Do you think the Internet Wrestling community ruined wrestling?

I can't add much to what certain people have already said. My take is that it's not ruined wrestling itself, but the way we actually watch it. However, it is still pretty simple, if you don't want to know about it, you don't read it, remember, this is not a sport, this is high impact theatre, sports entertainment, and should be treated as such. Everyone knows what happens in Hamlet, yet people will sit and watch it all their lives, it has nothing to do with results, spoilers, crap matches, internet, etc, its all about the emotion, the spectacle that is wrestling, and it is not mean't to be taken so seriously. Granted, since being involved on the 'net, it has taken some of my passion away, but I choose what to look at. So if the net affects your viewing in a negative way, choose not to allow it.

In addition, the IWC has certainly had a big factor in how the average fan view's the product (whether that product be TNA, WWE, ROH, etc) today. I know I can't speak for those who have watched it for 15 - 20 years (or even more) because I've only been watching since 97'ish. But the opinions that many "fans" have compiled for every single factor of wrestling at the moment has caused the average fan to look into the product too much. And, because of that, we are abliged to conform to other people's opinions and therefore we are forced to like or dislike the product accordingly. Thanks to the internet, I miss exactly what others miss about wrestling, like sneaking up early to watch a taped PPV and being mad when your favourite wrestler loses, etc.

Back when it was fun, who really cared about how bad a wrestler was in-ring? Does anybody remember the Rock vs. Bossman and Bull Buchanan in a Cage match? Nobody cared how bad the other two were in-ring, everyone just wanted the Rock to win 'coz he was the good boy and the odds were stacked against him. If that happened today the internet "smarts" will go "-**, terrible match, I don't know why they bother" but back when no-one cared about the actual quality of the match, everyone would shout "YAY, ROCK WON". It's nowhere near as fun anymore, because the fun gets drained by these people who call themselves reporters, like that Dave Meltzer, everyone gets excited about his star ratings and no matter how good a PPV can be he will pull out all the bad points and all his loyal readers will agree and start off a massive chain that will go on and on until everyone on the Internet agrees.

So to answer, the IWC hasn't "ruined wrestling" as the actual quality of the product hasn't declined over the past 3-4 years, but our perspective on it has.

Internet Wrestling Community

It only ruins wrestling if you let it ruin wrestling. For example, I can't help but notice you complain about spoilers, so... excuse me if I'm missing something, but why do you even look at spoilers then? Seriously, it's not rocket science. If you don't want the show spoiled, then don't read spoilers. Simple. Also, idiots on message boards have no impact on the product that's put out. And how do ratings and PPV profits ruin wrestling for you? That makes no sense. It's not like the product is suffering because of a lack of money. That should be more than evidenced by the fact that Linda McMahon was able to spend $50 million (I think) on a senate campaign.

The Internet Wrestling Community was both a blessing and a curse. You should subscribe to WWE Classics on Demand and hear the Legends Roundtable Discussions on topics such as this. The biggest thing that ruined wrestling was the WWF/WWE destroying all the other wrestling promotions in the United States and Canada. You mentioned the 1980's, during the 1980's I read Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Wrestler and Inside Wrestling every month and went to WWF Wrestling Shows and NWA Wrestling Shows. On television every week I saw Mid-South Wrestling/Universal Wrestling Federation, The American Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling, The National Wrestling Alliance, The World Wrestling Federation, Powerful Women of Wrestling, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling and Pro Wrestling this week, hosted by Joe Pedicino and Bonnie Blackstone. 1980's Wrestling Promotions had better storylines and better matches than the WWE has today. You cannot blame that on the Internet. You can blame it on bad writing and the refusal to create and elevate new stars.

Today, I go to WWE Shows, TNA Shows, ROH Shows, Dragon Gate Shows and Independent Wrestling Shows. I guess lazy people or people who do not have the money or inclination to go to wrestling shows sit on the computer and watch matches on the Internet, but to me, there is nothing as great as a live event, and we get to see things that you cannot see or find on the internet, or you hear about second hand on the internet.

Fans have become too smart, thats the real problem. When I was 12 years old, I didn't know what a heel or face or blading was. The business is exposed now. Alot of people obviously knew the in-ring workings were scripted, but noone outside the business ever knew of any of the stuff we know about today, like backstage altercations, superstars getting hired/fired, who's coming in and who's leaving ect. I am in the belief that the internet did not totally ruin wrestling, but it certianly didn't do it any good.

I think today, the wrestling business has to cater to the internet in many ways because it has become such a big part of the industry, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. It's been proven that WWE and TNA can still swerve the internet at times and keep spoilers unknown, but they just have to go that extra mile and work harder to do it. Sadly, the days of when wrestling was presented as a legit sport are gone, in part because of the internet and in part because of Vince McMahon telling us its scripted

I can see where you're coming from..Some people complain everything is too "predictable" - but how many spoilers have they actually read?...I personally think, that if I didn't search for wrestling (either from being on yahoo/spoilers/wrestling websites/etc) - things like who went to TNA, on Jan 4th - would of absolutely shocked me...

In some ways - yeah, it has ruined wrestling, because even when you try and avoid spoilers - you end up picking up on something...

I don't mean this in a mean spirited way but you don't have to read the stuff online if it ruins it for you. If you don't want to know don't look. What bothers me is the amount of negativity. It seems like the happy paying customers mostly keep quiet and the whiners have a field day. I have to sift through a lot of nastiness to find things worth reading.

150%

You know what totally true, best question i have heard tonight, i am always tempted to check out the damn spoilers but also the contribution of family friendly ruined wrestling alot.

But as long as i have TNA i'm happy

I think that is 100% true