The "Booking Committee" Thread, 2020 Edition

[CQI13]

14 hours ago, ArcheoOutOfNowhere said:

Mostly, I have three options: a) the pairing works really well and I can turn both of them faces for a while in a "love story" kind of angle where they fall in love and her Daddy (who I'll then find someone to play the role) sends goons to try and separate them because nobody is allowed to touch Daddy's little princess, especially not a bouncer, b) the pairing works well enough that he's her Omos, they feud with a couple of other... well couples (InDex, etc) until Stratton thinks he's the reason they lose and she has him fired, c) the pairing doesn't work at all and I simply have him play the role for someone else, man or woman, after a short storyline where she fires him because she wants to be independent and prove herself, or because she's being her spoiled brat self.

All in all, I like Devantes but he'll never become a huge thing either, so if it fails it is no big deal, I just thought that since he has a good look and decent skills, I might as well give him something more interesting to do than "Random massive heel for midcarders to step on".

Dang, well you sold me on it. I think there is enough there to go with it. And if you are married to one of the 3 ideas, take the liberty to edit the chemistry for the pairing in order to make the story work best.

I have a question of my own, finally getting back to this after too long. Created Impact! Wrestling in the C-Verse. It's basically a lot of big names from the indies in a promotion owned by Robert Montgomery Sr. I want to ultimately build the company around his kids as they feud with the other stables (similar to the Von Erichs perhaps).

At the top of the card I have Chris Caulfield, Texas Pete, Clark Alexander and Doug Peak. Some other big names, but also not the ones to build around would be Savage Fury and The McWades. The women bring in some very solid ratings, too.

So my question is, what are some different types of debuts for the different popularity groups? If I get a solid midcarder USPW releases he will probably eclipse the top of my card, so I can have him do a staredown, a brawl, or attack someone. 

But if they are unknown in my region (Fuyuko Higa, or a rookie), I don't think it would carry much weight. So what are some good ways to debut folks that lack popularity? I am not a fan of expecting the audience to try to figure out who these people are, so my announcers can't just be all excited because someone is big in Japan but a complete unknown in the South East.

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

Not familiar at all with the C-Verse, so my advices will be more a couple of possibilities rather than specific examples:

- Give them a popular manager that fits their gimmick (also known as "Don't give them Paul Heyman if they're going to be your Bray Wyatt"),  or if you don't want/need them to be solo, a midcarder with enough popularity that they can become a tag team for a while, or have them join a stable. Especially useful for those who are great when the referee ring the bell but not so much before.

- If they are menacing but you don't intend them to go straight at the top (for instance, a rookie with plenty of potential), you could always have them in short squash matches (either in the preshow or as a filler that won't impact much the show result) until they gain enough popularity to occupy more time in your shows. Alternatively, if they're heels, a Wardlow type of role as a menacing bodyguard can also hype them up a bit if done well

- If they're not menacing but can talk, maybe mysterious vignettes to hype their actual in-ring debut, coupled with people commenting on it (your announcers, workers with a good acting/mic skill and enough popularity, etc). This way, they don't go "OMG, it's X, he's a big name in Chilean wrestling !" but wondering who that voice could belong to, what is going to happen, etc: now, you and I both know that in the game, just having your new worker talk would tank the rating (hence the need to have someone else in the angle to boost the popularity) but in real life, the Countdown to the Millenium, the White Rabbit thing, etc were/are hyping people despite no one knowing for sure who it is about. For all we knew, instead of Jericho (or, for the Rabbit thing, probably Wyatt), it could have been a random guy Vince took a liking to, and they'd have debuted "strong" nonetheless because of the hype (or flopped because they would have been awful)

- If they're not menacing, not good talkers but pretty good actors, the Danhausen treatment works well enough too: they're in the background of segments, doing stuff, and people wonder who is this person, until they actually want to see them because it made them curious enough.

[CQI13]

Those are all great suggestions. I will keep them handy when I book my shows.

