Breaking Down The Myth: The NWO Saved The Wrestling Business
4. Causing WWE To Up Its Game
One thing that WCW's time dominating the Monday Night Wars did, was that it forced WWF to up its game.
Having seen top tier talents such as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall depart for the money pits of Ted Turner's rasslin' company, WWF already had to step up to fill those holes by placing the company on the backs of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and The Undertaker. But with the success achieved in the early days of the New World Order, Vince McMahon's sports entertainment was forced to change its creative approach.
Despite the New Generation putting the spotlight on younger stars at the top of the card, the action of WWF was still very much cookie-cutter and based around traditional formulas of Good vs. Evil. WCW pushing a more mature, aggressive edge with the nWo forced WWF to examine its own storytelling and to start to push towards what would eventually become known as the Attitude Era.
Not only was WWF forced to follow WCW's lead in its approach to television - both in its creative and in becoming a live product - but WWF was backed into a corner, with no choice but to attempt to create fresh stars to lead the charge alongside Hart, Michaels, and The Phenom.
By happenstance or design, those new stars would sprout up in 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Mankind, and Kane - not to mention having names such as The Giant, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit jumping ship to WWF on the quest for opportunity and a better working environment.
In that way, WCW actually helped the business by making WWF actively seek change. But then there's the long-term to think of...