Issue 15: Wrestling Finally Part of Mainstream Entertainment

Hey all! Did you watch the Super Bowl? I did. But how many of you were interested in the game? Besides harcore football fans, not that many. Lots of people, like myself, who don't like football that much tuned in for the commercials. And if you happened to be a wrestling fan, you had an even better time.

Instead of watching a rather boring halftime "extravaganza", wrestling fans tuned into Halftime Heat and watched Mankind defeat The Rock for the WWF title in an empty arena. If you don't think that affected the Super Bowl's ratings, in a couple days, look at the halftime show ratings of last year, and then this year, and you'll see what I mean. Let's also not forget the long-awaited WWF commercial, which was amazing from what I heard. (I couldn't see it cause we get the Canadian commercials in the American feed, dammit!)

What does all this have to do with anything? Well, a few years ago wrestling would not be getting this much mainstream exposure. A WWF commercial at the Super Bowl was unheard of until now. Wrestling has finally reached its final destination: mainstream sports entertainment.

Of course, this is all Vince McMahon's brainchild. Ever since he bought the company from his dad, Vincent K. McMahon knew exactly where he would go with the company, how far he would take it, and what the results would be. When he was getting slaughtered in ratings, he grinned, because he knew it was only a matter of time before people stopped saying, "Wrestling is fake" and starting saying, "Wow! That was amazing!". It could have been Mankind being thrown off a cage, Sable's "bikini" at Fully Loaded, or Steve Austin coming down the ramp in a zamboni. The point is, wrestling isn't getting ratings anymore. Sports entertainment is. If you don't believe me, check out the last couple of months' ratings, and you'll get my drift. Unfortunately for Vince, WCW is getting more exposure because of his genius, but that's to be expected from a revolution in the industry.

Now this isn't just cause it's Super Bowl time. Who was on Drew Carey last week? None other than Triple H, playying a wrestler who sponsors Drew's beer. Tonight while the Super Bowl draws to a close, The Rock and Ken Shamrock will be on "That 70's Show". There have been countless WWF superstars on Off The Record, Gallagher, MTV, Regis and Kathy Lee, Hard Copy, Entertainment Tonight, and such. It has happened, folks. Wrestling has hit the big time. And I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the ride.

Rest in Peace,

The Endbringer

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