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

Does anyone have suggestions on managers for Shane Mercer ? I signed him with NXT in the January 2022 mod, but his atrocious mic skill would quickly make it difficult to push him and have him in storylines there, and I don't want to send him straight to the main roster as a random stable member.

He'll basically be his indy self, which means I don't see him fit with Diamond Mine at all, nor with Sofia Cromwell and none of the main roster managers I've signed would really suit him either (save perhaps for Konnan I guess, but I have other plans for him).

Also, if it helps, I'm fine with non-managers names if they could be a good fit in that role, so legends, indy wrestlers who would have a better success as managers, etc are more than welcome too !

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

In all honesty, while Simon Dean would obviously be a terrible choice for Mercer, I could probably use him for someone else at some point so if anything, thank for reminding me of that possibility haha.

Chris Hero would work, but in my mind he'd be a face while I have Mercer set as a heel, and I think Hero/Ohno would get a huge pop upon his return, so turning him heel right away wouldn't be the best. As for Stone, I agree with the dynamic... which is why he's set to become Lesnar (and the future Beast's Lair) manager who's gotten terrified into the job after Lesnar fired Heyman.

Since I forgot to list them in the previous post, here are the other names I thought of but dismissed for now because they're already managing someone else or wouldn't fit (either for Mercer, or because they would refuse to sign with WWE): Shane Douglas, Sofia Cromwell, Prince Nana, Paul Ellering, Mr. Anderson, Paige, Goldberg, Salina de la Renta and Lana. However, save for Salina and Lana, if someone comes up with good arguments for them, I'm all ears 😛

[CQI13]

Who starts off as unemployed that would fit with Lilly and Rose to create a "Beautiful People" type stable? If you had to add a manager, who would it be?

I normally have the male counterpart to the group as Model Behavior - Raphael, Ozzie Goldstein, and Prime Time Jack Pryde, but I already have plans to switch that stable up slightly.

My goal is to have several stables comprised of 3 men and 1 woman, with one or two stables made up of 3 women and 1 man.

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

Guys, does any of you have an idea on how I could push in WWE a luchador who doesn't speak a word of English and is a 100% babyface, like Dralistico ?

Obviously, I thought about giving him a manager since in WWE (or, well, NXT's main event for now) promos are a big part of the product, but every single hispanic manager I could think of is much better as a heel, and/or is otherwise busy with another client already: Salina de la Renta is the manager of a face stable and set to betray them in the future, Ricardo Rodriguez doesn't fit really well as anything else than "humiliated goon for Latin bully", Cueto and Catrina are way too heel as is Vickie Guerrero, and I can't very well steal the guys from AEW (not that they're much better at being babyfaces anyway). I could always go the "Sin Cara" route, but even without all the botches, I've always felt Sin Cara would have never turned into a big name because being entirely mute doesn't help building storylines in WWE.

Since he has 46 in mic skill, he'll eventually progress enough (both in mic skill and English proficiency) that it won't matter anymore, but in the mean time, I kinda need someone to talk for him, and I have no idea who, nor how to avoid this problem without him being stuck as a midcard flippy guy who doesn't do much else than have great matches.

[Dawn]

14 hours ago, ArcheoOutOfNowhere said:

Guys, does any of you have an idea on how I could push in WWE a luchador who doesn't speak a word of English and is a 100% babyface, like Dralistico ?

Obviously, I thought about giving him a manager since in WWE (or, well, NXT's main event for now) promos are a big part of the product, but every single hispanic manager I could think of is much better as a heel, and/or is otherwise busy with another client already: Salina de la Renta is the manager of a face stable and set to betray them in the future, Ricardo Rodriguez doesn't fit really well as anything else than "humiliated goon for Latin bully", Cueto and Catrina are way too heel as is Vickie Guerrero, and I can't very well steal the guys from AEW (not that they're much better at being babyfaces anyway). I could always go the "Sin Cara" route, but even without all the botches, I've always felt Sin Cara would have never turned into a big name because being entirely mute doesn't help building storylines in WWE.

Since he has 46 in mic skill, he'll eventually progress enough (both in mic skill and English proficiency) that it won't matter anymore, but in the mean time, I kinda need someone to talk for him, and I have no idea who, nor how to avoid this problem without him being stuck as a midcard flippy guy who doesn't do much else than have great matches.

I'd pair him up with Mysterio if that's an option. Or with a sex appeal rated manager. You can have good dynamics between differing alignments so it doesn't even have to be a face manager, honestly. Think Sunny in mid-90's WWF where she managed whoever had the titles/whoever spelled success for her.

[CQI13]

I have bot the McWade Brothers and Savage Fury signed to my start up company. 

What is the more compelling story:

They fight over who the most successful tag team is, and they forego going for the titles?

The McWades saying they have won everywhere they've been, winning the titles, and then losing them to a younger team?

Having Savage Fury win the titles, and then lose them to a younger team?

I have an upcoming tag team tournament. I can have them meet in the finals, or make it so they eliminate each other (either directly or by interfering in each other's matches).

Open to other suggestions. If it makes any difference, one of the McWades and Tribal Warrior are in time decline.

[MidKnightDreary]

Do you have a team ready to win the belts or do they need a push?

14 hours ago, CQI13 said:

I have bot the McWade Brothers and Savage Fury signed to my start up company. 

What is the more compelling story:

They fight over who the most successful tag team is, and they forego going for the titles?

The McWades saying they have won everywhere they've been, winning the titles, and then losing them to a younger team?

Having Savage Fury win the titles, and then lose them to a younger team?

I have an upcoming tag team tournament. I can have them meet in the finals, or make it so they eliminate each other (either directly or by interfering in each other's matches).

Open to other suggestions. If it makes any difference, one of the McWades and Tribal Warrior are in time decline.

 

[CQI13]

11 hours ago, MidKnightDreary said:

Do you have a team ready to win the belts or do they need a push?

 

Most other teams are made up of a veteran with some pop and a youngster. I have had a two 4 way tag matches where I didn't choose a winner, and the young teams won (The Hot Taggs in one, and the 2 Montgomery kids in another I think). But the McWades and Savage Fury have the most pop by far - it's unlikely that in a match against one team they'd be OK losing to them.

[St. Templar]

On 9/12/2022 at 3:14 AM, Dave E Mac said:

What an odd question, but I have an event where it’s based around cage matches. Issue I’ve got is a storyline running I can’t have either of my top stars lose. Any suggestions on how I can have a cage match end as a draw!?

I would suggest the double pinfall finish or both men landing outside the cage (if you have escape as a winning option). Depending on your heel's gimmick, you could always set it up as them facing off in the cage match...but the heel substitutes somebody else at the last minute (works if he's a cowardly/weaselly heel type), with your babyface winning (or losing it via interference, but you said you wanted neither wrestler to take a loss).

St.T

 

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

While I was trying to populate the face side of my tag divsion in WWE, I ended up in a bit of a bother. So, now rather than have Lucha House Party, New Days and Street Profits as the top of the face division, with teams like Breezango, RK-Bro, Burch-Lorcan and Slater-Rhyno to be used as midcarders, I end up with having to scraping the bottom of the barrel to find teams that can have decent-ish matches to build as credible challengers.

As such, I now am searching for a way to make a team of Matt and Mike Sydal (renamed Evan and Eddie Bourne) interesting enough that I can use them in storylines: giving them a manager seems obvious (as they're both terrible with a microphone), but I'm struggling to find an actual direction to give them.
The only idea I have is to give them DDP as a manager, and to make them into a "zen" team that tries to teach others the benefits of yoga, meditation and anger management in a wholesome way, but even on paper, I could see that turning into annoying heels really quick, and I have more than enough heel teams already (not to mention neither of the 3 make a really convincing heel anyway).

Does anyone have a better idea, or do you think, written properly, that gimmick could actually work fairly well on a short-to-mid-term basis until I get people back from injuries ?

