Is wrestling the only medium where “smart” fans, regular fans, and “anti-smark”/contrarian fans almost universally agree that more eyes on their product aka popularity is a good thing?
Every other medium the contrarians and smart fans are like “popularity is the death of the product, it gives it mass appeal therefore…” and the regular fans go “yeah you’re kinda right…”. Wrestling fans are the only fans who actually like seeing things become more popular.
It’s also weird because when layoffs happen in like video games a lot of the smart fans and regular fans are upset, meanwhile in wrestling talent releases are treated with some sadness but a lot of gossip and even pride. It’s almost as if other fans of things don’t care about the product/state of their hobby and would rather it stagnate than grow more popular and successful, whilst wrestling fans are even willing to see their companies sacrifice good storytelling and matches in exchange to chase new fans.
Not to go on any longer, but I know a lot of fans of smaller promotions like TNA and NJPW and even quite frankly AEW are like regular fandoms, but I’ve also seen many smarks say they want more popularity. This is just my observation.

>>18184843 (OP)
I only like smaller promotions, and I want to see them succeed as well. At the same time, I don't require a crowd of thousands and thousands just to enjoy a wrestling show. It's always good to see your favorite feds doing well, but that isn't how I judge the quality of the product.

>>18184843 (OP)
it's mostly edrones. they've been conditioned to do free marketing for the Weinstein fed.

>>18184919
That part

>>18184919
Say it louder for the people in the back

>>18184919
very true. I used to think they were actual paid shills but now I think they're just brainwashed losers who do it for free.

>>18184843 (OP)
Wrestling fans aka “smart fans” largely do not understand their hobby and want it to be something it isn’t, and was never meant to be. Smarks are not as smart as they seem to think they are, and largely push people away from their product

A thread died for this

>>18185805
Guess ill never know what twitter said today...lame

>>18184843 (OP)
>“smart” fans, regular fans, and “anti-smark”/contrarian fans
This framing is the whole issue. That's not what the fanbase is like at all. Wrestling attracts a world of sports obsessives, people into "nerd" shit, people into edgy counterculture, armchair business freaks, soap opera/reality TV fans. These are all groups who gravitate to high, non-casual levels of engagement. There is no world where it is just Observer readers vs people who hate them vs everyone else.
A fat blue haired individual who writes gay AEW fanfiction and a black teen making Tiermaker lists of who has the most aura in WWE are both very dedicated fans, but do not resemble who the people who started using "smark" derisively had in mind when complaining about the hardcore fanbase. There's never been LESS of an ingroup/outgroup.