The times when $$ wasn't the main focus in wrestling

[Montana]

With the recent change to Survivor Series, i was thinking back to the days of the WWF and when wasn't money the major focus of the company? I'm not talkign about the times of building new stars, but when did the WWE do the right thing for business as opposed to doing what was best financially. What do you think.

The only time i can think of is when they pushed Beniot and Eddie G to the championships around WM 20. I thought it was odd how fast they rose to fame in the WWE, with little sucess in WCW, in my opinion. I was just shocked, especially with the talent level in the WWE at the time, and how fast.

What other times do you think?

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

Money has ALWAYS been the factor in WWE, always. Wrestlemania 20 was used as a vehicle to get two guys who were over into superstar status. Eddy was a HUGE draw, Benoit had busted his hump for so long and was over enough to warrant a title push. But what they were trying to accomplish was to put two guys in the upper echelon since they were losing two very big names in Goldberg and Lesnar. Plus Benoit was put in there with money names like HHH and HBK and Eddy took on Kurt who had headlined the previous Mania, it's not like they put Eddy and Benoit in the main event together. Plus Rock and Foley were on the card, trust me, they weren't focusing on trying to make new stars before making money. It's always about money, but you can do both at the same time.
I can't think of anytime in WWE history where they put progress as the precedent over making cash.

 

[MizMasta3000]

Well whats right for business goes hand and hand with finances. I think the difference is that Vince has lost faith in his ability to make stars. He is very hesitant to push guys and snatches it once the crowd gets a little bored. I don't know about Eddie but Benoit has been a upper mid card/main eventer since he arrived. Winning the IC title numerous times and being screwd out of winning the WWF title back in 2000, he quickly rose up the ranks. I cannot think of a time where making money was necessarily on the back burner but I think if Sheamus headlines WM this year, depending on how much more they build him, that will be a good example

 

[Axis]

Wrestling is a business. A business's number one priority is profits. Sorry, but wrestling has always been about money :/

 

[hndsmepete]

Just like the other responders said, the entire business is about making money, the entertainment is a side product. The business started in the carnival settings, where everyone who isn't a worker is a mark (target to grift). So this business has been about money since its inception, just like any business.

 

[Montana]

I was just trying to get some ideas of when maybe money wasn't the first option. There has to be some moments, big or small. Like when Mick Foley won the belt for the first time. There were a ton of other guys who sold more merchandise, and were more over. The WWE simply felt putting the belt on Foley would be the right thing for storylines/buiness. I certainly don't think they put the belt on foley to bring in more money as a big draw, when they had Austin/Rock, and a slew of others.

I think it's a lot more noticable in other wrestling companies than WWE. Like TNA for example. I think the Joe title run wasn't cause he was the biggest draw.

Just times that "might" be considered that money wasn't the biggest factor. Just stirring up a little disscussion.

 

[noumenon]

Always been about money buddy...sorry..lol. No matter how large or small the promotion is it's all about making money, especially for WWE.

 

[kimball99]

Remember all those times Bret Hart was champ? Or how about when Bob Backlund had the belt for a short while in the 90's? Hell, how about the Sid and Diesel title reigns? Vince sure as hell wasn't out to make money in those times.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

^^Huh? Backlund was meant to be a transitional champ, to get the belt from one face to another, that's why he dropped it at a house show. Oh, and he was champ for two days. Whole lot of money lost in two days! And of course he was trying to make money off of Diesel and Sid, it's just that history has shown they were duds. Nash had a friggin one year reign, you don't try and experiment with someone as champ for a whole year. Sid was champ in days of shallow roster depth and infighting between Hart and Michaels, doesn't mean Vince wasn't aiming for money.

 

[Charismatic Edge]

Guys, it's always about the bottom line or being in the black. All of those guys mentioned were gaining popularity and dollar sign ensued.

In the History of the WHC dvd, the beginning of the documentary talks about wrestling become more entertainment to make money. This was back in the 1910's. Anytime you see a new champion of main event push it's because they are drawing money or about to draw money.