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

I don't have an actual monster heel team, but yes, that's mostly how I intend to get them into title contendership: the heels are attacking them because the Bourne are the last team that hasn't been destroyed already, and the champions will want to ensure they can't get momentum and the support of fans.
Still, I need them to have a gimmick other than "Oh, yeah, they're two guys that are brothers" so I can also have them do something other than getting beaten up backstage. They shouldn't be champions after the storyline, but it wouldn't be the first time something happens during the match that forces a change of plan, so I might as well ensure that I have something to work with if a disaster happens and I have the Bourne Brothers win the belt without me planning to.

[MidKnightDreary]

Do you have a manager free? Bring in RVD as their spiritual guide?

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

The only managers I have free at the moment are Kurt Angle, Goldberg and Trish (and perhaps some of the road agents, like Abyss or Shane Helms), none of which really fit. Hence why I thought of DDP, as he'd be perfect for the yoga aspect, and is probably more fitting if I go for it. However, I'm not convinced that kind of gimmick would work well for babyfaces, since it's often seen and used as rather preachy and/or annoying (think Simon Dean, Jinder Mahal in his "Shanti" era, etc).

[Self]

15 minutes ago, ArcheoOutOfNowhere said:

The only managers I have free at the moment are Kurt Angle, Goldberg and Trish (and perhaps some of the road agents, like Abyss or Shane Helms), none of which really fit. Hence why I thought of DDP, as he'd be perfect for the yoga aspect, and is probably more fitting if I go for it. However, I'm not convinced that kind of gimmick would work well for babyfaces, since it's often seen and used as rather preachy and/or annoying (think Simon Dean, Jinder Mahal in his "Shanti" era, etc).

New Hurricanes. Storm Warning. CycloGenesis. Weather-themed superheroes. No one (or just the heels) can figure out their secret identities in order for them to cut promos, but luckily mild-mannered reporter Shane Helms has the inside scoop. He's met with the cagey caped crusaders, and they say they'll be kicking [insert villain]'s ass next week.

Dumb heels go for Shane to get to them. Probably backfires. Hurricane back for some 6-mans. 

I wouldn't beat them up. At all. I'd have them be frustratingly untouchable by all of the monsters. Hence aiming for their manager/reporter friend.

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by Self

[ArcheoOutOfNowhere]

Honestly, at first I thought this was an awful idea, because I dislike the gimmick of Nikki A.S.H. very much and while I like The Hurricane, it screamed "jobber" to me. But the more that I think of it, the more I can see possibilities with the Bourne, Nikki and Helms (both in journalist and Hurricane personas) as a midcard stable: I have plenty of heel teams that would in kayfabe hate something like that, either because they'd find it disrespectful, or because they would absolutely despise being humiliated by dorks, and there are plenty of ways to use that whole gimmick, from being the go-to choice for faces that need allies against a bigger number to having them explode when I'll have a huge narrative arc.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion ! Now I only need to figure out how I'll find some mask designs to put on their pictures haha

[MidKnightDreary]

I have no idea what to do with David Finlay in a 2023 NJPW save. Help!

[The Blonde Bomber]

On 12/20/2022 at 2:48 PM, MidKnightDreary said:

I have no idea what to do with David Finlay in a 2023 NJPW save. Help!

Give him a world of sport gimmick. Challenge people to wrestle the “real rules of the ring”

[MidKnightDreary]

I'm thinking he'll join Shun Skywalker when skywalker joins. Just not sure Skywalker has the pop to lead a faction

[riley__nuroo]

