Over several decades we've had the Authority figure angle in pro wrestling. Some will say it started around early early 1996 with Gorilla Monsoon being attacked by Vader. Some say it really started several months later when real life WCW President Eric Bischoff joined the nWo. Austin v. McMahon is stuff of legends that saved the WWF from turning into a farm promotion. And since then the WWE and 100 other promotions have ushered in their version of those original storylines. Whether that's the controversial Raw GM, the outspoken ROH commissioner Jim Cornette, or the Triple H-Stephanie McMahon lead Authority v. Daniel Bryan and others.
This can be answered via ratings, personal preference, whatever you want to argue.