WWE Asking Fans Why They Stopped Watching

[PHX]

Would disagree there because difference was Austin's run of dominance was far shorter and had a far interesting and fun character which is why some fans didn't turn on him like they have Cena. Def are some fans who stopped watching cause Cena is top dog in part because of the "We went from Austin and Rock to Cena"

 

[Deezy]

Would disagree there because difference was Austin's run of dominance was far shorter and had a far interesting and fun character which is why some fans didn't turn on him like they have Cena. Def are some fans who stopped watching cause Cena is top dog in part because of the "We went from Austin and Rock to Cena"

Same type of people who are turning away from UFC because the Pride guys are done.

Austins mainevent run would still be going on strong if he didn't fuck his neck up in 97, he definitely would be like Hogan if he was physically able to be during the early 00s. Comparing apples to pears, seems close enough, but it really isn't.

 

[PHX]

We'll never know though and can only compare what happened not what could have happened had Austin not fucked up his neck. Fact of the matter is yeah Austin was super pushed how Austin was super pushed but there was obvious differences as I said plus it didn't take long for some fans to start turning on Cena anyways while he was on top.

 

[Deezy]

We'll never know though and can only compare what happened not what could have happened had Austin not fucked up his neck. Fact of the matter is yeah Austin was super pushed how Austin was super pushed but there was obvious differences as I said plus it didn't take long for some fans to start turning on Cena anyways while he was on top.

Yeah, the major difference was Cena actually put people over. The other difference was Austin actually had major heels to keep him fresh.

Who has Cena faced that was actual heel to everyone? Not since Edge in 06 has Cena had a major heel, and not some lukewarm heel, who wasn't watered down by the smarks in the crowd just cheering him for the sole sake of cheering the bad guy.

No wonder WWE keeps trying to garner their shit towards kids, they don't try to boo Sheamus, because they want to feel cool going agains tthe grain.

Again, let me reitereate, Austin would've had people turning on him, if he didn't have McMahon to feud with.

 

[PHX]

Yeah, the major difference was Cena actually put people over. The other difference was Austin actually had major heels to keep him fresh.

Who has Cena faced that was actual heel to everyone? Not since Edge in 06 has Cena had a major heel, and not some lukewarm heel, who wasn't watered down by the smarks in the crowd just cheering him for the sole sake of cheering the bad guy.

No wonder WWE keeps trying to garner their shit towards kids, they don't try to boo Sheamus, because they want to feel cool going agains tthe grain.

Again, let me reitereate, Austin would've had people turning on him, if he didn't have McMahon to feud with.

Hope you realize that my intent was to explain why some fans probably either got tired of Cena and stopped watching or stopped watching before Cena even popped up because the attitude era was over and didn't feel inclined to comeback to be a fan because they didn't like how the company was going with Cena on top in comparison to when Austin was. Don't see why you are defending Cena as if I was attacking him and going into what ifs about Austin's run when it has nothing to do with the topic at hand I was addressing. It's no different than me saying how some people probably stopped caring about hip hop after Pac and Big died and anything that came after them they didn't see it as good enough. It's just how it is with people being stuck in the past.

 

[We Are Legion]

Austin wasn't exactly in a position to be putting people over though. The difference between Austin's era and Cena's is that WWE vs WCW was the bigger picture. Both companies required a dominant figure to compete head-to-head, WWE had Austin and WCW had Goldberg. And look what happened to WCW after Goldberg started putting people over.

The only guy Austin wouldn't put over was Lesnar and in hindsight it's a good thing he didn't. I was disappointed in Austin's diva attitude about it at the time, but Lesnar still did well for himself without Austin's rub, so it really didn't matter. Fact is, Austin could put anyone over just by having a match with them, but during the Attitude era, no one could be perceived as being better than Austin because it would have hurt WWE. Foley, Rock, and Triple H all rose to the top tier by feuding with Austin so it's ridiculous to say he didn't. Even Kurt Angle furthered his career after the Attitude era by feuding with him.

But as far as the thread's subject is concerned, the Monday Night War ending was the big reason people stopped watching because it eliminated the main sense of realism the product had and took a lot of the pressure off the creative aspects and made them more conservative with their television budget, hence the fact there were no more monster trucks, beer trucks, sports cars and luxury vehicles being destroyed, etc. Particularly in back-to-back-to-back weeks. That stuff wasn't "crash TV" like many idiot fans today think, it was good TV, and the current TV product is low-budget in comparison because Vince is more concerned with money as opposed to ratings which was the main driving force during the best years. Period. And nothing else needs to be said on the matter.

 

[Deezy]

Hope you realize that my intent was to explain why some fans probably either got tired of Cena and stopped watching or stopped watching before Cena even popped up because the attitude era was over and didn't feel inclined to comeback to be a fan because they didn't like how the company was going with Cena on top in comparison to when Austin was. Don't see why you are defending Cena as if I was attacking him and going into what ifs about Austin's run when it has nothing to do with the topic at hand I was addressing. It's no different than me saying how some people probably stopped caring about hip hop after Pac and Big died and anything that came after them they didn't see it as good enough. It's just how it is with people being stuck in the past.

And I already stated as to what I thought about that, you brought differances and so did I....I thought this is how forums work.

I never thought you were bashing anybody, I was stating my thoughts on what you said. Like a normal thread.

 

[Twist of Fate]

For me it's some of the petty or poor decisions in relation to the use of some stars as well as some of the inconsistent and messy crap we get as "writing" each week, and sometimes even both those things combined into ONE issue.

