Hard to say, I wasn't internetting as much back then, and, unlike 'events' of this era, it was revealed in the very first issue, and not dragged out over a 'paced for trade' six issues or so. OTOH, the FF and Avengers had just gone off-line, and this new Thunderbolts team was *the* new (if unproven) thing...
Honestly, I have no idea how it would have hit if the FF and Avengers *weren't* sidelined, or, possibly even worse, being 'Reborn' under the pen of Rob Liefield...