Well most of what I have to add has already been said but Bret Hart is one of those "this is how it is" stories in wrestling. Bret Hart was NOT a huge star by anymeans. He was a very good worker who thought too highly of himself. He was never a credible draw inside the states, only being worthwhile in Canada and overseas, which at the time was a small fraction of the WWF's business. The biggest gate he ever main evented was drawn by Bulldog and by the time he ever had a program that would actually draw some serious cash he was well on his way to throwing the dirt on his career along with WCW.
Bret Hart leaving was the best thing that ever happened to Vince and the WWF, not in anyway am I trying to glorify the Montreal Screwjob, but Vince made more money in the proceeding six months after Bret's departure than he did the entire six years Bret was atop the WWF card. Bret owuld have had no place in the Attitude Era and with the open spot he left behind, names like Foley, Rock, Austin, Jericho, HHH and Undertaker would all go on to have, better drawing and more profitable careers than Hart.
So bottom line, Hart leaving WWF actually saved the Fed, ushered in the most exciting and memorable era in wrestling and helped paved the way for stars bigger than Hart to exist. So who in their right mind would take a couple of predictable three star Hart matches with guys who might not have gotten a chance to be stars, then the company would have folded. The company was basically not looking past the next months ppv with Bret in the fold, things were looking that bad for the WWF. Bret is the most overrated dude in internet wrestling history.
