WWE crowds and the PG era

[Essential1]

So compared to now and the attitude era, does anybody think the crowds were the major difference between now and then or was it a combination of everything?

The crowds to me made the era, the angles and hardcore elements obviously were a big part of that era and what kick started it in the first place but now the crowds are full of kids and they don't mark out like they used too. Watching Jerichos debut as a guy coming into the company from a rival promotion in the summer of 1999 and hearing the crowd go mental as if he had been there all along. Now imagine someone showing up from TNA...the crowds would end up killing it for us viewers at home, and the announcers also. Remember Christians return. Grishams "It's.....Christian"

I think PG has gone on long enough. How do you feel?

[thegame415]

Crowds can be the hot during the PG era.

[Rican]

PG has nothing to do with how lame most crowds are these days. Wrestling just isn't as popular anymore, plus there is next to emphasis on midcarders so the main event guys are the only ones who get any major reactions.

[mattyy]

Crowds were bad, if not worse, in 2006.

[Red Impact]

I don't think PG has killed the crowds, I think booking has. WWE has had great crowds in their PG eras, but when you book the show as they do, when you introduce a guy, shove them down the fans throats, then undercut them endlessly, fans are going to get apathetic.

Attitude, for all it's faults, gave something for everyone to do. Everyone had distinct characters and you could get behind people and expect them to appear. You don't get that now, so the crowd doesn't care.

As for the jumping argument, TNA isn't much competition to WWE, WCW was. TNA doesn't have the audience, and it's less likely that fans are going to know/care about TNA guys. You can't compare the two, really.

[juvijuiceisloose]

PG has nothing to do with it, the business is just down.

It was "PG" during the 80's and early 90's and the crowds were awesome.

I think it all depends on what city they're in.

[Been burned too many times]

Don't think it's the era more so not much is interesting. Crowds pop when they're interested in the feud/storyline/character.

Imagine the crowd not being invested in Cena/Punk at MITB last year.(I know it was Punk's hometown but still) The entire dynamic of the match would be completely different with a dead uninterested crowd.

[AdamAFL was sooooo wrong]

Nothing to do with the rating, crowds just aren't as hot these days because the product isn't as popular or interesting.

[rusty]

More kids, more uninterested parents. Sounds about right.

[chazraps]

Jan 6, 2012 0:04:28 GMT -5 mattyy said:

Crowds were bad, if not worse, in 2006.

This is true. If you look at the crowds 2003-2007, before just about every major pin the crowd looks to the entry way because they had become so accustomed to run-ins. If the PG era has helped crowds in any way, it's that they're broken of that habit.

[Sponsored by Groose Wipes]

Crowds really don't have anything to do with the PG era. There's not as many people watching as before and most of the people who do watch WWE are in the 13-18 years of age. Would I love to have the TV 14 age back? of course. However I can live with PG seeing how it's not as bad as it once was. At least now they are hitting high PG low 14 instead of low PG high G.

[BigWill]

Jan 6, 2012 0:25:18 GMT -5 Sponsored by Groose Wipes said:

Crowds really don't have anything to do with the PG era. There's not as many people watching as before and most of the people who do watch WWE are in the 13-18 years of age. Would I love to have the TV 14 age back? of course. However I can live with PG seeing how it's not as bad as it once was. At least now they are hitting high PG low 14 instead of low PG high G.

Actually I've read that that only about 25% of the WWE Universe is under 18.

[Indiana Miz]

I think the amount of kids makes a difference. When heels come out, you see a lot of kids not really booing, just doing the thumbs down motion. Plus a lot of the parents might not be fans and are only their to take their kids.

I don't really pay attention to crowd noise anyway unless they are chanting something.

[MichaelMartini]

PG has nothing to do with it. It's a passionless product. A bloated corporate entity that's worried about offending anyone and everyone so none of the feuds have any heat anymore. Heels can't even "bully" someone because WWE is against that. They don't take any risks. There's no riveting storylines. No amazing promo guys. It's just decent workers having matches.

[FUNK_US/BRODUS]

I dont buy this. Remember the Nexus angle? We got some red shot crowds.


The Raw when Edge and Jericho commit to team WWE, and the 6 of them stand off against the Nexus, the place is deafening, and the hard camera is shaking. When Edge throws the first punch the place boils over.

Compelling booking results in compelled fans.

[Big Daddy Bad Booking]

For PG, I seriously think its the certain week. WWE has been really trying to find something, but unlike 1998 or so, have been tied down by sponsor and "parental" obligations.

[Deleted]

PG has nothing to do with it at all, and I'd take PG over "Jerry Springer" wrestling any day, but that's whole other can of worms.

The problem with dead crowds is that no one cares about the wrestlers. WWE has practically buried everyone but the absolute tippy-top guys, and everything else is just filler. What made the crowds so hot during the Attitude era was that everyone was pushed and everyone had something to do on the show. When the crowds are given a reason to care, they will, but until then, expect to see them sitting on their hands for pretty much everyone but a small handful of guys.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - it's not the rating, it's the writing.

[Red Lion]

It has nothing to do with the crowds, but the writing and character establishing, which the Attitude era had down to a T especially in terms of the latter.

That's the reason why a good chunk of the "PG crowd" joined in with Road Dogg's schtick when he did it for the first time in OVER A DECADE. The general makeup of the crowd is the same.

[Deleted]

Crowds in general are tamer than they used to be. Go to a metal show nowadays, you rarely see a huge mosh pit and people going crazy. Fans of everything are just much more reserved in general unless something HUGE happens.

[The Ichi]

A very large chunk of the audience is probably non-wrestling fan parents taking their kids. I remember the time my parents took me to a wrestling show when I was 11, their enthusiasm couldn't have been faker if they tried.