From: v070qg5d@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Eric M Chmiel)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
Subject: Re: WWF Title Change
Date: 16 Oct 92 04:01:00 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

(Robert   T Conticello) writes...

>        No, I think he's getting desperate.  Attendance at house shows is
>  way down (except for Europe) and in some places, attendance is pretty
>  close to WCW levels.  The rating for TV shows is at all-time lows too
>  which is probably why there have been so many name vs. name matches on
>  PrimeTime Wrestling lately.  I think he's trying to win back older fans
>  who have been turned off by all the lame gimmicks.

    There are two reasons attendance and ratings are down and I can't believe
it's not obvious to everyone.  First, the wrestling boom of the 80's is dead.
All those yuppies who went to wrrestling because it was the "in thing" are 
long gone and will never be back.  Ditto the kids who were 12 in 1984 amd were 
huge fans.  Now they're 20 and wrestling as a fad has worn off.  Second, all 
of the hard-core fans, like old ladies who were at ringside everytime wrestling
was in town (and also like myself), were totally shunned for a quick buck by
greedy promoters (i.e. Vince) who wanted to cash in quick on gimmicks and 
dumb angles.  We were betrayed by westling's establishment, now we don't
want anything to do with house shows and we won't watch the syndies because
they've gone right down the toilet.  You never see old ladies waving their
purses at ringside anymore.  All the real *long-term* fans are history. Vince 
made a lot of money in the 80's (and ruined wrestling while he was at it) but
will not do so well in the 90's with no true fan base.  Plus, you talk about
titles only changing when a camera is present.  Why go to a house show when
you know nothing interesting is gonna happen, wrestlers may not show up, and
the ones who do will roll around in a stupor like they just finished a five-
course meal?  It has everything to do with true fans who were loyal to the
sport being left behind for money.  Now, wrestling has begun to pay the price
for this. 

>        I don't know if the Backland push will work, Bob Backlund was a
>  major star for the WWWF a regional promotion in the Northeast. Will
>  his return interest fans outside of the Northeast who never saw him
>  wrestle in his prime?  Will it interest the 6-10 year old WWF set?
>  He's not a wrestler who makes you "ooh" and "aah" watching him work
>  in the ring and he's not exactly an exciting interview either.  

    The WWF doesn't have any wrestlers that make you "ooh" and "ahh".  That
includes Flair, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, etc.  Are they capable of working
***** matches?  Yes.  Does Vince let them?  No.  Flair blows in the WWF.
Every match: chop, chop, chop, figure four.  If Vince would let them wrestle
it would be another story.

>  His return pails in comparison to the WWF signing Ric Flair last year
>  and except for his series with Hogan last year, Flair hasn't been
>  able to attract more interest to the WWF and put more fans in the
>  seats.

   Flair was effective for the Crocketts beause of how they used him.  Vince
books Flair like he books every other heel: like a welcome mat.  If Vince
shunned UW and Savage and made Flair long term champion who functioned 
undeniably as the biggest fish in the WWF pond it would again be a different
story.  How does Vince expect Flair to draw if he constantly is booked to
look like a buffoon?

*****************************************************
Eric M. Chmiel***************************************
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling