--Wrestlemania was a huge success on PPV this year with 940,000 buys estimated at this point, so it's just below all-time record levels.

 

Credit - WO.com

I'm absolutely shocked. I guess Backlash will tell us if Batista was a draw or if the Wrestlemania name was just an enormous draw this year. Ditto JD for Cena. Although, they've already hurt Batista somewhat, and he's not as strong as he was before Mania.

I hate to point out the obvious, but just imagine how big it might have been had they really pushed like crazy that Hogan was going to do an angle on the show.

They probably would have gone over 1,000,000.

 

Do you think Angle/HBK played a part in the number at all?

WOW. I think this should tell the company that the fans are dying for new faces on top (Cena, Batista).I'm sure Hunter/Batista will get the main credit for that number. Jesus, that is a lot of money.

I'd say the drawing power of WM XXI probably went like this:

 

Austin on Piper's Pit

Batista v Triple H

The Wrestlemania name

Kurt Angle v Shawn Michaels

John Cena v Bradshaw

As long as WM keeps doing big numbers, they'll think that they don't need to change anything, sadly.

I agree HTQ, the casual fans I know were all talking about Austin on Piper's Pit. Plus all the mark boards I visit were going crazy over it. I still think they will give the credit to HHH/Batista though.

When they showed Austin and Hogan's faces on Raw during the video pieces that revealed they were coming back, Austin got a monster reaction in the arena, while Hogan almost nothing.

Hogan always gets weird reactions. People either typically boo or ignore him if he's shown on the Jumbotron, but they go crazy when he's there live. I'm not sure what the difference is.

It's the specialness of seeing him live in person. The people will tune out in droves if Hogan takes a 15-minute standing ovation on television, but in person, they'll go nuts for him.

I'd say the drawing power of WM XXI probably went like this:

 

Austin on Piper's Pit

Batista v Triple H

Kurt Angle v Shawn Michaels

John Cena v Bradshaw

Do you really think a ton of people paid $50 to see an interview segment? I know people were talking about it and it caused dome buzz but when push comes to shove $50 for a promo is an alwful lot of money for very little. I'd drop Austin/Piper below Angle/HBK on your list and keep the rest the same.

 

I didn't order the show, but if I did Angle/HBK would have been the reason. I'll pick up the DVD because it's WM and I have all the rest.

Right, I think we are missing something here... the name Wrestlemania usually sells itself. The fact that so many bought it is shocking to me esp. since this is the year I avoided it. Hmmm.

It sells itself but not 1 million buys on the name alone. I'm pretty suprised by the buyrate being so big. There was nothing on the show that made me say," Damn I need to see that show and I'm sure it will be worth every nickel."

That's fantastic news for WWE and not so great news for fans.

Could part of the buyrate have been the unusally fun commercials for the event?