The Rock the biggest draw of 1999

[RLStern]

Also Steve Austin holds the record for the highest rated Raw segment at a 9.5

Nope, the 9.5 rating from June 28, 1999(Night after King of The Ring) was an Overrun, therefore not a segment, as people were tuning in for the next show that was supposed to be airing and not WWF Raw.

According to source → indeedwrestling.blogspot.com/2014/05/raw-nitro-quarter-hours-1999.html

Even more interesting, Before the Undertaker/Austin match, WWF Raw had a 7.3 rating, later on Austin/Undertaker match turned off viewers and led to a 7.1 rating. Raw Overran it's timeslot, so it got an Overrun rating of 9.5 drawn by whatever the next show was(Next show therefore drew a 2.3)

Even more interesting is the fact that the 7.1 rating derives from the earlier 7.3 rating, so not only did Austin/Undertaker not draw that 7.1, but also they lost viewers/tuned people out when they took that 7.3 to a 7.1.

Whereas the Highest Rated Segment in Raw history is “This is your life” with a 8.4 Non-Overrun(Therefore segment), which lost viewers when Mankind started giving presents/because of Mankind → slashwrestling.com/raw/990927.html

The Rock not only drew a 8.4 that night, but on May 1st 2000, Rock drew a 7.9 with his first promo after Backlash, and he also drew an 8.3 against Shane Mcmahon later in the night. slashwrestling.com/raw/000501.html

Another myth refuted.

 

[Rugrat]

I think Shawn Michaels was a bit bigger than Rock before the attitude era and would have been the bigger star, plus peak Hogan 1980-1997 was bigger too. Rock just coasted on Austin, Foley, HHH, Undertaker etc

 

[RLStern]

I think Shawn Michaels was way bigger than Rock.

 

[Big Man]

Goldberg is a bigger draw than the Rock tbh

not in 1999 which is what this thread is about. if you’re talking overall then Brock is the biggest, just look at his UFC numbers.

 

[Rugrat]

Im right

 

[Rugrat]

Rock largely just took HBK’s gimmick. HBK would have been the star in the AE. Look at how well WM14 drew with Shawn Michaels as the star and DUD Austin

 

[RLStern]

Im right

 

[Kross Rhodes]

I'm not super pressed about debating who the biggest draw of 1999 was in general.

As I think having The Rock, Austin and Foley together all helped make that year dominate the professional wrestling landscape.

That being said, WWE has confirmed on numerous occasions no one sold more merch than Austin at that time.

It's reported that half of WWE's overall merch profits were from Austin. His 3:16 shirt alone outsold everything else.

 

[RDK]

not in 1999 which is what this thread is about. if you’re talking overall then Brock is the biggest, just look at his UFC numbers.

that's a good point but i'm just talking in my generation bro

I think the biggest draws are 1. Goldberg 2. Brock Lesnar 3. Shawn Michaels 4. Austin 5. The Rock

 

[Big Man]

that's a good point but i'm just talking in my generation bro

I think the biggest draws are 1. Goldberg 2. Brock Lesnar 3. Shawn Michaels 4. Austin 5. The Rock

We both agree that Goldberg and Lesnar are top 2, just in a different order which is fine I guess.

 

[Rugrat]

that's a good point but i'm just talking in my generation bro

I think the biggest draws are 1. Goldberg 2. Brock Lesnar 3. Shawn Michaels 4. Austin 5. The Rock

We could probably add Hulk Hogan in there too since WCW was dicking WWF with him at the helm even after Rock debuted

 

[Rugrat]

Hulk Hogan is the GOAT draw. He was around for 20 years, Rock was around for like four

 

[RDK]

We could probably add Hulk Hogan in there too since WCW was dicking WWF with him at the helm even after Rock debuted

I leave Hulk out of the conversation but I think i'm just biased because I don't like that he is a racist, I guess if we are talking pure talent and drawing power and leaving bias out of it I'd have to put him in ahead of Austin and The Rock

 

[RLStern]

That being said, WWE has confirmed on numerous occasions no one sold more merch than Austin at that time.

It's reported that half of WWE's overall merch profits were from Austin. His 3:16 shirt alone outsold everything else.

WWE also stated that Austin was bigger than Hulkamania in February of 1998.

WWE also stated that the brand split was successful and revived WWE, and that the name change from WWF to WWE was Vince’s call.

WWE claims are bullshit in light of factual numbers and figures.

That Austin 3:16 shirt? Rock absolutely pissed all over it and set merchandise records with his “Layeth the Smackdown!” shirt in 1999 And “Just Bring it!” shirt in 2000.

Leading Rock to having the highest merchandise revenue, despite Austin having an entire year where only he and DX had merchandise, Rock absolutely crushed him and the 3:16 shirt in 1999.
No one sold more merchandise than The Rock during the Attitude era, with Rock’s sunglasses being the most sold piece of merch that appeared more than anything else on the top sellers list from 1999-2002, with Rock’s Layeth the Smackdown shirt being the highest drawing shirt of the Attitude era, being a top seller for 3 years.
The Rock is the biggest merchandise seller of the Attitude era, Austin wasn’t even close:

Rock drew the most merchandise, in Austin's best year he made $6,000,000, while The Rock made $15,000,000 Yearly/Multiple Years. Rock earned more than double than Austin's Best 1 Year. Meaning he drew lower every other year.

Austin sold $13,000,000 in merchandise, a percentage of that is given to him, where his earnings were $6,000,000 in his best year. Going by that percentage, by Rock's Yearly $15,000,000 salary, Rock sold Approximately(Underestimating here, should be more) $23,000,000+ Yearly in merchandise with Competition(Austin's best selling year didn't have heavy competition in merchandise, whereas with Rock, by 1999 almost everyone had merchandise.)

$23,000,000+ Yearly Merchandise sold with Competition > $13,000,000 Best Year Merchandise sold with almost no competition & multiple shirts throughout the year.

$15,000,000 Yearly Earnings > $6,000,000 Best Year Earning.

Rock was a bigger draw in merchandise than Austin.

Hulk Hogan is the GOAT draw. He was around for 20 years, Rock was around for like four

While Hogan was a bigger draw than Austin, and was mostly beating him in Monday night wars, it was Rock who turned the tide for the WWF and beat peak WCW

 

[Brad Boyd]

I'm not super pressed about debating who the biggest draw of 1999 was in general.

As I think having The Rock, Austin and Foley together all helped make that year dominate the professional wrestling landscape.

That being said, WWE has confirmed on numerous occasions no one sold more merch than Austin at that time.

It's reported that half of WWE's overall merch profits were from Austin. His 3:16 shirt alone outsold everything else.