Will WWE ever return to a PG 13 program?

[KyleEmmott]

I know this question is always talked about and this is about the 1000th post about it but seeing CM Punk bleeding on Monday made me miss stuff like that. The blood and the controversial things in the WWE. It makes me wonder how much fan base from young kids they would lose if they decided to change, I don't think it would be that much, you'd be surprise what parents will allow their children to watch.

[Rollermacka]

No, not at all. There is soo much more money to be made with PG TV, and that's what it all boils down too.

[#1-norm-fan]

I actually don't think it would effect the younger demographic much either. There were "ass" and "bitch" and "put my nuts on your face" references all through the Cena-Rock feud. Not to mention Punk calling Laurinaitis a "bitch" and cussing on occasion. I don't think it's all that big of a deal. And if they really want more of the mainstream appeal they crave, it might not hurt to let the wrestlers act like grown men.

[#1-norm-fan]

Actually, it depends on what all would define PG-13 for you. I don't know if a ton of blood would be a good idea...

[Joesgonnakillyou]

It's time everyone got over this.

[#1-norm-fan]

No, not at all. There is soo much more money to be made with PG TV, and that's what it all boils down too.

Ever?

I guarantee at some point they go more risque. Might not be for a long, long time but they're constantly having to re-invent themselves as a company. It would be ridiculous to think that a turn to the more "PG-13" or beyond product will never come into that changing up of things.

[Kane Knight]

WWE might not lose young fans, but it would lose sponsors and even arenas.

Also, wrestling is perfectly fine without blood.

[JKWJRMON]

Not if Linda McMahon wins the Senate seat!

[Juan]

TV-14*

[Kane Knight]

Not if Linda McMahon wins the Senate seat!

CONSPERSEH THEREHZ!

[Heisenberg]

The Attitude Era is easily accessible these days to relive on the internet. That's what makes this current era acceptable.

[Kane Knight]

Why would anyone want to relive the 90s?

[Rollermacka]

Why would anyone want to relive the 90s?

Why not? I've already got plans to bring back Zubaz pants...

http://www.womansday.com/cm/womansday/images/Gl/09-Zubaz-pants-1.jpg

[Dukelorange]

It's a possiblity if the fan base gets older... but right now the base is the same. There are legions of kids in these arenas.

[Fignuts]

Probably at some point.

Not in the near future though.

Sorry, peanut.

[Steveviscious89]

Ever?

I guarantee at some point they go more risque. Might not be for a long, long time but they're constantly having to re-invent themselves as a company. It would be ridiculous to think that a turn to the more "PG-13" or beyond product will never come into that changing up of things.

That plus....what about the money they made back in those days. Are we essentially saying that can't happen again? Regardless if any of want it to happen, couldn't they just do things the way they did back then? If they didn't lose arenas and sponsors back then, why would they lose them now? Wouldn't they just get new sponsors that reflect the demographics?

But then again, let's also remember that the attitude era kind of came out of necessity because otherwise it would have gone belly up eventually. Now it's not quite as necessary.

[Raven Reaper]

It's only PG 13 everytime you see Cena coming to save the daaaayyy like Mighty Mouse.

[Nicky Fives]

eventually, yes.... once this generation of youngsters starts turning on all the faces, WWE will have no choice..... prolly won't happen for a another 10 years at least.....

[#1-norm-fan]

eventually, yes.... once this generation of youngsters starts turning on all the faces, WWE will have no choice..... prolly won't happen for a another 10 years at least.....

Unless they find another Cena to help usher in a new era of kids for the next generation. It's not a "one generation fades out, the next comes in" thing. Some of those kids are growing up right now while new ones are being introduced to it. As long as there is one kid friendly mega-star and some supporting characters, they CAN keep it PG and be successful.

[Curd]

WWE are just as unlikely to reinstate an Attitude Era as Impact! is to return to the booking style of its first year as NWA-TNA,which featured scantily clad women, occasional blood, and TV-14 gimmicks such as the Johnsons and Sports Entertainment eXtreme.

[dronepool]

It should PG-13 with script, they don't need more blood. Just more freedom in writing.

[Keith]

As long as Linda McMahon is involved in politics, that's not going to happen.

And reports say she's leading the polls, so.

However, that's just one factor. There are many others.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

If we've said it once, we've said it 1000 times: TV-14 doesn't fix lazy writing.

[Keith]

This thread is a variation of this one:

http://www.tpww.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120596


http://i.imgur.com/7X5Bc.jpg

[Kane Knight]

Why not? I've already got plans to bring back Zubaz pants...

http://www.womansday.com/cm/womansday/images/Gl/09-Zubaz-pants-1.jpg

Touché. I believe I was mistaken.

As long as Linda McMahon is involved in politics, that's not going to happen.

And reports say she's leading the polls, so.

However, that's just one factor. There are many others.

It's not really a factor of any considerable weight. It's pretty much the lowest factor on the totem poll. It has negligible impact.

It's just a conspiracy theory developed by halfwits who need something to blame for the fact that they no longer enjoy a fake sport as much as they once did. Don't fall into that crew.

