The Rock the biggest draw of 1999

[RLStern]

1999 The Rock is named the biggest box office star of 1999, breaking Austin’s record in 1998. In 2000 the Rock would then break his own record from 1999.

The Rock was drawing the biggest PPV’s whenever he main evented that year(First 3, KOTR) while breaking the record and drawing the biggest wrestling ppv of all time at the time with Wrestlemania 15, he would then break this record with Wrestlemania 2000.

Rock outdraws Austin on August 24, 1998 Raw during road to Summerslam 1998:




The Rock drew the biggest ratings the entire year, start to finish, outdrawing Stone Cold since the end of 1998:



Rock out pops Austin even as WWF champion May 3rd 1999:



Compilation of Rock’s media coverage:



-7:50 “he’s the hottest thing in the world wrestling federation”
Appearances on:

The View - 2:59

That 70’s show - 1:13

Much music - 25:56

Promoting Georgia dome debut(Where they booed Austin)- 11:13

People magazine names Rock one of the sexist men of 1999 - 22:30



On TSN’s Off The Record with Michael Landsberg, February 1999

4:50 - “In 1996 if anyone could’ve told you that you would become one of the most personalities in North America and around the world that wouldn’t have surprised you?”

15:40 - “You took that guys place, Stone Cold”

Crowds cheers Rock over Austin on road to Wrestlemania 15 despite being a heel: https://wrestlingsmarks.com/threads...ld-during-the-road-to-wrestlemania-15.118706/

Rock drew the highest rated cable segment in professional wrestling history on the September 27, 1999 Raw Is War with an 8.4:



1999 was Austin’s peak year of his own career, despite that The Rock was a bigger draw and more popular t

 

[Brad Boyd]

What about Austins merch sales? They were/are superior to Rocks. I believe that counts for something in the topic of drawing power. I suppose you have to factor in how long Austin was a star as opposed to The Rock when it comes to merchandise. It was only until late 98 when Rock moved away from the Nation and started becoming a star himself.

 

[RLStern]

What about Austins merch sales? They were/are superior to Rocks. I believe that counts for something in the topic of drawing power. I suppose you have to factor in how long Austin was a star as opposed to The Rock whwn it comes to merchandise. It was only until late 98 when Rock moved away from the Nation and started becoming a star himself.

Nope, Rock outsold Austin at merchandise as well. In 1999 Rock’s merchandise was constantly #1 over Austin.

WWF Shopzone

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By early 2001 Rock had been making $15 million per year, multiple years by this point, whereas Austin made $13 million in his best year. a cut of that is from merchandise

Austin had a headstart for a year and a half, yet Rock still outdrew him.

Rock was bigger than Austin in every single metric.

And as far as the Nation goes, Rock was started getting bigger ratings than Austin while in the nation, for example on the road to Summerslam 1998, the August 24, 1998 Raw:


Rock was IC champion yet outdrew Austin who was WWF cham

 

[Deezy]

I gives no fucks about who out drew who a million years ago.

I'm all about why the fuck is Rock wearing that red monstrocity.....looking like a V1 Matt Hardy with them crimson genie pants

 

[Brad Boyd]

Nope, Rock outsold Austin at merchandise as well. In 1999 Rock’s merchandise was constantly #1 over Austin.

WWF Shopzone

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By early 2001 Rock had been making $15 million per year, multiple years by this point, whereas Austin made $13 million in his best year. a cut of that is from merchandise

Austin had a headstart for a year and a half, yet Rock still outdrew him.

Rock was bigger than Austin in every single metric.

And as far as the Nation goes, Rock was started getting bigger ratings than Austin while in the nation, for example on the road to Summerslam 1998, the August 24, 1998 Raw:


Rock was IC champion yet outdrew Austin who was WWF cham

If this article is misinformed then so be it. But if this is a general misconception that Austin overall sold more merch than Rock then well fuck me. Rock is probably overall the bigger draw. But it seems generally accepted that Austin sold more merch. " Austin 3:16" T-shirts are WWE's highest grossing merchandise product of all-time."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...ing/steve-austin-vs-the-rock-whos-better/amp/

 

[RLStern]

If you didn’t care that Rock was a bigger draw than Austin during the Attitude era from late 1998-2002, why post in this thread?

If this article is misinformed then sp be it. But if this is a general misconcepyion that audtin overall sold more merch than Austin then well fuck me. Rock is probably overall the bigger draw. But it seems generally accepted that he sold more merch. " Austin 3:16" T-shirts are WWE's highest grossing merchandise product of all-time."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...ing/steve-austin-vs-the-rock-whos-better/amp/

You’re posting opinions from most who weren’t even watching wrestling during the Attitude era, I posted factual numbers, ratings, articles from the time and archived websites from the time documenting Rock’s merchandise selling more than Austin.

Rock was a bigger draw than Austin in every single department and no amount of opinion or perception influenced by years of revisionist history changes that.

Literally nothing you can say will change the numbers, Rock was bigger than Austin from late 1998 and on, nothing anyone can do about the concrete facts. Austin fans may not like that Rock was the face and bigger star of the Attitude era but that shouldn’t hurt their enjoyment of him just because Austin wasn’t number one.