Playing as USPW and the main event of Independence Day Slam! is going to be a triple threat between Rich Money, Nicky Champion and Tommy Cornell. Tommy and Money are heel while Nicky Champion is my biggest face. Nicky puts on the best match ratings but is significantly younger than the other two, so he still has a few years left to have a 7th world title run. If Nicky wins the plan would be to have him feud with longtime rival Steve Frehley than transition in to facing Trent Shaffer. He will then probably lose the title to Jay Chord because of Jack Jackson and then face Jackson at Independance Slam. If Money retained next on his agenda would be a slightly over the hill Enygma, the beast Ekuma and then Koshiro Ino before dropping the title to Eddie Howard having a career resurgence after a feud with D.C Rayne. Tommy Cornell has many options as he hasn't faced anyone on the roster, defenses against Running Wolf and Roger Cage followed by a gimmick match with Rick Law . Then he would form a two man power trip with Steve Frehley before turning face and facing his former partner at Independance Day Slam! 2021. Basically I just need help on knowing who to put over

[CQI13]

On 12/29/2022 at 2:41 AM, riley__nuroo said:

Playing as USPW and the main event of Independence Day Slam! is going to be a triple threat between Rich Money, Nicky Champion and Tommy Cornell. Tommy and Money are heel while Nicky Champion is my biggest face. Nicky puts on the best match ratings but is significantly younger than the other two, so he still has a few years left to have a 7th world title run. If Nicky wins the plan would be to have him feud with longtime rival Steve Frehley than transition in to facing Trent Shaffer. He will then probably lose the title to Jay Chord because of Jack Jackson and then face Jackson at Independance Slam. If Money retained next on his agenda would be a slightly over the hill Enygma, the beast Ekuma and then Koshiro Ino before dropping the title to Eddie Howard having a career resurgence after a feud with D.C Rayne. Tommy Cornell has many options as he hasn't faced anyone on the roster, defenses against Running Wolf and Roger Cage followed by a gimmick match with Rick Law . Then he would form a two man power trip with Steve Frehley before turning face and facing his former partner at Independance Day Slam! 2021. Basically I just need help on knowing who to put over

I would go with Cornell. No reason to bring him in and have him not win the title. Like you said, Nicky has time, and you can still involve him peripherally with Cornell (again, why not?). And then at the next big event after IDS2021 (is it Thanksgiving?) you can have Champion eventually win the title. Maybe Frehley costs Cornell the title then (after he couldn't beat him at IDS). Keeps Frehley and Cornell occupied for a while for Nicky to go fight new challengers.

A question of my own:

I am bookig a 10 man round robin tourney for a title shot. I have two options.

A. One 10 man block. Most of the tour show would be tournament matches, it lasts 9 shows. On show 10 I have #1 vs #4 and #2 vs #3, winners facing off in the tour finale.

B. Two 5 man blocks. It leaves matches open during the tour shows for other people, allowing me to alternate shows for the blocks (A would be 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and B would be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). This leaves just the two winners to face face off in the finale.

Whenever I have mapped it out, I always end up with a clear leader, a glut of workers from 2 to 6, and 2 straggling behind and one or two clear losers (1 win, 0 wins). 

Any guidance from the committee - what would be the most satisfactory route if you are a fan, or route that opens up more booking options?

Edited January 2, 2023 by CQI13

[chm39]

Can anyone help me freshen up my roster more?

I have about 68 workers and some in Developmental. I just had the Idea of hiring workers on a ppa contract as Jobber but hell I already have too many people. I have a couple of Owner Goals to limit myself but its not enough.

I don't really hire people now but, I have a lot of prospects that I can't find the time or story for because the many stars above them that I'm attached to.

[CQI13]

14 minutes ago, chm39 said:

Can anyone help me freshen up my roster more?

I have about 68 workers and some in Developmental. I just had the Idea of hiring workers on a ppa contract as Jobber but hell I already have too many people. I have a couple of Owner Goals to limit myself but its not enough.

I don't really hire people now but, I have a lot of prospects that I can't find the time or story for because the many stars above them that I'm attached to.

Book "online only" storylines in your pre-show between these lower tier folks. Maybe some don't fit your company and you can get rid of them. Maybe some prove to be valuable and you start using them in your main show. And maybe some you want to keep regardless because the story/render/whatever is so good despite the fact that maybe they aren't a perfect fit for your company?