Chris Jericho Claims Today’s Wrestling Business Is More Lucrative Than the Attitude Era
Chris Jericho has seen it all in professional wrestling—from the Attitude Era’s record-breaking ratings to today’s modern wrestling boom. And in his latest interview with Chris Van Vliet, he didn’t mince words when it came to comparing the two. While the Attitude Era may have had higher TV viewership, Jericho says today’s wrestling industry is far more profitable.
“Maybe from an overall popularity standpoint the Attitude Era was bigger, but you weren’t making the money that you are now—as both a wrestler and as a wrestling company,” Jericho stated.
Jericho isn’t just talking—he’s lived it. “I know the difference in salaries of what a top guy made then versus now—because I was one then, and I am one now.”
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw massive TV audiences, with some wrestling shows pulling in over 8 million viewers per episode. But Jericho pointed out that viewing habits have changed, and the way wrestling is consumed today is drastically different. Streaming, social media, and YouTube views weren’t a factor back then, but now they play a huge role in how wrestling makes money.
And it’s not just the companies that are profiting—wrestlers themselves are getting bigger paydays than ever before.
Jericho also weighed in on modern fan expectations, saying that match quality is scrutinized far more today than it was during his early years in the business.
“25 years ago, you could do a lot less and have people think it’s an amazing match. Now, you can do the exact same thing, have the crowd react the same way, but critics will say it was terrible.”
While some fans still put the Attitude Era on a pedestal, Jericho says the financial numbers don’t lie—wrestling is more profitable than it has ever been.