5 Reasons why The Corporation was better than The Authority

Whether they were to be taken seriously or to be laughed at, The Corporation had quite a cast of characters
Whether they were to be taken seriously or to be laughed at, The Corporation had quite a cast of characters

Between 2014 and 2016, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon led and ran a faction known as The Authority. The faction combined highly skilled talent with a few characters that provided some comic relief.

What it seemed to lack, though, was a fresh direction, the ability to allow give and take during their promos, and being able to lose as much as they win. If we rewind about fifteen years earlier, a faction that was similar in both its direction and intent also reigned supreme in WWE.

The Corporation, led by Vince and Shane McMahon, was an equally villainous stable, but with a few differences. The Vince and Shane-led faction was better received during its short existence than Authority.

Often, the repetitive manner in which The Authority would come out and deliver a promo became quite frustrating, as we had to watch it time and time again. In comparison, whether it was the depth of talent that surrounded Vince and Shane that made their promos more enjoyable or the charm of the character that Vince portrayed on screen, their faction is better in comparison.

Here are five reasons why the Corporation was better than The Authority.


#5 Deeper roster

In comparison, The Authority didn’t have a roster that presented much of a threat to their opposition.
In comparison, The Authority didn’t have a roster that presented much of a threat to their opposition.

During the late 90s and turn of the century, The Corporation boasted a roster that, at various times in various incarnations, included the likes of Ken Shamrock, Test, The Rock, Shane McMahon, Triple H, Big Boss Man, The Big Show, Mean Street Posse and Degeneration X.

As we can see, the names involved as part of this stable were top-notch, and the group was vast and deep. It was always a game of numbers, and the intimidating group meant other competitors didn't want to cross Mr McMahon, as they would rather stay as part of the promotion.

It didn't seem to matter who they were facing, the odds were in their favour. In comparison, the Authority didn't have as large of a stable of talent which they could pull from. Other than Randy Orton, Kane and Seth Rollins, the options were few and far between, which made the programming for them rather repetitive.

The variety of those involved in the Corporation allowed for several feuds, matches, and storylines to develop.

#4 Variety of characters

Whether they were to be taken seriously or to be laughed at, The Corporation had quite a cast of characters.

The Authority boasted WWE champion, Seth Rollins, its secretary of defence Kane, and Triple H's right-hand man, Randy Orton. It also had J&J Security, the combination of Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble, who resembled The Stooges.

However, that didn't mean they provided different personalities that could fit different roles within the faction. In the case of the Corporation, there were main eventers, mid card talent and tag teams, all who could be used to help further along the faction.

In comparison, The Authority didn't boast of talent that could be used throughout the different divisions to compete for different Championships. The Authority would punish those that challenged them but didn't welcome others in.

Other than when The Big Show turned during a Survivor Series match, there was very little done to broaden the group of characters within the faction.

#3 They put over their opposition

During their time together, The Authority didn’t appear to put over their opposition too often.

As deep as the Corporation was, they didn't always come out on top.

For the purposes of telling a good story, they played the role of dastardly heels, and Vince McMahon even revealed himself as ‘the higher power,' in a storyline with the Ministry. Vince McMahon was heavily involved in a feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, and, despite the fact that it appeared as though Austin had the odds stacked against him every time, he eventually came out victorious.

Many will remember the infamous beer bath when Steve Austin drove to the ring in a beer truck and unloaded it onto the Corporation members that stood in the ring. In comparison, despite the supposed dissolution of The Authority following their loss at Survivor Series thanks to Sting, it was completely undone and they returned weeks later.

Once they returned, they punished all that were a part of Team Cena, proving that heels win. The faction didn't provide many memorable moments, and it felt like those that faced them were never victorious.

#2 Self-deprecating humour

The Corporation were easy to laugh at especially when Stone Cold Steve Austin was involved.

Many will recall Vince McMahon swimming in the ring, attempting to avoid the beer that drenched everything. It was that type of humour that endeared the antics of this faction to fans, who laughed at them while still disliking them because they were heels.

Many will recall that Patterson and Brisco would be made to look foolish on many occasions, and fans appreciated it. In comparison, little if anything was done to make fans want to laugh at The Authority.

They weren't funny, they weren't amusing, and they didn't provide any moments that stood out. While there was one instance of Rollins opening a briefcase and having something blow up onto his face, we would never see Triple H or Stephanie made to look foolish at any point during their time in the faction.

Both Triple H and Stephanie grated fans' nerves, in particular, Steph, since her character didn't leave much room for humour. It would have been great to see her get her comeuppance a little more consistently.

#1 A morphed alliance

The Corporation were all about strength in numbers as they joined The Ministry to form The Corporate Ministry.

The Corporation couldn't last forever, but when it appeared that the writing was on the wall for them, they managed to reinvent themselves. At one point, it appeared as though there was dissension among the ranks, and the result of this was the U.N.I.O.N.

This was a collection of talent that were frustrated with their role in the Corporation and decided to defect and rebel against their former alliance. With the Corporation weakened, they merged with the Ministry of Darkness, which was led by the Undertaker, and formed The Corporate Ministry, once again strengthening the ranks.

In the three years that the Authority was in existence, there was no decision align with other factions to allow for a deeper roster. The dull and repetitive programming arose from a lack of growth and no acknowledgement that the faction's best days were behind them.


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