TheWrestlingMan Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Ok so I am 18 and I have loved wrestling for as long as I can remember and I really believe I could run a wrestling company. Other than wrestling have always been interesting in running my own business and have thrown around several ideas of what I could open up, it went from a sports wear company, to a pizza/sports bar idea I had but then it dawned on me why not put my two loves together and start a wrestling company, know let it be mention I'm in a small town real close to Raleigh. Wrestling promotions have came to my small town plenty of time most notably TNA in 06ish and Matt and Jeff Hardy's OMEGA runs some shows here. Money however would be a problem I am currently technically unemployed but making 100 a week taking care of my grandma for a couple hours a day. To cut to the point my question is what would be a good way to start up this company? Should I reach out to local vets like George South, Ricky Morton or take another route. I plan on doing plenty of research before I even think of getting money invested, any info would be great. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpoolez Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 <p>If you have the money buy this and read it:</p><p> </p><p> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Wrestling-Promoter/dp/1591099498" rel="external nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Want-Wrestling-Promoter/dp/1591099498</a></p><p> </p><p> This is also a good thread for what you want:</p><p> </p><p> <a href="http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=5651371&page=1" rel="external nofollow">http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=5651371&page=1</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Self Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 <p>I'd think less about putting together a wrestling 'company' and try just running one show. If that goes well, if everyone gets paid and the fans have a good time, then you can run another... and another... and another, and then you've got a 'company'.</p><p> </p><p> I've thought about putting together a show before, and my first step would be to find a venue. Something with space for 100-200 seats. Something with a license to hold boxing/wrestling events. Something with a decent height ceiling. Something that hasn't been run by another promotion in at least the past year. Preferably somewhere 'wrestling starved'. Somewhere that'll be cheap, should you get far enough in your plans to book it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodsmeister Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 <p>having wrestled in a small town promotion over in the UK I can offer some advise...</p><p> </p><p> 1. You will need to do a lot of pre-planning, you will need dollar and you will have to expect to make loses especially when starting out!</p><p> </p><p> 2. If there is local wrestlers or training schools in the area, reach out to them once you have done your research. You might be able to get a base of trainees that you can pay less than you would wrestlers travelling from different areas.</p><p> </p><p> 3. You need a ring (there are places you can rent them so look into that) as buying a decent ring can be costly. You will need a venue (with a decent sized room (height wise is a major factor as well or else you may have no top rope or crouching wrestling, you also need somewhere for the wrestlers to get changed which is away from where the crowd will come in and so they can get to the ring from). You will need help as in people doing the door, ring announcing, someone to do music, a referee. </p><p> </p><p> 4. You also need to check other promotions do not run your town frequently as its a big no - no (well atleast in the UK) to run a show where another promotion has been in recent times - you can have your legs cut off before you even get started (blackballed as its known).</p><p> </p><p> 5. Go and watch some local shows beforehand (or closest possible - I am talking small shows) to see what they do. You might be able to use some of their wrestlers down the line or see flaws in what they do and come up with better ideas.</p><p> </p><p> 6. You need to promote the hell out of the local area and towns around, cheapest option is getting a few hundred flyers and posting through people's letterboxes (so you might need to get a fair few people to help, chances are they will just put them straight in the trash but this is what you have to do. You can get a few fancier posters to put up in shops etc... dont know what the law is over there but you cant advertise without permission first so ask the shop owners, we cant just put a flyer up on a lamp post in this country with out proper authorisation. Or atleast that's what the owner used to tell me. A good tip for flyers (you can usually get a discount or some companies do both sides for the same price so if you know someone who owns a business ask them if they want to go on the back for half the charge or something) <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 7. Local papers are usually after a story so contact them and explain about your situation, they might do a story on you opening a promotion... make sure they get the address of the venue, bell time and price printed <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 8. Wrestlers... best thing to do is find local wrestling schools and contact local promoters to start with, it will keep costs down. If you do go for the one off show by all means get a decent name in if you can afford it. Remember to be respectful and shake hands with everyone this is seen as disrespectful if you do not shake a wrestlers hand. Don't tell a wrestler what moves you want them to do in the match... Tell them the finish and how long they have... thats all they should need if they are even vaguely decent. It maybe a good idea to see some of the local wrestlers before using them <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 9. If you do have in mind a date for a second show try and sort it out before the first show and promote it at the first show... you might get some people interested and maybe have tickets available at that show.