Looking at the numbers for WCW through the years

[Loose Cannon]

So I've recently been collecting old VHS's again for WCW and WWF and I just was glancing over a few of the older cards for the WCW PPV's and came across this site.

http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com/supercards/usa/wcw/s-brawl.html


This site has all the NWA/WCW PPV's from 85-2000 and shows you the number of fans drawn to the show and the amount of revenue the show did.

I wasn't surprised by the numbers of the 80's or the early 90's, but what I did find interesting was 1999. I never realized how high the numbers were for the PPV's that year. Now, I've only looked at Superbrawl, Havoc and Bash from that year thus far, but the numbers really surprised me. Then you can also see in 2000 those numbers fall by the wayside.

If you have some time to kill, take a look

[Loose Cannon]

just looked at Starrcade. you can see where the shit started to hit the fan.

[Droford]

I never knew Sting was the King of Cable!

[bigslimjj]

yep that was a good match.Big van Vader and his awesome Predator elephant mask.

[BigCrippyZ]

I would think that the WCW drop off in late 1999, early 2000 was due to the fact that they began the McMahon-Helmsley storyline around this time and the feuds between Foley/HHH and Rock/HHH. I know for me this was a HUGE deal at the time and a major draw. Basically after Armageddon 1999, I never turned WCW back on.

[Gertner]

I'm pretty sure it tanked after Superbrawl 99. It just got ridiculous fast.

[Gertner]

They really friggen blew it when they let Nash become head booker. Goldberg was the champ and not even Main Eventing PPV's because of Hogan wanting top bill and Nash booking himself to go over Goldberg when it wasn't time.
WCW's booking of Goldberg has got to be the biggest waste of a guy in the business without a doubt, worse than Bret Hart in WCW, and worse than Goldberg in the WWF.

[Mooияakeя™]

Starrcade 1997

December 28, 1997 in Washington, D.C.
MCI Center drawing 17,500 ($543,000)
Shown live on PPV (1.9)

Fuck.

[bigslimjj]

not as bad as russo turning goldberg heel in the New Blood.Now that was stupid,stupid t.v.I didn't think he was booked that bad in wwe.he was champ,wrestled the rock,had a decent feud with trips(including the bounty HHH put on Him)and was involved with the start of evoloution.Could have been worse.

[BollywoodSingh]

They really friggen blew it when they let Nash become head booker. Goldberg was the champ and not even Main Eventing PPV's because of Hogan wanting top bill and Nash booking himself to go over Goldberg when it wasn't time.
WCW's booking of Goldberg has got to be the biggest waste of a guy in the business without a doubt, worse than Bret Hart in WCW, and worse than Goldberg in the WWF.

I don't think the booking of Goldberg was worse than Bret Hart (who basically was a WCW mid carder for almost 2 years coming off one of the most talked about moments in wrestling history), but they definitely booked Goldberg horribly. He was their biggest draw from 1998 onwards and I think he only had that one title reign. And they turned him heel for some reason.

[DLVH84]

I don't think the booking of Goldberg was worse than Bret Hart (who basically was a WCW mid carder for almost 2 years coming off one of the most talked about moments in wrestling history), but they definitely booked Goldberg horribly. He was their biggest draw from 1998 onwards and I think he only had that one title reign. And they turned him heel for some reason.

I think the Goldberg heel turn was just like the Sting heel turn the year before, it failed.

[Loose Cannon]

I'm looking more closely at 99. Look at Superbrawl and then look at Slamboree a couple months later. Superbrawl was a pretty awesome card for the most part. Slamboree was a piece of crap minus a couple matches.

But also look at the numbers. Superbrawl drew roughly 16,000 and brought in $550K

Slamboree drew 20,000 and brought in about $50K less.

WTF

[Loose Cannon]

looking at the WWE numbers right now in 2000. it's ridiculous

[Loose Cannon]

King of the Ring 2001

Continental Airlines Arena drawing 17,777 ($1,132,395)

christ

[Gertner]

I don't think the booking of Goldberg was worse than Bret Hart (who basically was a WCW mid carder for almost 2 years coming off one of the most talked about moments in wrestling history), but they definitely booked Goldberg horribly. He was their biggest draw from 1998 onwards and I think he only had that one title reign. And they turned him heel for some reason.

Lol k I know this will upset a lot of people but Bret Hart was never as big a star as Goldberg. Goldberg could have been the face of WCW for years, but after tons of NWO beatdowns, the Fingerpoke of Doom, not giving him top billing even though he was champ, and the heel turn, but in all honesty the promotion was pretty much dead when they turned Goldberg heel, WCW managed to kill off a star who at it's peak was rivalling Stone Cold in terms of popularity.

[Droford]

Starrcade 1997

December 28, 1997 in Washington, D.C.
MCI Center drawing 17,500 ($543,000)
Shown live on PPV (1.9)

Fuck.

I went to the one in 1998 there. Less fans, less PPV revenue for Goldberg/Nash which was basically all the show had.

[Gertner]

I remember going to a house show in 1998 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan where Hogan fought Sting in a cage match and Hennig fought Hart. I read it drew over 18,000 people and made $325,000 for a friggen house show!

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I'm looking more closely at 99. Look at Superbrawl and then look at Slamboree a couple months later. Superbrawl was a pretty awesome card for the most part. Slamboree was a piece of crap minus a couple matches.

But also look at the numbers. Superbrawl drew roughly 16,000 and brought in $550K

Slamboree drew 20,000 and brought in about $50K less.

WTF

I think at that time WCW started giving away tickets to keep their attendance numbers up.

[The Mackem]

I guess it didn't help that they had numerous head booker changes, lost a lot of their 'future talent' all while WWF were going from strong to ridiculously strong.

[Loose Cannon]

I think at that time WCW started giving away tickets to keep their attendance numbers up.

oh yea, good point.

[Gertner]

If you guys haven't checked out "Death of WCW" by the people who run Wrestlecrap, I HIGHLY suggest you do. I bought it and couldn't put it down. It details how the attendance figures broke down and how many tickets were given away.