WWF nostalgia craze-how long will it last?

[willywonka666]

Here's the thing, I grew up on 80's wrestling, like so many have, but as time goes on, we'll age and even though we'll have dvd releases and the hall of fame, do you think it will get to a point where the Rock'n'Wrestling era just isn't talked about anymore? Scary thought as it holds fond memories, but face it, the E doesnt focus on or talk about stars of the 50's, 60's and even 70's that much because a lot of those fans don't watch today's product, Just wondering if you think there will always be an outlet for the days gone by,(since Vince owns all that footage) and if or how future fans will be educated about the past, or will they just move forward with the past so to speak and the Attitude era will be the focus of the next wave of nostalgia

[Avalanche Alvarez]

To keep the long time viewers, yes.
When you forget your past, you're doomed to repeat it.
But the way the Doube E is nowadays, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

[Johnny Danger (Godz)]

For me it'll last forever, since I'm always downloading old matches, CAWing old wrestlers on games, and watching 24/7, but avoid the current product like the plague.

[4real]

I can't wait to see the returns of Chris Masters, Snitsky and Test in 20 years time!! ah memories....

[skskillz]

The '80's are already phased out. The Attitude Era is now the "nostalgic" period for the key demographic of wrestling fans. I've accepted that reality, which is why I've stopped watching wrestling altogether. Wrestling, like everything else, evolves. Now it's evolved past the '80's, just like it evolved past the '70's, '60's, etc. In 10-15 years, the Attitude Era will likely be long forgotten. New fanbases and new generations will necessitate change.

[amsiraK]

avalanchealvarez said:

To keep the long time viewers, yes.
When you forget your past, you're doomed to repeat it.
But the way the Doube E is nowadays, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Dude, they don't remember the past. If they remembered the past, Kane's character wouldn't be so freakin' all over the place, the Invasion might have worked (other companies did it and screwed it up in EXACTLY the same way the WWE did) and Vince would quit trying to venture out into areas that aren't wrestling.

The only part of the past they remember is when old stars were popular. So they drag them in for a cheap pop.

[Handsome Halfbreed]

Back in the mid nineties when I was a mark and the WWe would try to get nastolgic and bring in guys like Wahoo McDaniel, Dick Murdock, Dory Funk Jr., and Mil Mascaras... the reaction they got from the crowd was non-existent, so of course my reaction was similiar... "who cares about these old geezerds."
Of course I know better now.
But look in comparison to when guys like Hogan, Piper, Duggan, Money Inc... just about anyone from the eighties makes an appearance. The fans pop big time for all those guys and younger fans notice this. So in a sense, that era will live on apposed to the seventies b/c fans of my generation never had the opportunity to see them making strong come backs to cement any kind of legacy. Smart fans made the effort to know about the past but the larger population of casuals will simply never know.

[Brandon Walsh is Insane.]

let me just say this... the fan base of the 70's jumped ship when Vinnie Jr took over the helm. I guarentee that a lot of old time wrestling fans weren't liking the "NEW" WWF, what with it's glitz and glamour. The 70's WWWF/Capitol Wrestling was geared more towards NWA-style... so a radical change would have lost those viewers.

However, the 80's brought about new viewers that could identify with the Rock and Wrestling fad... and most of those guys stuck around for a really long time. I'm pretty sure that the MTV Generation of 85 had a lot to do with the Attitude resurgence of 98... as for now, since there were a LOT more people watching from 85-00, anyone can be trotted out from that era and still get a substantial pop. Back in 1995, if you brought someone from pre-Hogan era WWF, no one knew who they were... so a pop wasn't going to happen.

[lmoney215]

wwe 24/7 and classic dvds will always keep some stars fresh in the eyes of fans. plus it will make vince a boatload of money, he knows the high money potential is there with the classic footage.

[Slapnutz McGee]

As long as Vince can make money off of it, we will continue to see and hear about the "old days".

[Loki]

Considering how desperately WWE are hanging on to the Old Guard (be it for cheap pops or for lack of confidence in the new generation), and how popular are most of the Veterans, I'd say it'll take a really long time for the 80s stars to finally go away for good.

Only if/when a new revolution in pro-wrestling will take place, driving away the old-school fanbase and replacing with a new one who's never heard of the Legends, WWE'll be forced to move on for good.

But personalities like Hogan, Rock and Austin (and the likes of Flair, Taker, HBK [but sadly not Hart...]) will always be remembered and promoted as Legends. So younger fans will learn to know them, even if it'll be in the distorted way "icons" are perceived by those who didn't actually witness them in action.

So, let's get ready for more Revisionist History ;D

[bigHEADinc]

loki said:

Considering how desperately WWE are hanging on to the Old Guard (be it for cheap pops or for lack of confidence in the new generation), and how popular are most of the Veterans, I'd say it'll take a really long time for the 80s stars to finally go away for good.

Only if/when a new revolution in pro-wrestling will take place, driving away the old-school fanbase and replacing with a new one who's never heard of the Legends, WWE'll be forced to move on for good.

But personalities like Hogan, Rock and Austin (and the likes of Flair, Taker, HBK [but sadly not Hart...]) will always be remembered and promoted as Legends. So younger fans will learn to know them, even if it'll be in the distorted way "icons" are perceived by those who didn't actually witness them in action.

So, let's get ready for more Revisionist History ;D

Well I think it was on the Bret Hart DVD (or in an article) where he talked about his decision to work with the WWE on his DVD... He said that originally he wanted nothing to do with it, but he was at a dentist's office when a young fan approached him... The fan said he always picked Bret in the videogames and he loved his Bret Hart action figure... When Bret asked the kid what his favorite match of Bret's was, the kid didn't know any... Bret was appalled by this, and thus decided to preserve his legacy with some sort of legitimacy...

['Sweet n' Sour' A. A. Estrada]

It will last until they decide to focus on the next generation of wrestlers, rather than bringing back men in their last fifties and early sixties to beat twenty-somethings with 80s offense and then get a monsterous pop that lasts all of one night and does nothing for the company or the fans.

[therob]

Possibly at some point but then it will be cool because they will show all the stuff from my era of wrestling The Attitude Era. I will watch it and weep as I think aboout the current product.