</p><p> </p><p> 10. You probably need some type of insurance as dumb people do dumb things and wrestlers usually do not take to kindly to dumb people.</p><p> </p><p> Good Luck you will need it <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWrestlingMan Posted October 16, 2013 Author Share Posted October 16, 2013 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Woodsmeister" data-cite="Woodsmeister" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="36853" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>having wrestled in a small town promotion over in the UK I can offer some advise...<p> </p><p> 1. You will need to do a lot of pre-planning, you will need dollar and you will have to expect to make loses especially when starting out!</p><p> </p><p> 2. If there is local wrestlers or training schools in the area, reach out to them once you have done your research. You might be able to get a base of trainees that you can pay less than you would wrestlers travelling from different areas.</p><p> </p><p> 3. You need a ring (there are places you can rent them so look into that) as buying a decent ring can be costly. You will need a venue (with a decent sized room (height wise is a major factor as well or else you may have no top rope or crouching wrestling, you also need somewhere for the wrestlers to get changed which is away from where the crowd will come in and so they can get to the ring from). You will need help as in people doing the door, ring announcing, someone to do music, a referee. </p><p> </p><p> 4. You also need to check other promotions do not run your town frequently as its a big no - no (well atleast in the UK) to run a show where another promotion has been in recent times - you can have your legs cut off before you even get started (blackballed as its known).</p><p> </p><p> 5. Go and watch some local shows beforehand (or closest possible - I am talking small shows) to see what they do. You might be able to use some of their wrestlers down the line or see flaws in what they do and come up with better ideas.</p><p> </p><p> 6. You need to promote the hell out of the local area and towns around, cheapest option is getting a few hundred flyers and posting through people's letterboxes (so you might need to get a fair few people to help, chances are they will just put them straight in the trash but this is what you have to do. You can get a few fancier posters to put up in shops etc... dont know what the law is over there but you cant advertise without permission first so ask the shop owners, we cant just put a flyer up on a lamp post in this country with out proper authorisation. Or atleast that's what the owner used to tell me. A good tip for flyers (you can usually get a discount or some companies do both sides for the same price so if you know someone who owns a business ask them if they want to go on the back for half the charge or something) <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 7. Local papers are usually after a story so contact them and explain about your situation, they might do a story on you opening a promotion... make sure they get the address of the venue, bell time and price printed <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 8. Wrestlers... best thing to do is find local wrestling schools and contact local promoters to start with, it will keep costs down. If you do go for the one off show by all means get a decent name in if you can afford it. Remember to be respectful and shake hands with everyone this is seen as disrespectful if you do not shake a wrestlers hand. Don't tell a wrestler what moves you want them to do in the match... Tell them the finish and how long they have... thats all they should need if they are even vaguely decent. It maybe a good idea to see some of the local wrestlers before using them <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> 9. If you do have in mind a date for a second show try and sort it out before the first show and promote it at the first show... you might get some people interested and maybe have tickets available at that show.</p><p> </p><p> 10. You probably need some type of insurance as dumb people do dumb things and wrestlers usually do not take to kindly to dumb people.</p><p> </p><p> Good Luck you will need it <img alt=":)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Thank you, this helps alot. I know of a few schools none are that close but I could get in contact with. </p><p> </p><p> I looked into rings and saw where renting one would be around 300-500 dollars while buying one would be 3,500-5,500. So renting will have to do for now.</p><p> </p><p> The insurance is a main concern do I have to insure the workers or just for fans? Because I have heard since wrestlers are not unionized they are not insured but I'm not sure how reliable that info is.