Do you see a wrestling boom ever coming again?

[Apex]

We saw one in the 80's that brought pro wrestling to the mainstream.

We again had one in the late 90's that made wrestling edgier and cooler than ever before.

It's been on the decline since Wrestlemania 17. Will we ever see a boom again?

I think I may have made a similar thread before but this is a dope topic so let's discuss.



I disagree with this pro wrestler. NJPW's business is improving, but it's far from a boom. They need to sell out the Tokyo dome like they would do regularly in the 90's.

 

[AKM-95]

I think the business is actually in recovery mode now. I think we're 5-10 years away from a true boom period.

Sadly I think the next big star will pop and possibly start a boom when HHH/Stephanie take over. Vince has too many restrictions on the talent which limits their ability to truly get over.

 

[ORDER_66]

........No...... / END THREAD

 

[thaKEAF]

It won't ever Boom like the Attitude Era or Hulkamania. Business has been exposed too much and the internet and even the network kills kayfabe. Also it doesn't help that the writers suck and the wrestlers have no character.

 

[hayesc0]

Wwe is to powerful not gonna happen unless you get a billionaire willing to allocate unlimited funds again as a rival.

 

[Momentum]

Vince will never let another person be bigger than the brand unless his character is completely intellectually controlled by WWE.

 

[Apex]

Vince will never let another person be bigger than the brand unless his character is completely intellectually controlled by WWE.

But what about HHH? Will he allow that?

 

[Drones]

Didn't we have this thread already? Anyway it's possible, but I personally don't mind things the way they are. I don't want ringside tickets to be tens of thousands like they are at NBA games. To me it doesn't really matter if wresting is ever 'mainstream' again because I'm going to like it regardless.

 

[MenacingMonk]

Nope, and the talk of another boom should've ended when UFC became popular.

 

[JerseyBoy23]

What exactly counts as a boom and are you talking the United States specifically? I think WWE can get a boom of viewers in different countries but it might be over for the US.

Only 3 million or so people are watching RAW weekly with a population of 323 million people right now. At the peak of the 90s boom in 98 and 99, RAW and Nitro were getting 10 million viewers a week so WCW alone was getting better viewership than current WWE with 280 million people.

Even if WWE itself got it's viewership back to 5 million, that's not the whole wrestling industry so nah. Once Vince killed the territories and WCW, he killed any chance of the wrestling industry as whole booming. Like @VillanoVIII said UFC put the nail in the coffin.

 

[Kinguno]

No it will become even more niche over time

TBH most the "indys" are trash overweight guys and the women are mostly bhutaa face


Talent isn't really there but things have to be done to make you care

WWE has the right idea buy building through kids but how many of them will stay fans as MMA gets real superstars

 

[JerseyBoy23]

No it will become even more niche over time

TBH most the "indys" are trash overweight guys and the women are mostly bhutaa face


Talent isn't really there but things have to be done to make you care

WWE has the right idea buy building through kids but how many of them will stay fans as MMA gets real superstars

I think WWE will continue to be a combo of former D1 athletes looking for a lucrative gig along with guys and gals who grew up as fans. The Performance Center has changed a lot.

Also there will probably still be some MMA washouts like Riddle and Rousey's best friend.

Look at the SummerSlam main event, Braun was a legit strongman, while Brock and Roman were D1 athletes.

 

[El Cocodrilo]

We're in kind of a "boom" in that there's so many places where pro-wrestlers can make a living right now but... for a true boom like Hulkamania or Attitude to happen you need a Hogan or an Austin

But not just a Hogan or an Austin, a Hogan or an Austin at the RIGHT TIME and with the right supporting cast around them

If Stone Cold Steve Austin came through in 86 instead of 96 he would have been a heel

I can't even imagine Hogan coming out in 94 instead of 84 but he would have been corny for the 90's



Also, NJPW and LU and others are cool but the promotion that can compete with WWE to make a new era does not currently exist imo.... would have to be a company with a lot of money and buzz behind it run by people that know how to market and distribute in today's world.

 

[TL15]

What exactly counts as a boom and are you talking the United States specifically? I think WWE can get a boom of viewers in different countries but it might be over for the US.

Only 3 million or so people are watching RAW weekly with a population of 323 million people right now. At the peak of the 90s boom in 98 and 99, RAW and Nitro were getting 10 million viewers a week so WCW alone was getting better viewership with 280 million people.

Even if WWE itself got it's viewership back to 5 million, that's not the whole wrestling industry so nah. Once Vince killed the territories and WCW, he killed any chance of the wrestling industry as whole booming. Like @VillanoVIII said UFC put the nail in the coffin.

From "weekly viewership" perspective you are entirely correct

From a business perspective, this take is slightly incorrect. What we see as a "boom" may not be what people behind the curtain see as a boom. We think about viewership declining. But in 1997 we had Raw and Sunday Night Heat...that was it. People had to watch Raw in order to see what happened. In 2017 we have Raw, Smackdown, NXT, 205 Live, The WWE Network, etc. so they are able to capitalize on one person multiple times. They diversify what they have and are making more money now then they ever were.

Hypothetical numbers:

a fan in 1997 was worth $10 a week (watching Raw for free and the PPV monthly)
a fan in 2017 is worth $25 a week (watching Raw and Smackdown, Paying for NXT, watching two PPV monthly)

so though viewership is down, they are able to monetize off of fans differently.

 

[Rack4K]

It can happen. But as a television show, not a 'sport'.

And not under the current WWE regime.