WrestleZone Debater's League: Alternates' Debate Battle Royal 2

[Mr. TM]

List of Alternates

Blue Chipper
Minor League Brian
Moon Knight
Tenta
The Sign Guy
Christian Battlez
Falkon
Mr. Baller
Jenovas Witness
Milkyway!​

Topic: What was the better timeline in Wrestling History

List of Timelines to choose from. Only choose one of these times. You can post here now, and pick your timeline. Then when you have time, edit that post and replace it with your argument. Only one poster per alternate. Remember, you only have 48 hours to get your post in.

List of Times
1873 - 1901
1902 - 1959
1960 - 1981
1982 - 1986
1987 - 1989
1990 - 1995
1996 - 1998
1999 - 2002
2003 - 2006
2007 - Present

 

[Baller]

2003-2006

 

[Milkyway!]

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for dropping out in the first place. TM knows my story, its rather personal and I don't want to let it be publically known. Finally, everything is straightend out, and I've got enough time to really debate. My apologies to SK for leaving midway through.

Now then, onto the topic of the debate. I choose the time between 1999-2002 otherwise known as "The Attitude Era"

Now, the Attitude era started in 1998, but for the most part the actions that happened during the attitude era occured throughout 1999-2002. For two reasons, and two reasons only. Money, and entertainment value.

The entertainment value of the attitude era was undoubtable some of the most entertaining times throughout wrestling history. Some of the events that took place throughout this time period were some of wrestlings most watched shows ever. Most noticeably on May 10, 1999, the highest rating RAW ever. On this evening not only did we have The Rock's birthday celebration with Mick Foley, known as "This is your life" we also had one of the best 6 man tag team matches ever between Stone Cold, The Rock and Vince vs Undertaker,HHH and Shane McMahon.

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Skip to the 3:16 mark on this. As part 3 was never posted, and I didn't want to leave off part of the segment.

Austin vs McMahon!
Austin and McMahons raging storyline, throughout 1997-1999, is probably one of the biggest, and most known storyline ever. It drew large amounts of media attention, and single handidly drew the low ratings from 1995-1998. Austin and McMahon had a few confrontations during 1997, which lead to McMahons public disproval of Austin recieving the title. Then during WrestleMania XIV special guest enforcer Mike Tyson turned on DX and helped Austin to win the title. The following night on RAW the Austin Era hell gates were opened. The Attitude era sufficed. Over the course of the next 3 years. The WWE ratings would skyrocket, more fans would tune in on RAW than ever before.

Which brings me to my next point, 1998-2001 was the largest money making era, ever. Fans would buy more Pay Per Views throughout the 1998-2001 then ever before.

Here are the Pay Per Veiw buyrates throughout the era of 1998-2001. I will state for each Pay Per View which one is the highest. For the Pay Per View only.
Royal Rumble:
1998 0.97
1999 1.88-Second most bought Rumble, ever.
2000 1.6
2001 1.35

WrestleMania: Fairly Average WrestleMania buys, they could be higher.
1998 2.3
1999 2.32
2000 2.35
2001 2.18

King of The Ring:
1998 1.1 - Third highest buyrate ever
1999 1.13 - Second highest buyrates ever
2000 1.19 - Highest buyrate ever.
2001 0.96 - Fourth highest buyrate ever.

SumerSlam:
1998 1.48 - 4th highest buyrate ever.
1999 1.47 - 5th highest buyrate ever.
2000 1.40 - 6th highest buyrate ever.
2001 1.32

Survivor Series: Once again, fairly average.
1998 1.30
1999 1.14
2000 1.0
2001 1.13

No Way Out:
1998 0.52 - 3rd highest buyrate ever.
1999 - didn't air.
2000 1.2 - 2nd highest buyrate ever
2001 1.6 - Highest buyrate ever.

BackLash
1999 1.06 -3rd highest buyrate ever
2000 1.65 - 2nd highest buyrate ever
2001 0.90 - 4th highest buyrate ever

Unforgiven:
1998 0.85 - Tied for second.
1999 0.85 - Tied for second
2000 1.50 - Highest buyrate ever.

Judgement Day:
1998 0.89 - 3rd Highest ever.
2000 1.05 - Highest ever.
2001 0.76

Fully Loaded:
1998 0.9 - 3rd highest ever.
1999 1.07 - Highest ever.
2000 1.04 - Second highest ever.

Over The edge:
1998 0.58 - Second highest ever.
1999 1.24 - Highest ever.

No Mercy:
1999 0.88 - Second highest ever.
2000 1.35 - Highest ever.
2001 0.80 - 3rd highest ever.

