John Cena was a bigger PPV and ratings draw than Steve Austin in 1998

[Expeliarmussbraaa24]

I obviously mean peak Cena (2006-2007)

PPV sources

https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com...ate-list/?page=5&tab=comments#comment-5548965

WWE Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015) - Wrestlenomics

Austin

RR 351k, No way out 188k, WM 14 836k, Unforgiven 309k, Over the Edge 211k, King of the Ring 310k, Fully Loaded 329k, Summmerslam 596k, Breakdown 315k, Judgement Day 326k, Survivor Series 477k, Rock Bottom 287k

Average 377k


Cena

New Year's Revolution 2006 345k, RR 585k, WM 22 975k, Backlash 230k, One Night Stand 304k, Summerslam 541k, Unforgiven 307k, Cyber Sunday 228k, Survivor Series 383k, Armageddon 239k
New Year's Revolution 2007 225k, RR 525k, No way Out 205k, WM 23 1250k, Backlash 210k, Judgement Day 240k, One Night Stand 188k, Vengeance 255k, Great American Bash 250k, Summerslam 545k

Average 401k


Ratings: John Cena's 2006 run drew a 3.9 household rating. But the number of TV households that year was 111.4 million which totally changes things. For reference, 1 household rating point represents 1% out of the total TV households which were tuned in for the show . Hence if we calculate how many households were in for raw in 2006, we get (3.90/100)x111,400,000 which is 4,344,600 million households. That is the number for that year.


Number of TV households source 2006

https://www.google.ro/search?q=numb...hUKEwjG9qyGs9zyAhWKhf0HHaQYA0cQ4dUDCA4&uact=5

In constrast, in 1998, in US there were 98 million TV households. So for 4.3 rating that year we get (4.3/100)x98,000,000 which is 4,214,000 million households tuned in.More households, obviously, means more viewers.If there is,let's say, an average of 1.3 people per household it means WWE had around 200,000-250,000 more viewers in 2006.


Number of TV households 1998 from Statistical Abstract of US

https://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/statab/sec18.pdf

 

[edge4ever]

Thanks

 

[Expeliarmussbraaa24]

Thanks

I'm surprised this topic didn't trigger more replies

 

[InSaNe]

I obviously mean peak Cena (2006-2007)

PPV sources

https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com...ate-list/?page=5&tab=comments#comment-5548965

WWE Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015) - Wrestlenomics

Austin

RR 351k, No way out 188k, WM 14 836k, Unforgiven 309k, Over the Edge 211k, King of the Ring 310k, Fully Loaded 329k, Summmerslam 596k, Breakdown 315k, Judgement Day 326k, Survivor Series 477k, Rock Bottom 287k

Average 377k


Cena

New Year's Revolution 2006 345k, RR 585k, WM 22 975k, Backlash 230k, One Night Stand 304k, Summerslam 541k, Unforgiven 307k, Cyber Sunday 228k, Survivor Series 383k, Armageddon 239k
New Year's Revolution 2007 225k, RR 525k, No way Out 205k, WM 23 1250k, Backlash 210k, Judgement Day 240k, One Night Stand 188k, Vengeance 255k, Great American Bash 250k, Summerslam 545k

Average 401k


Ratings: John Cena's 2006 run drew a 3.9 household rating. But the number of TV households that year was 111.4 million which totally changes things. For reference, 1 household rating point represents 1% out of the total TV households which were tuned in for the show . Hence if we calculate how many households were in for raw in 2006, we get (3.90/100)x111,400,000 which is 4,344,600 million households. That is the number for that year.


Number of TV households source 2006

https://www.google.ro/search?q=numb...hUKEwjG9qyGs9zyAhWKhf0HHaQYA0cQ4dUDCA4&uact=5

In constrast, in 1998, in US there were 98 million TV households. So for 4.3 rating that year we get (4.3/100)x98,000,000 which is 4,214,000 million households tuned in.More households, obviously, means more viewers.If there is,let's say, an average of 1.3 people per household it means WWE had around 200,000-250,000 more viewers in 2006.


Number of TV households 1998 from Statistical Abstract of US

https://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/statab/sec18.pdf

The stats was only 20k to 30k difference. I think the post itself makes it seem like Cena was a ratings draw and a PPV draw. Well, yeah, but Austin was retiring in 2000 or something. I forgot when. Let me look it up in a sec here...

EDIT: Yeah, around 2003, 2004. WrestleMania XIX was his last major match.

But, back to Cena: Its not like he was in Hollywood yet. So, his draw was organic.

 

[Roadster]

You're comparing 2 years to 1 year, and taking an average. Unless you're trying to say that the Austin-era was only 1 year, that's a bad way to formulate your conclusions. Also the assumption that there must've been more people watching because more people had TVs is just that, an assumption. If less people, on average, are buying PPVs, merchandise, attending shows, and watching the TV shows, most people would assume that there is actually less people watching.

I'm pretty sure Vince McMahon himself said that Austin was the biggest draw in WWE history.

 

[IndyWrestler1]

This is a very simplistic way of looking at it. If you don't count the big PPV shows, Austin has higher numbers. WM23 affects it in a large manner. Summerslam 2006 had Hogan, WM23 had Trump, Austin, multiple world title matches, and whatever else. You can only compare Cena's drawing power in comparison to moments where he wasn't there, to really see how strong it is. It is top 10 for sure but if you see how Austin's heel turn and Austin/Rock going off TV had affected ratings, it's a bigger effect.

