and done with. ITS OVER!!! GET THE FUCK OVER IT!!! Stop moaning and cryin over whats done. Move on. Whats more is that Vince created the Attitude Era. If he doesnt understand his own creation then hes an idiot and hes not so he does. Hes a genius. Hes catering to the new generation and creating idols for kids to model to. No its not as good as it was and it probably never will be but its a hell of alot better than TNA. So suck it up all you whiners and enjoy what you have not what you had. Thank You very much.

 

[Gallops]

WWF was competing for ratings weekly with WCW. This is why the Attitude Era was what is was. If he hadn't had competition, the Attitude Era would have never needed to be created.

Exactly. That's why right now Vince can do pretty much whatever he wants whenever he wants with the WWE. If TNA was better, which it's gotten worse over the past few months, then the WWE would be doing things a little differently. Maybe Angle would still be there and ECW would be more legit. Maybe they'd have kept Booker around, not wanting him with the competition like back in the 90's.

The Monday Night Wars is what created the Attitude Era. Vince needing to do whatever it took to get the ratings and viewers is what made the Attitude Era so great. It made you want to watch week in, week out. Now, Vince has no competition wrestling wise on Monday or Friday nights so he's not as worried.

I don't hate the current era of wrestling. There's still exciting moments. There's still moments where we as fans are shocked, even with all the internet websites now a days spoiling everything for us. Vince realizes that his biggest draw (Cena) is big with the kids. Why not make them the target audience, and get the parents to buy all the merch for their kids. Some kids will like Cena, some Jeff Hardy, some CM Punk, some Batista or Triple H or Rey Mysterio, etc. Then the older fans who know a bit more about the business and like guys based on their talent or characters will buy merch for the heels.

 

[BillAlfonso]

Some of you guys are takin' this all wrong, I'm not saying that I want the Attitude Era back. Look at the first thing I said, the Attitude Era wasn't about sex and violence, it was about the characters. It's kinda like when one of the former wrestlers from the REAL ECW said. Being hardcore wasn't about chairs, tables, and barbed wire, being hardcore was a state of mind which is why those fans were so brutal. It's the same with the Attitude Era, the characters were more realistic. Take Cena, for example, he's a good performer, I like him. Think about it, though, if you got your ass kicked for as much and as long as he does in his matches, how the hell can you mount a 90 second comeback and win? I know wrestling's not real but that's very unrealistic. Other examples are HHH, who the hell carries a sledgehammer around with him and why does he and Orton talks so slow? While I'm talkin' about Orton, if he's kickin' people in the head as hard as he's supposed to be kickin' them, then why hasn't anyone died yet? And like I said, the characters just don't really make you care about them. Think of a movie, if you don't care about what happens to the characters in the movie, you probably won't care about the plot which means you probably won't enjoy the movie.