Armagedon:
1999 0.97 - 2nd highest ever
2000 1.15 - Highest ever.
2002 0.87 - Highest buyrate ever

1998

January 5, 1998 3.3
January 12, 1998 3.4
January 19, 1998 4.0
January 26, 1998 3.5
February 2, 1998 3.5
February 9, 1998 3.2
February 16, 1998 Not On
February 23, 1998 3.2
March 2, 1998 3.8
March 9, 1998 3.6
March 16, 1998 Not On
March 23, 1998 3.6
March 30, 1998 3.8
April 6, 1998 4.7
April 13, 1998 4.6
April 20, 1998 4.4
April 28, 1998 5.7
May 4, 1998 5.5
May 11, 1998 4.3
May 18, 1998 5.3
May 25, 1998 4.2
June 1, 1998 4.4
June 8, 1998 4.3
June 15, 1998 4.3
June 22, 1998 4.3
June 29, 1998 5.4
July 6, 1998 4.0
July 13, 1998 4.7
July 20, 1998 5.0
July 27, 1998 4.9
August 3, 1998 4.9
August 10, 1998 4.5
August 17, 1998 4.2
August 24, 1998 4.7
August 31, 1998 Not On
September 7, 1998 Not On
September 14, 1998 4.0
September 21, 1998 4.0
September 28, 1998 4.0
October 5, 1998 4.55
October 12, 1998 4.8
October 19, 1998 5.0
October 26, 1998 4.5
November 2, 1998 4.8
November 9, 1998 5.0
November 16, 1998 5.5
November 23, 1998 4.9
November 30, 1998 5.0
December 7, 1998 5.15
December 14, 1998 5.2
December 21, 1998 4.7
December 28, 1998 4.9

1999

January 4, 1999 5.7
January 11, 1999 5.5
January 18, 1999 5.6
January 25, 1999 5.5
February 1, 1999 5.9
February 8, 1999 Not On
February 15, 1999 5.9
February 22, 1999 5.5
February 29, 1999 6.3
March 8, 1999 6.4
March 15, 1999 5.8
March 22, 1999 6.4
March 29, 1999 6.5
April 5, 1999 5.8
April 12, 1999 6.3
April 19, 1999 6.1
April 26, 1999 6.0
May 3, 1999 6.4
May 10, 1999 8.1 - Highest Raw rating ever.
May 17, 1999 6.4
May 24, 1999 7.2
June 7, 1999 6.7
June 14, 1999 6.7
June 21, 1999 6.0
June 28, 1999 6.8
July 5, 1999 6.2
July 12, 1999 5.97
July 19, 1999 6.3
July 26, 1999 7.1
August 2, 1999 5.9
August 9, 1999 6.4
August 16, 1999 6.6
August 23, 1999 5.9
August 30, 1999 4.2
September 6, 1999 4.4
September 13, 1999 6.0
September 20, 1999 6.1
September 27, 1999 6.8
October 4, 1999 5.9
October 11, 1999 6.1
October 18, 1999 5.4
October 25, 1999 5.6
November 1, 1999 5.9
November 8, 1999 5.4
November 15, 1999 6.3
November 22, 1999 5.5
November 29, 1999 6.5
December 6, 1999 6.0
December 13, 1999 6.1
December 20, 1999 5.8
December 27, 1999 5.8

2000

January 3, 2000 6.4
January 10, 2000 6.8
January 17, 2000 6.0
January 24, 2000 6.7
January 31, 2000 6.6
February 7, 2000 6.5
February 14, 2000 4.4
February 21, 2000 5.9
February 28, 2000 6.5
March 6, 2000 6.4
March 13, 2000 6.3
March 20, 2000 6.2
March 27, 2000 6.6
April 3, 2000 6.4
April 10, 2000 6.2
April 17, 2000 6.7
April 24, 2000 7.1
May 1, 2000 7.4
May 8, 2000 6.2
May 15, 2000 6.1
May 22, 2000 7.1
May 29, 2000 6.4
June 5, 2000 5.9
June 12, 2000 6.8
June 19, 2000 5.8
June 26, 2000 6.4
July 3, 2000 5.3
July 10, 2000 6.0
July 17, 2000 6.2
July 24, 2000 6.2
July 31, 2000 6.4
August 7, 2000 6.3
August 14, 2000 5.9
August 21, 2000 6.2
August 28, 2000 4.9
September 4, 2000 4.2
September 11, 2000 5.8
September 18, 2000 5.7
September 25, 2000 5.4
October 2, 2000 5.4
October 9, 2000 5.4
October 16, 2000 4.8
October 23, 2000 5.5
October 30, 2000 4.9
November 6, 2000 5.1
November 13, 2000 5.0
November 20, 2000 5.0
November 27, 2000 5.0
December 4, 2000 5.0
December 11, 2000 5.75
December 18, 2000 4.8
December 25, 2000 3.8

