2004: Year of "The Next Big Thing?"

With all the festivities firmly behind us, the realism of a new year sinks in. Many of you have probably already passed up on your New Year resolutions, others may last the distance. 2004 is a new year and one that needs to be grasped with both hands.

This year, as I stated previously, may be a very important one for British Wrestling, as several groups promise television coverage in some form over the coming months. Many have been promising for years, others have sprung up and are claiming future spots on the air waves. Whether or not these promises deliver is going to have a lasting effect on our home grown wrestling.

With the influx of several "next big thing" wrestling promotions here in the UK over the last several years, one of the loudest questions on the internet of recent times has to be "will this new group deliver". We have seen many manifestations of the "next big thing" that didn't quite make it. The UWA on Live TV may be remembered by some of us, but made little impact. It started off well and sank without trace.

We have seen many manifestations of the "next big thing" that didn't quite make it

Then there were other efforts to get the ball rolling which failed. NWA-UK Hammerlock invaded Meridian Studio's in Southhampton to produce a polished television show, with a less than polished script. I was on the team and worked dark matches. There was much to be proud of, but the overall product wasn't creativity at its best, and it too failed to make impact.

I was also involved, and had high hopes for WrestleXpress, but famously the ending was premature for that group too. WrestleXpress, for it's shortcomings did have a promising start in the planning stages, and I remember hearing some of the meetings and plans involved. From a wrestlers standpoint it's very hard to get too excited about new wrestling promotions these days. Wrestlers, who want nothing more than to be a part of something new and exciting, run the risk of being burned if the promotion hits the skids. Unfortunately many new promotions hit the skids at 100mph.

How will these projects unfold in 2004?

So why do these promotions go so wrong? Why do the promises turn to tears? And is there any hope amongst the latest batch of "next big thing" promotions. How will these projects unfold in 2004?

Fans are quick to complain, and rightly so, when companies don't deliver, but they are not the only ones who suffer. The promoter, or ultimate person responsible for a promotion has to live for the rest of their lives with that failure, or work out a way of turning things around. The wrestler has to find alternative work, with their dreams and ambitions firmly in doubt. But if we all (that is the fans, wrestlers, and promoters) keep venturing on to new shows and new promotions, there must be a ray of hope right? Surely one of the many groups must succeed where others have failed? It all depends my friends.

In my introduction to this column I promised a straight approach. Honesty. Starting next week I m going to go some way to tell you readers why things keep going wrong, and what can be done about it… if the willing is there. Stick around kids, this might get interesting.

More next week.

Scott Future