it was not just Austin-mc mahon feud , but the presence of DX also helped.
but the still most entertaining period in pro wrestling was 1997-98 , WCW had the NWO-Wolfpack and WWF had Bret Hart as ruling champion. WWF could not pay Bret his remunaration and he had to to leave, after that WCW became clearly No 1.
and Mc Mahon took the desperate measure, presenting himself as the heel to Austin, Shawn Michales, Triple H, undertaker and Mankind