2001

January 1, 2001 4.55
January 8, 2001 4.8
January 15, 2001 5.2
January 22, 2001 5.6
January 29, 2001 5.4
February 5, 2001 5.0
February 12, 2001 4.8
February 19, 2001 4.8
February 26, 2001 5.1
March 5, 2001 4.5
March 12, 2001 4.9
March 19, 2001 4.6
March 26, 2001 4.7
April 2, 2001 5.7
April 9, 2001 5.4
April 16, 2001 5.1
April 23, 2001 5.1
April 30, 2001 4.98
May 7, 2001 4.6
May 14, 2001 4.5
May 21, 2001 4.2
May 28, 2001 4.2
June 4, 2001 4.3
June 11, 2001 4.1
June 18, 2001 4.2
June 25, 2001 4.7
July 2, 2001 4.6
July 9, 2001 4.7
July 16, 2001 5.0
July 23, 2001 5.4
July 30, 2001 5.7
August 6, 2001 5.4
August 13, 2001 5.2
August 20, 2001 5.2
August 27, 2001 4.8
September 3, 2001 4.6
September 10, 2001 4.6
September 17, 2001 4.8
September 24, 2001 4.5
October 1, 2001 4.4
October 8, 2001 4.5
October 15, 2001 4.1
October 22, 2001 3.9
October 29, 2001 4.1
November 5, 2001 3.9
November 12, 2001 4.1
November 19, 2001 4.8
November 26, 2001 4.4
December 3, 2001 4.2
December 10, 2001 4.7
December 17, 2001 4.0
December 24, 2001 3.2
December 31, 2001 2.4


So, as you can see. The WWE was pulling large amounts of Money through Pay Per View buys, and ratings. Obviously making this timeline throughout 1998-2001 the better of the list. Fans all around the world were beggening to watch. The entertainment value was through the roof, as you can see from the Buyrates of Pay Per Views, and the ratings. People were more interested in wrestling throughout this time period, than ever before. People were interested enough to spend their hard earned money on the WWE to cause buyrates to soar, and they spent 2 hours of their precious time weekly, to watch wrestlers like Stone Cold, Mcmahon, The Rock, etc. Something, had to be going right, and I say the wrestling world was at its finest because of this.

 

[JenovasWitness]

That was indeed a very convincing argument and will surely be very difficult to best. Yes, that timeline was indeed one of the more exciting and financially successful eras in the history of professional wrestling, but I would like to contend that the era from 1982 - 1986 was the era where the face of professional wrestling was changed forever.

During this time period, Vince McMahon's purchase of Capitol Sports and conquest of the professional wrestling world began. At the beginning of this timeline, all the various territories and promoters had an understanding that they would not compete with each other. Vince had other plans, of course, believing that he could turn his northwestern territory into a national and, later on, global power.

Soon, Vince was running his show in other promoters markets, putting the smaller territories out of business and filling his roster with the most recognizable faces in the business. His business savvy, coupled with his national TV deal, slowly began to change the WWF into the most recognized brand of professional wrestling in the United States and Canada.

What truly transformed professional wrestling, however, was the incredible impact made by the appearance of the greatest star in the history of the business. On January 23, 1984, Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik for the WWF Heavyweight Championship. The phenomenon of Hulkamania was born. Fans flocked to arenas to see the Hulkster in action. Attendances sky rocketed and the fan reactions that Hogan received as he came to the ring were unheard of in the sport. It was Hogan's incredible ability to make the fans care for him that vaulted him into superstardom which in turn vaulted the WWF and the sport of professional wrestling into the spotlight of the public eye.

Soon, Vince McMahon was tailoring his show to showcase over the top storylines and kid friendly environments and merchandise with their favourite superstars' likenesses plastered on posters, t-shirts and ice cream bars. Instead of one person coming to the small smoky arena to catch the show, families were purchasing tickets, buying dinner at the arena and buying merchandise. Money was flowing into the WWF. Wrestling was no longer a blood-filled joke that people needed to pretend to dislike. Hulk Hogan was appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and wrestling was entering mainstream media.

To cap it all off, on March 31, 1985, the flagship show of professional wrestling was born. Wrestlemania, the penultimate show of the WWE's business year, was contested at Madison Square Garden. The financial and critical success of the event secured the company's status as the most successful promotion in the United States and Canada and was attended by several celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Liberace, Cyndi Lauper and Billy Martin.

So, in conclusion, the incredible change brought on by Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and the inception of Wrestlemania marks the timeline of 1982 - 1986 as the most influential era in the history of the business of professional wrestling.