</p><p> </p><p> I already have an idea about a venue that would work it's a community center at a church right by where I live, it's a big place that could hold a good amount of fans it also has a high balcony type thing around the whole inside which could also hold some people.</p><p> </p><p> Thanks again this is very helpful <img alt=":)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHK1978 Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="36853" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>3. You need a ring (there are places you can rent them so look into that) as buying a decent ring can be costly. You will need a venue (with a decent sized room (<strong>height wise</strong> is a major factor as well or else you may have no top rope or crouching wrestling, you also need somewhere for the wrestlers to get changed which is away from where the crowd will come in and so they can get to the ring from). You will need help as in people doing the door, ring announcing, someone to do music, a referee. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Height wise is a very key factor in my opinion. I used to go to a lot of local indy shows in the early 90's and there was this one VFW Hall that used to host shows once a month. Anyway the place had a very low ceiling and usually near one of the ring corners was a ceiling fan. Needless to say only a few wrestlers even attempted to jump off the top rope.</p><p> </p><p> To me it made for some very boring matches. As a side note the shows were frequented by the late Hank the Angry Dwarf of Howard Stern fame, this was before he became known, but I remember him always standing in the back of the hall drunk off his ass yelling at the wrestlers.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodsmeister Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 <p>I know you are best getting insurance for fans, dont know about the wrestlers.</p><p> </p><p> Also if the US you need a promoters and event licence in some states i believe, If i am not mistaken you may need to contact your local athletic state commission.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Wolf Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 In New York state you need to be licensed by the state athletic commission, this is not the same everywhere but you should check on it. Usually these licenses are tied to one person and one location so you need to move license from place to place which costs a fair bit, as does initially getting the license. Regardless of the license you have to have two types of insurance, floor insurance which covers the venue if an audience member trips and falls or god forbid gets hit by a wrestler during a move. And insurance for the wrestlers if they hurt themselves. We use a company in California for our worker insurance and it usually costs about 45 per person on the roster (and yes you have to insure your refs and announcers too) I'm not sure the cost of renting a ring as we have our own so the costs of buying an even semi decent ring can be upward of $10,000. SO yeah I'd rent, sometimes there's just a company that rents the ring some times you can rent a ring from another local wrestling company. As for workers when I first started working some indy shows the pay was pretty low like $50 more established workers will want more money and any big name ex-wwe/tna/ecw star can ask for 100s of dollars so the question is always do you pay for a slightly more established star, even if he/she is only a star in your area and hope that puts ass in seats and covers the cost and then some or do you hire a few nobodies and hope that in losing money the first few shows they start to build a bigger fan base by being good. Then you get into ticket pricing. In NY the state commission requires all tickets get printed up by a professional printer and numbered. Because they can and will audit you and make sure your intake matches the number of ticket stubs you have and that you have all numbered tickets either whole or stub. This is also the number of tickets you will be taxed on, so I would look into your local business laws and who governs how a wrestling promotion works. I would ask some one who runs a local promotion in a different part of the state seeing as anyone who runs shows near you sees you as competition and may not be willing to help. And whatever you do have the money to pay the boys, nothing gets you labeled as a crap promoter faster than not paying the workers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtplaystew Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Hey I wouldn't know the first thing about it but once you set something up be sure to let us know, I'll pimp it on my facebook, twitter, etc. Help get the word out for ya at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWrestlingMan Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 <blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="36853" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Hey I wouldn't know the first thing about it but once you set something up be sure to let us know, I'll pimp it on my facebook, twitter, etc. Help get the word out for ya at least.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Thats great, thanks. It's gonna be awhile I have to get a fulltime job once my grandmas cancer is good. I plan on putting the shows on Youtube if I can make it good enough production value (I know I won't be able to make it great but I'd like it to be pretty good) So passing the shows from youtube would be great. Maybe I'll have a GDS event for all the board members haha.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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