Is Triple H right? - 3 reasons why the current WWE era is bigger than the Attitude Era
WWE has been around for seven decades in some shape or form. The company experienced growth greater than ever before under Vince McMahon, who led the company through what were seen as the two biggest boom periods ever in The Golden Era and The Attitude Era.
Vince initially retired in 2022 when facing various allegations of misconduct. While he briefly found his way back in, pushing for a TKO Holdings merger, McMahon is now fully gone from the Sports Entertainment juggernaut.
While the structure of World Wrestling Entertainment is far different thanks to the merger, the head of creative and the man running the ship from a television point of view is Triple H. The Game has been at the forefront of a new boom period, bolstered by some of the best creative in company history.
The King of Kings recently made a stunning statement, which caught some off guard. He claimed that the modern product is both bigger and more impactful than the famed Attitude Era. While there was some initial pushback by some, the idea isn't as crazy as one may think. This article will take a look at a few reasons why Triple H is actually right about this modern era.
Below are three reasons why the current WWE era is bigger than the Attitude Era.
#3. WWE is making an absurd amount of money
In pro wrestling, it can be difficult to determine how to judge a product. Quality is very much subjective. Anybody can have an opinion on how good or bad art is. WWE is arguably offering the best product they ever have over the past two years, but some would completely disagree with that notion.
What is less subjective, however, is business. WWE is doing better business than they ever have before. It seems like after every recent Premium Live Event, the Sports Entertainment juggernaut reveals they had a record gate of some kind. This is even true of Survivor Series WarGames held in Canada.
Things don't look to be slowing down either. The company recently revealed that the opening on-sale weekend for WrestleMania was the biggest of any event the promotion has ever produced. Big business is clearly continuing going into 2025.
While The Attitude Era was certainly highly profitable, it just doesn't come close to the income made today. Inflation and high prices for merchandise and tickets only further aid the company's massive successes compared to the past.
#2. The company is running more stadium shows than ever before
Financial success is a great indicator of where a company's standing is, but as noted, WWE is boosted by extremely high ticket prices and inflation. It goes without saying that the company would make more money per ticket now than they did in 1999 when everything costs significantly more.
With that being said, the Sports Entertainment juggernaut is also routinely drawing massive crowds to shows. Not only have they sold out numerous television shows, but they have dabbled in something The Attitude Era barely did: stadium shows.
2024 had an incredible five nights of shows held in massive stadiums. This includes the 2024 Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber Perth, two nights of WrestleMania, and SummerSlam. WWE rarely went to stadiums in the Attitude Era, typically opting for smaller arenas.
Once again, it is clear things aren't slowing down. The 2025 Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, two nights of WrestleMania, and two nights of SummerSlam are all confirmed to be held in stadiums in the next year, which surpasses even this year's record number.
#1. Superstars and Triple H are seemingly always in the public eye
WWE had mainstream appeal during The Rock & Wrestling Connection. They also had a lot of mainstream attention during The Attitude Era. With that being said, many still looked down on pro wrestling during those eras, and in many cases, true crossover was rare.
That is not the case in 2024. Major celebrities such as Bad Bunny, Jason Kelce, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and various other names have been tied to the promotion and appeared as big shows. WWE have had celebrities show up over the years, but it seems like they have more interest than ever in appearing in a World Wrestling Entertainment show.
More than that, stars of the company are always featured on other shows or at major sporting events. Every weekend, multiple performers are at NFL games. Stars regularly appear on talk shows, major podcasts, or even in Hollywood endeavors.
The success of the company outside of just WWE programming speaks volumes to the boom period they're currently experiencing. Triple H was right in claiming the company is bigger than ever, as there has never been more consistent exposure for the promotion itself and the stars in other major avenues of sports and entertainment than there is today.