|
|
Post by PJ on Jan 18, 2018 5:29:24 GMT -5
Well, Hogan and Andre were on Piper's Pit in early February '87 and WrestleMania was Mar 29. Maybe they started having the tension between Andre and Hogan a few weeks prior to that on the Pit. The first week Tunney honored Hogan with a large trophy on Piper's Pit for being Champion as long as he had been. The following week (or two) on the Pit Tunney gave Andre a much smaller trophy for his accomplishments. And during this you had Ventura and Heenan stirring the pot about the size difference of the trophies. But 30 years ago so I may be forgetting something, but I would say that match started to be promoted on the Pit in the few weeks of Mid January until early February when Andre attacked Hogan on that last Pit. As for when they announced the date and location I don't remember, but I certainly wasn't like it is now. I would say at best it was a couple months prior to the event. (Maybe Dec/Jan) Also remember there was no internet back then.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Brain on Jan 18, 2018 15:29:31 GMT -5
Well, Hogan and Andre were on Piper's Pit in early February '87 and WrestleMania was Mar 29. Maybe they started having the tension between Andre and Hogan a few weeks prior to that on the Pit. The first week Tunney honored Hogan with a large trophy on Piper's Pit for being Champion as long as he had been. The following week (or two) on the Pit Tunney gave Andre a much smaller trophy for his accomplishments. And during this you had Ventura and Heenan stirring the pot about the size difference of the trophies. But 30 years ago so I may be forgetting something, but I would say that match started to be promoted on the Pit in the few weeks of Mid January until early February when Andre attacked Hogan on that last Pit. As for when they announced the date and location I don't remember, but I certainly wasn't like it is now. I would say at best it was a couple months prior to the event. (Maybe Dec/Jan) Also remember there was no internet back then. was so well done. Talk about anticipation at an all time high. If I remember correctly they announced WM 3 at Pontiac in late December/early January on TV. The slow build for Hogan/Andre was so well done. Definitely high on my favorite feuds of all time list.
And ahh yes the days of no internet aka no spoilers. Good times
|
|
|
|
Post by greenjack1992 on Jan 24, 2018 13:09:57 GMT -5
I agree with him.
Wrestling is a business, not a sport, and the wrestlers are the sales team.
If I was a salesman at a multi-billion pound firm, the person who makes the most sales is the best salesman, even if I'm more likeable and have a more affable style.
It's that simple.
Hogan was appalling in the ring (in WWF and WCW, not NJPW), but only Austin is better.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Nov 29, 2024 15:59:37 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2018 16:37:49 GMT -5
I can see his point. Andre vs Hogan WAS the main reason for WM III ticket sales - anything else on the card was a bonus. Having said that - Steamboat vs Savage was match of the night - hell, it might even have been match of the year.
|
|
|
|
Post by K5 on Jan 25, 2018 14:13:01 GMT -5
I agree with him. Wrestling is a business, not a sport, and the wrestlers are the sales team. If I was a salesman at a multi-billion pound firm, the person who makes the most sales is the best salesman, even if I'm more likeable and have a more affable style. It's that simple. Hogan was appalling in the ring (in WWF and WCW, not NJPW), but only Austin is better. by those standards then, you believe that sable's tits were better wrestlers in 98 than anyone not named steve austin? because sable's tits were getting the ratings and moving merch and putting asses in seats...so by your logic her tits and ass are better wrestlers than actual wrestlers? |
|
|
|
Post by warriorlynx on Jan 25, 2018 16:34:10 GMT -5
Best "wrestling" match is obviously Savage vs. Steamboat, but Hulk vs. Andre was as Ventura says it, the biggest match in history at the time and was the peak of the first wave of the wrestling boom. There will never be anything like it especially at a time when the masses were believing it was a legitimate contest. Further proof is Hulk vs. Andre at the Main Event in 1988, 33 Million viewers tuned in to watch this match for free on NBC, that tells you what people wanted to see. And yes I was alive back then and was afraid of the heel Andre especially when he was the "good guy" on Saturday Morning's "Hulk Hogan's Rock'n Wrestling"  |
|
|
|
Post by theMOESIAH on Jan 25, 2018 22:02:52 GMT -5
Snow is 100% correct! Fans bought the WM 3 PPV to see if Hogan can slam Andre and beat him. Sure, Savage vs. Steamboat had a good story line too, but fans weren't sure they were gonna see a great match between the two. It ended up happening, thus making it talked about to this day. But fans bought that PPV for Hogan vs. Andre. Al Snow is right. Being a bigger draw and having a better match are two completely different things imo. |
|
|
|
Post by greenjack1992 on Jan 26, 2018 9:02:14 GMT -5
I agree with him. Wrestling is a business, not a sport, and the wrestlers are the sales team. If I was a salesman at a multi-billion pound firm, the person who makes the most sales is the best salesman, even if I'm more likeable and have a more affable style. It's that simple. Hogan was appalling in the ring (in WWF and WCW, not NJPW), but only Austin is better. by those standards then, you believe that sable's tits were better wrestlers in 98 than anyone not named steve austin? because sable's tits were getting the ratings and moving merch and putting asses in seats...so by your logic her tits and ass are better wrestlers than actual wrestlers? Nah, but she was the best talent not named Steve Austin or The Rock on WWF Raw at the time because, as you've quite rightly said, she used her body to bring in the viewers, just as The Rock did with his promos and Austin did by flipping the bird every few seconds. |
|
Deleted
Joined on: Nov 29, 2024 15:59:37 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2018 9:30:32 GMT -5
^ Boy if Jim Cornette read your post...