WWF Shopzone... Come Get Some!

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WWF Shopzone Homepage

web.archive.org

 

[Deezy]

If you didn’t care that Rock was a bigger draw than Austin during the Attitude era from late 1998-2002, why post in this thread?

Oh the irony.

Because I saw them Rock red pants....instead of V-1ahhh it's Pre-1ahhh

 

[RLStern]

Oh the irony.

Because I saw them Rock red pants....instead of V-1ahhh it's Pre-1ahhh

Yeah sure buddy..

 

[Brad Boyd]

If you didn’t care that Rock was a bigger draw than Austin during the Attitude era from late 1998-2002, why post in this thread?




You’re posting opinions from most who weren’t even watching wrestling during the Attitude era, I posted factual numbers, ratings, articles from the time and archived websites from the time documenting Rock’s merchandise selling more than Austin.

Rock was a bigger draw than Austin in every single department and no amount of opinion or perception influenced by years of revisionist history changes that.

Literally nothing you can say will change the numbers, Rock was bigger than Austin from late 1998 and on, nothing anyone can do about the concrete facts. Austin fans may not like that Rock was the face and bigger star of the Attitude era but that shouldn’t hurt their enjoyment of him just because Austin wasn’t number one.

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That list conveniently leaves out austin 316 shirt which is noted to be the highest grossing wwe product of all time. But yes those numbers prove Rock sold more merch in 99. To this day though? I'll come back with a list in a bit. So far the austin 316 shirt selling the most overall hasn't been refuted.

 

[RLStern]

That list conveniently leaves out austin 316 shirt which is noted to be the highest grossing wwe product of all time. But yes those numbers prove Rock sold more merch in 99. To this day though? I'll come back with a list in a bit. So far the austin 316 shirt selling the most overall hasn't been refuted.

The 3:16 was Austin’s hottest shirt in his career, it wasn’t the hottest merchandise ever.

That goes to Rock’s Sunglasses which were on the top charts for 3+ years during the Attitude era, 3:16 shirt was only the hottest shirt in 1998, when conveniently he was one of two that had merchandise.

Once Rock got merchandise he layered the Smackdown on Austin’s merchandise sales, and outdrew it all, including the 3:16 shirt.

The Just Bring it and Layeth the Smackdown shirts in 2000 drew more and added more revenue in merchandise sales, than 3:16 ever did in 97 & 98.

 

[Brad Boyd]

The 3:16 was Austin’s hottest shirt in his career, it wasn’t the hottest merchandise ever.

That goes to Rock’s Sunglasses which were on the top charts for 3+ years during the Attitude era, 3:16 shirt was only the hottest shirt in 1998, when conveniently he was one of two that had merchandise.

Once Rock got merchandise he layered the Smackdown on Austin’s merchandise sales, and outdrew it all, including the 3:16 shirt.

The Just Bring it and Layeth the Smackdown shirts in 2000 drew more and added more revenue in merchandise sales, than 3:16 ever did in 97 & 98.

To this day overall austin 316 shirt sold 12 million. Its hard to find stats online so maybe you have better sources for that. Cena has sold the most merch followed by austin at #2. Rock is listed as #3 in overall merch sales. Hogan is #4.

 

[RDK]

Goldberg is a bigger draw than the Rock tbh

 

[RLStern]

To this day overall austin 316 shirt sold 12 million. Its hard to find stats online so maybe you have better sources for that. Cena has sold the most merch. Rock is listed as #3 in overall merch sales. Hogan is #4.

Not true at all, 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.

 

[RLStern]

Goldberg is a bigger draw than the Rock tbh

Rock beat Goldberg in ratings:



Austin could not beat Goldberg in ratings, Goldberg was a bigger draw than Austin:



#1) Rock
#2) Goldberg
#3) Austin

 

[Brad Boyd]

Also Steve Austin holds the record for being apart of the highest rated Raw segment in 99 at a 9.5. I thought this your life with Foley was bigger but apparently not.
" There was a lot riding on Steve Austin's WWF Title shot against The Undertaker in the main event of Raw's 28 June 1999 episode. The night before, Austin had been beaten in a Ladder Match by both Vince and Shane McMahon at King Of The Ring, and now he had to win the title or be banished from the championship scene for good.

Typical Attitude Era drama, sure, but nonetheless gripping.

Fans watching at home agreed. The company topped their own 9.17 quarter hour score for the 10 May episode by posting an enormous 9.5 here. This was reported in the 12 July 1999 Observer, and so was the fact WCW went off the air with Nitro earlier than scheduled, allowing the WWF a full eight minutes unopposed.

Although that might make it seem like Nitro handed the impetus to Raw, it's true that 'Taker vs. Austin was killing it anyway. People rightly believed they'd see a title change on free television, and that played a huge part in the big number regardless of what WCW were doing."
Source:

10 Highest-Rated WWE Raw Segments Ever

If "This Is Your Life" isn't number one, what is?

whatculture.com