Lawler Claims Attitude Era Began In Memphis; What Would WWE Fox Deal Be Worth In 1999?

Lawler Claims Attitude Era Began In Memphis

On the latest episode of Dinner with the King, Jerry Lawler gave his version of how The WWE’s Attitude Era got off to its start:

“I believe in my heart that [Memphis] was the beginning of the heel Mr. McMahon. I don’t think he had thought about being a television character until they came down to Memphis where the people didn’t like him and I think that was the start of what became the Attitude Era in the WWE.”

Lawler’s guest and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett also chimed in,

“Here’s where you just had to have been there. Vince was the face of the WWF. He was in the middle of the ring for Mania 1,2, and 3. He was the promoter. Yes, Hulk [Hogan] was the babyface; but, Vince was the face and he was the dominant promoter. They had come in…and we were the little engine that could. There was a lot of reality based promos–I hate to even call them promos; but, I can remember that little area at Memphis TV where the monitor was. The first one I saw with everybody looking around and when his promo was over everybody just sorta went, ‘Oh my God how good was that?’ Yes, I agree with you 1000%. However that got to market, the evil Mr. McMahon that is the first time they played that extension of his personality because it wasn’t a character. That was him. He was evil Mr. McMahon. It was great.”

Readers interested in listening to the entire episode of Dinner with the King may do so HERE.

What Would WWE Fox Deal Be Worth In 1999?

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the WWE’s new $1 billion deal with Fox may be small change compared to what the company may have received in 1999, at the height of The Attitude Era. Meltzer tweeted what he believed such a deal may have been worth in ’99: