Are we in a Wrestling BOOM period?

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I know we all watch WWE and think the product stinks and that the product is down...but is it really, on the whole?

WWE just did it biggest business ever for an event and their biggest event has broken records three straight years. Ratings are down for TV, but consistent and oversaturated. Fewer eyes watch the product every week then it did during their last admitted boom period in the late 90's, but the company is still making money hand over fist 15 years later.

American Indie Wrestling just did its biggest business ever and there are several companies that are putting out a top flight product.

New Japan on some insanely high level...doing great business, critically acclaimed product. DragonGate is the second best in-ring product in the world and doing good business.

Thoughts. Are we in a very subtle boom period here?

[SuperKevin]

I think a lot of it has to do with wrestlers transitioning into other aspects of pop culture. You're starting to get non-wrestling fans buzzing thanks to guys like the Rock and Brock Lesnar.

[JimLeavy59]

Buzzing sure but are they putting money down?

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Buzzing sure but are they putting money down?

LOL, obviously they are.

[JimLeavy59]

LOL, obviously they are.

So non-wrestling fans are spending 60-70 dollars on Wrestlemania? The increased buys were most likely from normal wrestling fans who had more incentive to give the WWE their money. I still don't get this notion that Rock is bringing in "new fans". He's just increasing the interest of the current fan base which is always a good thing.

[SuperKevin]

The fact that ESPN now does WWE power rankings also speaks to how well the business is doing

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

So non-wrestling fans are spending 60-70 dollars on Wrestlemania? The increased buys were most likely from normal wrestling fans who had more incentive to give the WWE their money. I still don't get this notion that Rock is bringing in "new fans". He's just increasing the interest of the current fan base which is always a good thing.

By comparison...WrestleMania X-7, perhaps the height of WWE popularity by casuals...had a little over a million buys. Two years ago, 1.04 Million buys, more than X-7. Last year, 1.3 Million buys...this year they are looking to best that and early reports are they have.

The economic impact of WrestleMania in Miami last year was a +$103 MILLION DOLLARS! In New York/New Jersey...they are expecting a much higher economic impact to the area.

[FedEx227]

The business is growing up a bit. It's hard to put a finger on exactly but I can't recall a time in recent memory where there were as many closet wrestling fans coming out. It seems cliche but I wonder if Twitter, Facebook and social media has made people more accepting of professional wrestling and has brought people back in. Instead of hiding out and watching by yourself, you know have millions of fans at any given night watching right there with you.

It's also broken the wall of "YOU KNOW THATS FAKE RIGHT?!" we have entire generation that's well aware (most times) what's fake and what's real and doesn't care. Shit, reality TV is the farthest thing from reality but people still suspend their disbelief to get lost in some hillrods jumping on gators in a swamp.

Doing the website alone I've been connected with hundreds of people I didn't even know were wrestling fans or had subtle hints about that are huge fans. This past weekend rappers were flooding websites with wrestler theme remixes, wrestler tribute songs, etc.

Also as Kevin mentioned, mainstream publications have covered it much better as well. Deadspin did some basic work and eventually The Masked Man moved over to Grantland (he's largely the inspiration for VOW) where he's doing great work looking very deeply at the WWE. By that same token, yeah, ESPN covers it with power rankings now too.

Also iPPV has helped out a ton. I have some personal wrestling fan friends that have recently come up and wanted to chat Ring of Honor with me. 5-6 years ago when I was watching it? Not a chance. They weren't interested at all, but they were able to sample a show or two via iPPV or via some YouTube video and now they are hooked.

[JimLeavy59]

I still can't believe there are still people who think its real or at least talk like it is. I also think the rise in reality tv has somewhat helped people not look down on wrestling like they use to. I mean when see shit like Jersey Shore and Honey Boo Boo does wrestling really look all that bad.

[EmpireWF]

I don't know that I'd call it a boom period anywhere except for NJPW (who have been white hot for some time now).

Yes, Wrestlemania is the E's cash cow...but for the other 11 months of the year, things are average or below average. WWE will always make money the way they're structured now, barring something Rob Feinstein-like....but hey, they had a popular wrestler in Benoit do what he did and there was no long-term hit to business from that.

As for the indy groups, clearly the talent pool has come around after a couple years or more of stagnancy. While WWE (and to a degree TNA) cleaned up all the top guys, there was a little while where it took for fresh guys to step up (and they have).

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I don't know that I'd call it a boom period anywhere except for NJPW (who have been white hot for some time now).

Yes, Wrestlemania is the E's cash cow...but for the other 11 months of the year, things are average or below average. WWE will always make money the way they're structured now, barring something Rob Feinstein-like....but hey, they had a popular wrestler in Benoit do what he did and there was no long-term hit to business from that.

As for the indy groups, clearly the talent pool has come around after a couple years or more of stagnancy. While WWE (and to a degree TNA) cleaned up all the top guys, there was a little while where it took for fresh guys to step up (and they have).

Rumble buyrates were up. SummerSlam buyrates hit higher than they have in four years. Extreme Rules popped an above average buyrate.

[SuperKevin]

I still can't believe there are still people who think its real or at least talk like it is. I also think the rise in reality tv has somewhat helped people not look down on wrestling like they use to. I mean when see shit like Jersey Shore and Honey Boo Boo does wrestling really look all that bad.

To be fair, pro wrestling has tried hard for some time to incorporate more realistic and shoot fighting inspired action.

[EmpireWF]

Rumble buyrates were up. SummerSlam buyrates hit higher than they have in four years. Extreme Rules popped an above average buyrate.

Yes...the caveat to that is those shows were built around part-timers Rock & Brock.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Yes...the caveat to that is those shows were built around part-timers Rock & Brock.

Draws are draws...not sure I'd call shenanigans around simply knowing who the draws are and how they use them.

Last year, they were smart...they had two part timers and they spread them out across the year to pop some buyrates. Its how they should do it.

Night of Champions and Over the Limit also had modest increases in buys.

This isn't just about the WWE though, its not simply a WWE Boom, just a boom for wrestling across all levels. The WWE is only one slice in the pie. A big slice, but a slice nonetheless.

[FedEx227]

And it's nearly impossible to argue that the American indies aren't at their highest point. Everyone of the big companies has a healthy roster and from all accounts, appears to be making money.