When did it all die?

[Crossrine]

When did the Attitude Era die/ when did wrestling die? Discuss

[IC Champion]

Some would say with the downfall and purchase of WCW accompanied with the InVasion.

[IC Champion]

I think it had to do with key firgures from the Attitude era retiring and or steping away from the busines, like Austin, Mick Foley, The Rock and Michaels before them. If you look at the wrestling landscape today it doesnt have the draw power it did in the Attitude era, or the characters that fans can really get behind, people used to care about their favorate wrestler, or a guy like Austin or Mick Foley, nowadays people could give two fucks about the people in the ring or on their TV.

[IC Champion]

It also ended when they stopped opening the shows with 15-20 minute promos that would set the stage for the entire show, and when they stopped using the "cliff-hanger" endings aswell.

[#1-norm-fan]

People grew up... I'm pretty sure that 12 year olds feel about wrestling right now the same way that we did when we were 12. And since that age range is where most of the merchandise goes, Vince really isn't doing all that bad.

With the exception of me of course. For whatever reason I still have the ability to watch wrestling as pure entertainment and not just have an extreme hatred for Cena. I mean, I root for heels too, so there is some of that in me (Always loved Kennedy and I was a huge Austin fan long before WM 13).

But yeah, mostly, people grew up. Vince knows that those of us who complain are gonna buy the DVD's still and the 12 year olds are gonna have mom and dad buy them Cena shirts, backpacks, and posters. Money is being made. All is well. Nothing died.

[Crossrine]

I feel like a generation just died. Remember when there used to be chants? Now all we hear is "You suck". Everytime I hear a chant like that I die a little on the inside

[St. Jimmy]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005O5DO.01._PE74_.WWE-Invasion-2001._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Right about here, it petered off.

[IC Champion]

http://www.fortunecity.com/olympia/mcmahon/48/ppv/wwf/invasion.jpg

Right about here, it petered off.
where?

[Crossrine]

I dont even see the picture/vid..

[#1-norm-fan]

I don't know. Maybe stuff in a way has become a little more tame and that's what sells to the younger demographic now. We've gone from a beer swilling, authority challenging redneck being "cool" when we were younger to a white rapper being "cool" to kids now. It sells. Don't get me wrong, I would take Austin or 2004 upper mid-card Cena over current Cena anyday. Things change though.

[St. Jimmy]

You really can't see the picture?

[DAMN iNATOR]

where?

Where FortuneCity came along and ruined everything, with the help of his good friend, ×







:shifty:

[IC Champion]

Nah son.

[IC Champion]

Blast that god damn red x

[IC Champion]

Maybe if we all concentrate really hard together we can see it.




IT WORKED

[The One]

http://www.canoe.ca/WrestlingImagesA/austinmcmahon.jpg

The Attitude Era jumped the shark at this exact moment.

[IC Champion]

True dat son.

[IC Champion]

But I always thought the Attitude Era was succeeded by the McMahon-Helmsley Era.

[Zeeboe]

I stopped watching wrestling full-time when I was 20 which was in 2003. It was right after Hogan and Piper were fired. They were the last two men that kept me interesting in wrestling. I was bored as it was with the product. As soon as they were canned, I semi-retired as a wrestling fan. I started watching it when I was very young. I don't even recall my age. I had been watching it for as long as I could remember...so let's say I watched it since I was a baby and I stopped when I was 20....so after 20 years, wrestling became too silly, boring and predictable to me.

Also, because I am an adult now most of the wrestlers they have today are in my age group and I can't mark out for them the same way I used to (and still do) mark out for the older wrestlers because when I see the young guys, I see my peers. I could have gone to high school with those guys. I'm not gonna buy their shirts and put posters of them up on the wall...because that'd be a little...well...gay.

But because I'm 24, I still view the older guys like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Jerry Lawler, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley, etc, etc....as men..the type of men I'd call "Sir" if I met them...because they are all old enough to be my Father. Not guys I could have gone to school with. So therefore I still view the older wrestlers as adults and as heroes...and as larger then life wrestlers.....they bring out the inner-child in me....because I've been watching them since I was a kid....which is why I am only a mark for the WWE legends and pretty much only watch any of today's WWE wrestling if I read that an older wrestler is going to be there. Like tonight, I'm gonna watch Saturday Night Main Event because I read Goldust is going to be on there.

I also get my wrestling fix from the nostalgia DVD's the WWE produces that are all about different wrestlers from my youth, as well as older wrestler's books, old-school wrestling matches and promos...and that's for nostalgia only. Nostalgia is the last thing that keeps me interested in wrestling.

I have 0 interest in today's wresting's or it's wrestlers....and it sucks because these old lions can't keep wrestling forever....they're a dying breed...so I don't know what I'll do when they all retire. Probably become a full-time old-school wrestling fan most likely. But that's a long time from now...Undertaker, HBK, Goldust and any wrestler in his 40's still has a lot left in them as long as the injury bug or death bug doesn't bite em'.

[mrslackalack]

Some would say with the downfall and purchase of WCW accompanied with the InVasion.

:y:

[Kane Knight]

It was definitely a process. One in which many things conspired to end the Attitude Era. I mean, I'd mostly blame the Alliance, but still.

[El Fangel]

http://www.canoe.ca/WrestlingImagesA/austinmcmahon.jpg

The Attitude Era jumped the shark at this exact moment.

[OverTaker]

May 19th

[OverTaker]

Seriously, I'd say around the invasion.

[Kane Knight]

May 19th

*goes crazy*

[James Steele]

WrestleMania X-Seven was the end of the "Attitude Era", and WrestleMania X8 and/or the Brand Split was the beginning of the end of the wrestling boom in popular culture.

I am trying to find a legit site that I don't have to pay 10 bucks a month to look at for official legit buyrates, but from a fan's perspective that is my opinion.

[NeanderCarl]

The Austin heel turn was the final nail in the coffin. To be fair, WWE had been producing a slightly tamer product throughout 2000 too.

It may be fairer to link the end of Attitude with the move to TNN in October 2000.

[Savio]

early or mid 2000

[HeartBreakMan2k]

When ECW died.

[hb2k]

Paul Heyman actually predicted ahead of time that WrestleMania 17 was going to be the peak and WWF would begin to falter after that. Even without the Invasion, people were starting to tune out during the Austin/HHH Vs. Taker/Kane feud, the Invasion just expedited it.

[Mr. JL]

I think it was the combination of fans realizing nothing will ever top the atmosphere/entertainment of Rock versus Hogan at WrestleMania X-8 and the brand extension that followed shortly thereafter.

[Rammsteinmad]

Hulkamania is forever brutha'.

[BigDaddyCool]

Wrestling hasn't died yet moron.

[JJT420]

http://www.canoe.ca/WrestlingImagesA/austinmcmahon.jpg

The Attitude Era jumped the shark at this exact moment.

:'( I will agree that that was the turning point, although I saw the fin approaching at this point in time....

http://slam.canoe.ca/WrestlingImagesA/armageddon_stephaniehunter.jpg

:n:

[Dorkchop]

I'd say, probably, around the Invasion days, but it started around the purchase of WCW. I thnk it officially ended when they became World Wrestling Entertainment. The company really changed when they got the F out.

[Outsider]

Has to be the Invasion. The DDP and Kanyon fued with Kane and Undertaker just kind of summed it up. The fact that WWE was hell bent on destroying the name of WCW and the years of arrogance that has followed. Ratings continue to fall and they continue to do things exactly the same way....

[ttetf]

The end of Attitude happened with the closing of WCW and to a lesser extent, the closing of ECW. WWE had zero competition and when you don't have to compete in the marketplace, you tend to get lazy which is exactly what WWE did. Having to compete and try and out-do WCW is what made WWF in 98', 99', and even 2000 so amazing. Vince seems to get his shit together when he's under pressure to succeed. Without any pressure, we get play it safe, lame, make-myself-ECW-champion Vince, and in turn, a much weaker product is produced.

[Mr. Nerfect]

http://www.canoe.ca/WrestlingImagesA/austinmcmahon.jpg

The Attitude Era jumped the shark at this exact moment.

I think you're exactly right. As KK said, it was definitely a process, but this was a defining moment that needed to be fitted perfectly, like a Rubik's cube, unfortunately the WWE just turned Austin heel, without a real face to step forward and challenge him. The Undertaker, Kane, Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho made great challengers to Austin, don't get me wrong, but they were always just below Austin's tier.

What the WWE really should have done after WrestleMania X-7, was turn Triple H face. The turn was pretty much made for the WWE: Triple H beat Austin at No Way Out, and the two genuinely hated each other, and then Vince went and helped Austin, effectively ending the relationship he had with his son-in-law. The fans were ready to get behind Triple H, too. All he needed to do was chase Austin off with the sledgehammer during that Cage Match between Austin and Rock on RAW (effectively giving Austin the win as he escapes through the door and up the ramp), then for Vince to yell at Triple H "What are you doing?" only for Hunter to blast him with the sledgehammer.

Then when Booker T came in, you had another face that could challenge Austin. Booker could have claimed to have been the "Real World Champion," which could have gotten under Austin's skin, leading to an epic feud between the two.

[Theo Dious]

What the WWE really should have done after WrestleMania X-7, was turn Triple H face.

They were planting the seeds of that when Austin and HHH lost the tag titles to Benoit and Jericho; the inadvertent sledgehammer to Austin's gut would have led to a split between them and then Austin vs HHH until the Invasion kicked up. However a few moments before HHH dropped the hammer, he tore his quad. Bad luck.

[IC Champion]

They were planting the seeds of that when Austin and HHH lost the tag titles to Benoit and Jericho; the inadvertent sledgehammer to Austin's gut would have led to a split between them and then Austin vs HHH until the Invasion kicked up. However a few moments before HHH dropped the hammer, he tore his quad. Bad luck.
Its all Triple H's fault, the end of an Era came with one tear of juiced quad.

[Mercury Bullet]

I'd say, probably, around the Invasion days, but it started around the purchase of WCW. I thnk it officially ended when they became World Wrestling Entertainment. The company really changed when they got the F out.

I totally agree here. The begining of the end was the acquisition of WCW and I think the official end date was when the WWF became WWE.