Who was the bigger star?

[Deezy]

Just read some sheet talk about who was a bigger star Steve Austin or Hulk Hogan.

Discuss....I'll give my two cents after a few posts.

 

[Chris]

I went Hogan, but I do think this is kinda close. There's always the argument though that without Hogan there would never have been an Austin because pro wrestling would have never been anywhere near mainstream. Each people brought life back into the business, but Hogan made it bigger than it ever was before. Austin really just brought it back up to where Hogan had it with a new generation of fans. Should be an interesting thread though, and this is one of those things where I could probably argue for both guys.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Austin was the biggest start durin' the greatest BOOM period in wrestling history so I went with him. Also known for selling more merchandise than anyone else and has the highest PPV ratings unless you count over-inflated recent Wrestlemania numbers. I'm not too sure about the ratings part since I'm a wrestling fan, not a business fan.

 

[Keith]

Hogan because of his break out appeal outside of wrestling and also the first boom period lasted longer than Austin's. Austin for talent and the character would have got my vote, but Hogan was bigger.

 

[Deezy]

I went with Hogan because he is the first name thought of when you say wrestling. His Saturday Nights Mainenvents eclipsed Raw ratings in the Attitude Era and Hogan and the nWo were a giant factor in ushering in that era. He brought on TWO wrestling booms and when he came back to WWE in 02, he was still their biggest star.

Austin had a great run and no denying it was a huge one, but Hogan was on top for nearly 20 years and sparked the two most successful periods in wrestling history.

 

[PHX]

Have to go with Hogan as much I would like to say Austin because even people who don't even watch wrestling at all know who Hulk Hogan is. Austin run was huge for the short time and was apart of changing the biz leading a boom period but Hogan had more longevity and as mentioned helped drive two boom periods. You could make a case that Rock vs Hogan would be a closer debate because of the amount of star power Rock has with his acting far surpasses any success any other wrestler who has done acting. Plus he has the same effect as Hogan in the sense that people who don't even watch wrestling at all knows who Rock is.

 

[ThatGuyFromNukemHigh]

I went with Austin here, Being able to remember both the "Cartoon" & "Attitude" eras, you could visibly see the change in the attitude. More people were wearing wrestling shirts, big chain stores started carrying wrestling merchandise outside of the toy lines, a successful card game surpassing 12 sets in a world dominated by Magic the Gathering & Pokémon where only 1 other game at the time survived past 4(Yu-Gi-Oh), vastly improved videogames, and ushering in the profitable monthly PPVs.

All of this built on Austin's back. I am not trying to diminish what Hogan managed to do, but the WWF expansion at least appeared to be a bigger deal in the 90's.

 

[Chris]

Have to go with Hogan as much I would like to say Austin because even people who don't even watch wrestling at all know who Hulk Hogan is. Austin run was huge for the short time and was apart of changing the biz leading a boom period but Hogan had more longevity and as mentioned helped drive two boom periods. You could make a case that Rock vs Hogan would be a closer debate because of the amount of star power Rock has with his acting far surpasses any success any other wrestler who has done acting. Plus he has the same effect as Hogan in the sense that people who don't even watch wrestling at all knows who Rock is.

Yeah but Rock's popularity has nothing to do with the wrestling industry. Before his return in 2011, he was hardly associated with wrestling at all at that point and even though he was getting popular, it wasn't doing anything for the industry.

 

[The Cork]

Austin took a year out in the middle of the Attitude era and was barely missed, what do you think would of happened if Hogan took a year off in say 1986/7?

 

[Crippler]

Austin took a year out in the middle of the Attitude era and was barely missed, what do you think would of happened if Hogan took a year off in say 1986/7?

RIP Mania

 

[Twitchy]

For me personally, Stone Cold was the biggest star. Biggest pops etc. Hogan just did it first...

 

[Weez]

I can't believe I'm saying this.. but.. Cork is right.

If you take the Big 3 from the Attitude Era... HHH, Rocky and Stone Cold....they MIGHT equal ONE Hogan.

Maybe. True story, I was a kid watching during Hulkamania. By the early 90s, I was sick of the guy. But when he left and I'm forced to see Bret and Shawna nd all these new boring guys? I checked out and took my viewing habits down to WTBS in Atlanta. When I was a teen/young adult watchin the Attitude Era, when Austin got hurt, I still watched. When HHH got hurt, I still watched. When Rocky grew tits or went off to film Scorpion King or some other early shitty movie he got, i still watched. The Attitude Era was an ensemble cast that was about a change in direction. The 80's were about Hulkamania.. One fucking guy carried the company... so Austin could Stunner the boss and chug beer.

I love all 4 guys that I've mentioned here, but there's only ONE Wayne Gretsky, there's only ONE Babe Ruth, there's only ONE Michael Jordan, there's only one...Pele (Idk, I'm American lolol).. and there's only one Hogan. And that's the bottom line.

CWutIDidthar?

 

[The Cork]

He pretty much built two companies up to the top spot single handedly, don't forget WCW were still going nowhere after they signed Nash & Hall.

He probs could of made the AWA #1 fed for a while had he stayed there too. Unmatched charisma.

 

[Nevermore Arcanum]

Bigger star: x wrestler's name here vs Hogan.
Best boxer: Double arm amputee vs Tyson.

Equivalent poll.

 

[Roadster]

The man who built modern day WWE or the man who saved WWE?

I really can't decide.