|
|
|
|
Post by K5 on Jan 26, 2018 10:14:36 GMT -5
by those standards then, you believe that sable's tits were better wrestlers in 98 than anyone not named steve austin? because sable's tits were getting the ratings and moving merch and putting asses in seats...so by your logic her tits and ass are better wrestlers than actual wrestlers? Nah, but she was the best talent not named Steve Austin or The Rock on WWF Raw at the time because, as you've quite rightly said, she used her body to bring in the viewers, just as The Rock did with his promos and Austin did by flipping the bird every few seconds. well in that case, wwe should just become a porno! because that would bring in better ratings than wrestling so screw the wrestling part eh... we’ll have to agree to disagree. lol |
|
|
|
Post by greenjack1992 on Jan 26, 2018 12:09:20 GMT -5
I'm just saying I understand his point and agree with him for the most part.
Of course you need to be really solid in the ring, but technique does not a great wrestler make.
|
|
|
|
Post by warriorlynx on Jan 26, 2018 15:19:10 GMT -5
Here are some stats that can better explain the impact of the Hulk vs. Andre feud.
Saturday Night's Main Event X: March 14th, 1987 - 11.6 Rating (approx 25 Million viewers) on NBC. Main feature is the Battle Royal that included Hulk Hogan and the newly turned heel Andre the Giant. This is the highest recorded rating for a Saturday Night's Main Event (total of 36).
Wrestlemania III - 8.0 buyrate (PPV & CCTV). 93,000+ (claimed) attendance with Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant as the main event.
Survivor Series 87 (Inaugural) Thanksgiving 87 - 7.0 Buyrate (PPV+CCTV). Crushes Starcade 87 the same night with a 75:4 PPV buy rate ratio. Features Hulk Hogan's team vs. Andre's team. Hulk and Andre help pave way for the first Survivor Series.
The Main Event: Feb 5th, 1988 - 15.2 Rating (33 Million viewers) broke records to watch Hulk vs. Andre for the WWF Championship live on NBC. Randy Savage vs. HTM was broadcast, Strike Force vs. Hart Foundation was partially broadcast.
Wrestlemania IV - 6.5 PPV buyrate, with a larger PPV buy than Wrestlemania III, but less CCTV buy as PPV was becoming more popular and CCTV was being phased out. Hulk vs. Andre was featured as part of the WWF title tournament.
SummerSlam 1988 (Inaugural) August 88 - 4.5 Buyrate. Mega Powers (Hulk & Savage) vs. Mega Bucks (Andre & Dibiase) as the main event at MSG (sold out crowd). Hulk and Andre help pave way for SummerSlam PPV's. By this time the feud was over.
|
|
Deleted
Joined on: Nov 29, 2024 15:59:37 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2018 15:58:47 GMT -5
Do you ever see a wwe tv show drawing 33 million viewers? Neither do I.
|
|
jeffro2000
Main Eventer
Joined on: May 16, 2011 14:23:29 GMT -5
Posts: 1,858
|
Post by jeffro2000 on Jan 26, 2018 17:03:53 GMT -5
It's just all up to your interpretation of Biggest/Best/Importance I guess.
Hogan/Andre was and possibly still is the biggest and most significant match in WWE's history. It was the superhero vs the ultimate villain. There were a lot of fans that had never seen either of them pinned at this point.
They drew the crowd. They drew the money.
Also in Wrestling/Sports Entertainment terms it was played out beautifully. It was an all time great feud and ratings/buys/gates show that.
Of course the match wasn't great technically, BUT it still delivered what it needed to deliver, Hogan slaying the Giant. It cemented WrestleMania as something special along with Hogan.
Some matches that would be in my all time top 10 favorites like Hogan/Warrior aren't Steamboat/Flair, also a favorite, but that's okay.
You can build a feud, complete it, and tell a story in the ring while not being a technical masterpiece something that is lost on many fans today.
Entertainment is and always has been key. Best technical wrestling match of night? Heck no. Most entertaining? The match that made you get out your chair? Your favorite or best? I can see the argument.
|
|