 

[edge4ever]

No one will prob ever beat stone Cold. Cena didn’t, but may have at times come close.

 

[PaulDB]

I'd say Cena got over more than Austin because at times, Austin's redneck personality was a little stereotypical. It was charismatic and could draw strong reactions from the fans, (it did from me, too) but Austin tended to go a little overboard.

Cena was a little more diverse in that respect. He could act in a variety of ways, ranging from hot to cold and could insult people in a variety of ways as a heel.

 

[edge4ever]

I'd say Cena got over more than Austin because at times, Austin's redneck personality was a little stereotypical. It was charismatic and could draw strong reactions from the fans, (it did from me, too) but Austin tended to go a little overboard.

Cena was a little more diverse in that respect. He could act in a variety of ways, ranging from hot to cold and could insult people in a variety of ways as a heel.

No, and cena was never a heel during his run as champ and getting ratings like he did. The only time he came close to “heel” was when we haves the rock.

 

[Roadster]

Yeah, I think generalizing Austin has a one-dimensional redneck stereotype is a bit odd. Austin w/ Angle, Austin w/Stephanie, Austin w/ Foley, Austin w/Tajiri are all examples of the range of his character. It's not different than Cena blasting someone on the stick as a face or being intense or goofy. Austin just never acted like a stand-up comedian because nobody did.

 

[IndyWrestler1]

Even if he was one-dimensional (which he wasn't imo, even forgetting the examples Roadster made), there are plenty of metrics out there that point to Austin as a bigger draw which means he was more over. I respect it if it's your personal opinion ofcourse, though

 

[InSaNe]

I remember someone mentioning that Austin's gimmick was white collar vs blue collar. For example, Stone Cold's rivalry with McMahon was modeled after stories of David vs Goliath (little guy vs Corporate C.E.O in this case.)

Austin looked at the Stallone films, and pointed at cobra as stone cold killers.

I'm probably missing some key points, but its not stereotypes. Hell, DX was a bunch of degenerates (hence the name), but it just so happens to be likened to nWo. The thing is, though in the 90's we had a pandemic (chicken pox), and a "New World Order" bullshit. We are in that period again with a pandemic, and new world order crap (again), what's different is we have TWO new world orders.

My point is, Austin was in the right place, at the right time. Cena, too.

 

[Crash]

Austin looked at the Stallone films, and pointed at cobra as stone cold killers.

No he was actually inspired by real life serial killer "The Ice Man" Richard Kuklinski and Woody Harrelson's character in the movie "Natural Born Killers".

 

[InSaNe]

No he was actually inspired by real life serial killer "The Ice Man" Richard Kuklinski and Woody Harrelson's character in the movie "Natural Born Killers".

I also remember him saying something about the Stallone films and Cobra. But whatever. His then-wife came up with the name.

EDIT: More research helped me recall some of my memories... Not saying I was right, but also not saying you're wrong, either...

During the show, "The Texas Rattlesnake" revealed that Bruce Willis' character "Butch Coolidge" in the famous Quentin Tarantino film "Pulp Fiction" inspired the buzzcut look he had with his "Ringmaster" character.

"I came in as 'The Ringmaster' and I had that buzzcut and that was inspired by the Pulp Fiction movie, Bruce Willis's character, and that one night, I've told this story many times, but we were working Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania], Mellon Arena, and I was traveling with Dustin Rhodes, Goldust, and I said, 'man, eff-it, I'm going to shave all this sh*t off, can't see it either way.' I grew in the goatee, came up with the 'Stone Cold' gimmick, and that's when all of the pieces started falling into place," said Austin. "That's when I got some direction."

Austin continued, "I'd just seen a light at the end of the tunnel." Austin added, "it turns out losing my hair was the best thing that ever happened to me. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin would not have been 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin had that hair remained. Bald head plus 'Stone Cold', great gimmick, hard work, great storylines, great creative, great opponents, equals money. And that's the bottom line."

Source: EWrestling

Here's more:

Austin was thankful for the opportunity to rehab while at ECW. He not only began to create his Stone Cold persona, but he also got his idea for the Stone Cold Stunner finisher from Mikey Whipwreck’s Whippersnapper move.

Source: GameDay

THIS is where i was correct...

The guy was magic on the microphone and there was just this likability factor to him. You could identify with him 100%. ‘The Working Man’, ‘The Blue Collar Guy’, ‘The American Dream’, but if you just looked at him, from a physicality standpoint, and if you’re a ‘body guy’, I don’t know if Dusty gets a shot.”

Source: Wrestling INC

 

[Expeliarmussbraaa24]

This is a very simplistic way of looking at it. If you don't count the big PPV shows, Austin has higher numbers. WM23 affects it in a large manner. Summerslam 2006 had Hogan, WM23 had Trump, Austin, multiple world title matches, and whatever else. You can only compare Cena's drawing power in comparison to moments where he wasn't there, to really see how strong it is. It is top 10 for sure but if you see how Austin's heel turn and Austin/Rock going off TV had affected ratings, it's a bigger effect.

Without big ppvs Cena still has the bigger buyrates. 296k average without WM,RR,SS and Sumerslam in 2006. Austin 284k.