[Keith]

It's not really a factor of any considerable weight. It's pretty much the lowest factor on the totem poll. It has negligible impact.

It's just a conspiracy theory developed by halfwits who need something to blame for the fact that they no longer enjoy a fake sport as much as they once did. Don't fall into that crew.

Come on, now.

Of course WWE is going to try and keep wrestling as clean as necessary in order to try and help Linda.

Or are you saying that she would've been able to run a successful Senate campaign back when the product wasn't as clean or kid-friendly? Let's say, anywhere from 1997 to 2001?

Of course not. Her opponents would've had a field day.

Let's not forget the "Stand up for WWE" campaign Vince and the company had back when Linda first ran. It was clearly directed at helping her out.

And it's also being said WWE had no "spring cleaning" (firings) this year because of Linda's Senate race.

So I'm not saying it's the reason, or the biggest factor, but it is a factor.

[Emperor Smeat]

Depends on what happens when the majority of the current youth fanbase gets older enough to see if "mature" themed shows are needed or if a new youth base needs to be built up again.

The majority of the youth fanbase from the Hogan Era ended up staying around to the point of becoming the older fanbase of the Attitude Era. Cena's fanbase will either become the core of the future WWE fanbase or lose interest in wrestling like post-Attitude Era and a new youth base will be needed.

Also depends on if any company can legitimately challenge the WWE to the point of making the WWE have to change or adjust. The Attitude Era happened because of the WWE no longer being the sole dominate company in the early to mid 90s.

[Kane Knight]

Of course WWE is going to try and keep wrestling as clean as necessary in order to try and help Linda.

Except they're not keeping it "as clean as possible." There's enough there that every couple of months someone suggests they must be bringing the Attitude Era back, something that wasn't true even two years ago.

Or are you saying that she would've been able to run a successful Senate campaign back when the product wasn't as clean or kid-friendly? Let's say, anywhere from 1997 to 2001?


Have you seen what these other guys have been into?

But no, I wasn't saying that. I was saying that the cleanness is unrelated to the campaign. You know, because the major change came at a point when WWE was facing serious financial issues and stuff.

Correlation=/=causation.

Let's not forget the "Stand up for WWE" campaign Vince and the company had back when Linda first ran. It was clearly directed at helping her out.


Wow, you mean they diverted a small amount of time to promote Linda's candidacy? Then surely they must have also changed the entire direction of the product to do it, too!

...well, it's the same kind of logic.

WWE has had political ties for two decades. Was this also part of Linda's super secret long term plans to run for Senate?

And it's also being said WWE had no "spring cleaning" (firings) this year because of Linda's Senate race.


...with no actual basis for that. Again, CUNSPEERASEH THEERUH!

So I'm not saying it's the reason, or the biggest factor, but it is a factor.

And I'm saying it's not a factor except in the loosest sense of the word. The programming won't change based on Linda's win/loss here. WWE changed because of financial motivation and the change started well enough before Linda got into politics to make the correlation seem inane. They had every reason to change financially and not so much reason to change politically.

[Gertner]

The WWE changed to PG because strangely enough, they are in the business of making money,

[Kane Knight]

The WWE changed to PG because strangely enough, they are in the business of making money,

Holy shit, you mean Occam's Razor applies?

[Kane Knight]

Personally, I can't help but think WWE should give up on making money and appeal to the whims of smarks. Sure, they're not as big in terms of money, and they are fickle enough to turn on almost anyone who makes it big, but dammit, WWE owes smarks.

[#1-norm-fan]

At least we can agree that whether it's TV-PG marketed towards kids who will watch because they see bright colors and shiny lights or TV-MA marketed to smarks who get off on naughtiness in their wrestling, the current writing staff is... just awful.

[jcmoorehead]

Personally, I can't help but think WWE should give up on making money and appeal to the whims of smarks. Sure, they're not as big in terms of money, and they are fickle enough to turn on almost anyone who makes it big, but dammit, WWE owes smarks.

I can see the message board titles now,

"THEY DID WHAT I WANTED THEM TO DO WWE IS SO PREDICTABLE!"

"BRYAN HAS BEEN CHAMP AND A BADASS SUBMISSION MACHINE FOR TOO LONG"

"WTF VAL VENIS IS CHAMPION?"

"WRESTLER BLADES AGAIN, WTF?"

-----

Seriously, WWE can be edgey while being PG and as others have said the rating doesn't mean it'll be better or worse. It's down to the guys in charge, the writing staff and the wrestlers themselves to make the product good and let's be honest the product seems to be great to the target audience so they must be doing something right.

[Shisen Kopf]

Holy shit, you mean Occam's Razor applies?

*Razor Ramon's Razor you mean

[Kane Knight]

At least we can agree that whether it's TV-PG marketed towards kids who will watch because they see bright colors and shiny lights or TV-MA marketed to smarks who get off on naughtiness in their wrestling, the current writing staff is... just awful.

Yup and no amount of blood and profanity will fix that.