One example I always find myself bringing up is Kofi Kingston a few years back (and there's been people in that position since). The guy was red hot in his feud with Orton/Legacy. Next thing you know, Orton throws an unprofessional hissy-fit and Kofi is doomed to being nothing more than a random mid-carder that's only really useful for spots in the Rumble or MitB. There's just so many stars like that who get wasted or aren't used because of damn ego's; and that's even just downright awkward for any viewer paying attention to the show each week.

In addition there, WWE is just far too conservative in the use of their stars. Yeah sure occasionally someone like Fandango rocks up and gets Vince's personal blessing, but there's many guys that literally have to be completely buried and become totally forgotten about before they even so much as a get a chance. The mid-card scene has basically become purgatory in recent years. Whereas once there would be some great feuds or story-lines there (sometimes just as good if not sometimes even better than what was happening in the main event scene), now we're lucky if we get any sort of feud, and if we do, even luckier if it's actually one with any real thought put into it. And somehow their stay in "mid-card purgatory" still "justifies" or "validates" them for a push in the main event scene?

The writing is just plain atrocious for many reasons. There's a complete lack of logic and the creative team are seemingly far more focused on a particular outcome rather than justifying it, thus allowing many "plot-holes" or last minute decisions to waste what's been established or even make whatever happened the previous few weeks totally redundant. The ball is dropped far too often and it's hard to really be taken in by or enjoy the product when the experience is repeatedly ruined like that. Not to mention the babyfaces are just so unrealistically bland and hardly standout from one another these days. Even by PG standards there's no excuse for how little a lot of stars are actually given to work with and it's the babyfaces that suffer the most there.

The mid-card titles themselves often serve as the perfect and most painful reminder of what WWE has become. The fact that they can literally be ignored for months at a time (hell unlike the past I keep forgetting who is even champion these days) or even then are just randomly thrown in last minute pretty much sums it up. There's no consideration as to the value or consistency of stars or things like championships. It's literally just one big mess and IMO as a whole it's just unacceptable. People complain about it all being because of PG, but to me it's just the sheer randomness and lack of adherence to anything that is the issue. When I was a kid, I watched kids shows that were far more cleverly written and entertaining than half the things on today's WWE programming. This years Wrestlemania (overall) was even a whole new low (IMO) given how rushed and last minute some of the match ups were. It's crap like that which puts me dangerously close to just not bothering.

 

[ThatGuyFromNukemHigh]

I'm having a hard time taking a lot of these posts seriously because they are the thoughts of current fans. Usually when I talk to non-wrestling fans about wrestling they can't even explain themselves in a way that makes sense. They just aren't fans and they'll criticize it even if they have no idea what is going on. Most former Attitude Era fans are the worst.

A research group is holding invited focus groups in New York City asking men and women from 18-54 who are WWE fans or former WWE fans.

Looks like they are asking our opinions as well. And it is real easy to sum up my friends current opinion on wrestling, "Without Benoit & Guererro its not worth watching."

 

[Nevermore Arcanum]

I've been known to, not actually stop watching, but taking hiatuses all the time simply due to tedium. I've only started watching WWE again in 2010 or 2011. I forget the exact date. I have friends who watch it no matter what, so they'll tell me about current events and every now again they'll say "Dude, you gotta see this new guy/plotline/promo etc. That usually ends my hiatuses, because that new guy/plotline/promo etc. is shaking things up making the product fun again.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Anybody that says they are a real fan that takes hiatus' but doesn't go back to watch the best matches isn't much of a fan in my book. For example if you haven't watched Bryan/Punk from OTL 12 then you really aren't a "wrestling" fan, it's pretty cut and dry. Don't get offended by what I am sayin' either because you've had more than enough time.

 

[Deezy]

Anybody that says they are a real fan that takes hiatus' but doesn't go back to watch the best matches isn't much of a fan in my book. For example if you haven't watched Bryan/Punk from OTL 12 then you really aren't a "wrestling" fan, it's pretty cut and dry. Don't get offended by what I am sayin' either because you've had more than enough time.

That's a pretty shitty attitude to have about people who stopped watching, labelling people not a "real" fan is pure elitism. Are you going to label a person who watched Southpark religeously in the 90s, and stopped watching after 02 the same thing?

I still think the target audience of those days just outgrew wrestling and moved on to other things like UFC. I mean, who exactly still into the things they loved when they were teens? I don't buy Staind or Limp Bizkit albums anymore. I don't still wear Fubu shit or act wiggerish like I did when I was 15.

 

[Cena's Jeans Shorts]

Anybody that says they are a real fan that takes hiatus' but doesn't go back to watch the best matches isn't much of a fan in my book. For example if you haven't watched Bryan/Punk from OTL 12 then you really aren't a "wrestling" fan, it's pretty cut and dry. Don't get offended by what I am sayin' either because you've had more than enough time.

I commend your trollololololololling.

If that's serious though, then the WWE needs to figure what made you such a committed fan of their product, esp if you're buying all the PPVs or DVDs.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Why would anyone buy anything if they have access to the internet other maybe a t-shirt? But I'm planning on getting a 3D printer when they become more accessible.

 

[The Cork]

That's a pretty shitty attitude to have about people who stopped watching, labelling people not a "real" fan is pure elitism. Are you going to label a person who watched Southpark religeously in the 90s, and stopped watching after 02 the same thing?

I still think the target audience of those days just outgrew wrestling and moved on to other things like UFC. I mean, who exactly still into the things they loved when they were teens? I don't buy Staind or Limp Bizkit albums anymore. I don't still wear Fubu shit or act wiggerish like I did when I was 15.

I guess we aren't true fans for not bothering to czech out two vanilla midgets throw kicks and chops like it's a JCVD film from the mid 90's.

Don't know about anyone else, but if shit gets boring I turn off.