How come the RAW ratings plummeted after Austin returned in 2000?

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He was never really a draw.

because he was a one note entertainer

Because Raw moved to TNN

Was only a draw when McMahon turned the company into a TnA freakshow with Vince as the main heel, while stealing every storyline possible from WCW and ECW and debuting a new signing every month, while burying and forgetting about them 3 weeks later.

I swear this particular topic is the "We don't talk about Bruno" of professional wrestling. NO ONE ever wants to acknowledge this despite the clear evidence that it happened. It's weird

This

cope

Because austinetty couldn't draw when not working with bigger stars like Rock or Vince.

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Raw changed networks. I'd also say that the majority of wrestling fans back then weren't really wrestling fans, they were fad watchers, and every fad has it's shelf life. Beanie Babies were really over at one point, but cooled off, and the same thing was happening to wrestling. Nothing stays cool forever, even The Rock is kind of a dork now.

Meltzer Cultists were already driving normal people away back then

This. As depressing as it is to admit - the fact that Wrestling is still as popular as it is is basically a miracle. Wrestlings market has been devoured by basically every other industry - especially since UFC and boxing started modelling their industry more on wrestling. The only thing wrestling has going for itself is that it has fun characters, but even then the era of Austin, Flairs and Undertakers has been replaced by thigh-slapping manlets who couldn't cut a promo to save their lives.

>the era of Austin, Flairs and Undertakers has been replaced by thigh-slapping manlets who couldn't cut a promo to save their lives.
That's why Wrestling today sucks, a bunch of queer vanilla midget with zero charisma.
If you think some skinny faggot like Darby Allin is being pushed to the moon, that gives you an idea of the sad state of today's wrestling.

The actual correct answer that will get ignored because this board is full of schizoid gimmick posters.

>never the guy
>never drew a dime
>shoot cried on tv when he had to make superior talent look strong
>walked out when he had to put superior talent over
>would never stay down until taking multiple finishers, then proceeded to complain about too much finishers
>would have killed the business if nash wasnt around to save it
>got into his position by sheer luck
>worse hairline than paul heyman's
>bald alcoholic
>hearing impairment gimmick
>stole his finisher from a literal who
>failed to sell the easiest move there is to sell and broke his neck
>failed to sell tickets
>failed movie career
>buries superior talent on his podcast for no reason
>beat women because he couldnt beat men
>jannetty to the rock, undercarder, bret hart, savio vega, hbk, kevin nash
>ecw reject
>wcw reject
>wwe reject
>fat, terrible look
>faithless fool

Cuck cold simp autism btfo

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Reminder that ROCK was the champ at this time and couldn't keep the ratings up...

also, steve austin was raped in the stone-cold winter of 1998 by fat smelly rednecks in Victoria, Texas.

TNN plus a noticeable dip in storyline quality. They had to retcon HHH onto Rikishi hitting Austin with the car because the reveal was such a thud, and then did a really weird Austin/HHH match with no finish and HHH no-selling death.

Also, as great as Angle was even one year in, I don't think he was a huge draw like the other main eventers, and he was the champ.

this. niggers ruin everything

Like the anuses of cryan bryan, nash and simp cuck steve autism.

wrestling was on the downswing after summerslam 1999. Peaked with 17 then down the tubes

End of thread