The United States brought us a new breed of wrestling that a lot of people are eager to watch and after many failed attempts (I think Adam Sibley has the bust federation count) finally, it seems, there are showcase shows that bring American Superstars over to here and not at the ridiculous price that WWE charge.
So we at W101 gave you the chance to put your vote on how you think things are going in the UK Scene. We certainly cannot say that a US Supershow has no place in the UK Scene, as it has been proved, there are several shows out there featuring American talent.
So how did the vote go?
Of all the people who voted 40.98% of the people felt that the UK Supershows were great for the fans of US wrestling and brought interest to the UK shows.
The evidence shows for itself that the majority of people who are UK Scene fans feel that shows featuring US stars can only benefit the UK Scene by having these stars as draws to shows for example.
23.77% of you felt that these types of shows were destroying the UK Scene, which is a bit of an ambiguous question, but all the same very relevant to how people feel about it.
Some of you felt that Supershows were great for the fans of US wrestling, 13.11% felt that people who were fans of US shows could now get what they wanted over here.
There was also the 9.84% of you who thought that they paled in comparison with the WWE when it comes to visit.
And the cynics amongst you also had your say, 7.38% said the novelty will wear off and 4.92% said it was just a get rich quick scheme.
But what does it all mean?
In Britain we seem to have a fixation with things that are not British, we seem to be ashamed of our talent and cut down people who seem to get somewhere. It is the same with wrestling, the truth is, someone has watched the WWE and TNA and seen people who are paid week in week out to wrestle, wrestling is their career.
In Britain, we have mostly part-time wresters because a wrestling event cannot support the cast wages needed to make a show tick.
What we don’t see in Britain is that it is exactly the same in America, wrestlers can earn a pittance doing what they love to do which is entertaining, but we in Britain never get to see that side of American wrestling, no it’s the top end we see on our shores.
America is a big country with diversity of culture and genetics, so, like the Olympics, Britain has to pick from a small genetic breed, unlike the Olympics, the Brits seem to have forgotten that we need to support our British athletes in wrestling too.
So it really doesn’t surprise me that a lot of British born wrestling fans tend to go towards the American stars because they have seen them week in week out on the television and they unfairly compare a part time British Wrestler to a Million dollar a week, personal trainer and steroids on tap American wrestler.
They know what they are getting in short.
There is also the issue of people who think they can wrestle and put on a travesty of a show, the amount of people I have spoken to who have told me why they don’t watch UK Wrestling is because it is abysmal to watch.
I’ve been in matches where I have wondered if the person I am up against really knows what they are doing, not that I’m saying I am perfect in anyway, but at least I want to look good and be the best I can possibly be.
Then there is an issue pointed out to me by an American wrestler, he said “You know if [British wrestlers] looked me in the eye when they shook my hand instead of bending down to kiss my ass, I might have some respect for them”.
Succinctly put, but the amount of wrestlers I have seen clambering around someone remotely famous amazes me, and perhaps the biggest problem is that UK Wrestlers are “Super Marks” and are too busy getting autographs of the guy they are sharing a dressing room with to concentrate on making sure that their match is on equal par to theirs.
The only thing I would say about our winning element is bringing interest to UK Shows, now, with all respect to the other promotions, unless you get a WWE superstar on your show, it is unlikely that you are going to draw the general public.
Christopher Daniels is considered a fine wrestler, yet there have been occasions where he has only drawn 80 people in a UK show, in a US Show he will draw them in the hundreds, so their capability to draw depends on who you are selling the wrestler to.
However, I’m sure most will agree, seeing someone like Daniels being beaten by the spotty 16 year old promoter because it was a dream of his to do so would turn most people’s stomachs, but things like that really do happen.
And my biggest point, why is UK Wrestling so selfish? Nowadays it’s all about making yourself look good, where as US wrestlers will come to a promotion and do what they are told, or they will expect not to get paid. OK, a lot of UK wrestlers work for free, either as favours or because they are part of the federation etc, but it seems even paid UK Wrestlers have a problem with doing what they are told.
Then there are those that are the consummate professionals and those people deserve to be watched.
Which for some is why these US shows are taking interest away and destroying the UK Scene, there are some great British wrestlers out there, some are the output of say a World of Sport wrestler’s gym, others are professionals who are still in the business and some are good because they’ve had all the right learning experiences in the ring.
Don’t these people deserve a chance to be seen, to compare themselves against the norm, no, not just the UK talent seen on the telly, there are people who have worked hard to get where they are and are not able to push any further being a part time wrestler.
There is All-Star of course, but Dixon’s promotion is very old school mentality and things have changed for a lot of UK Wrestlers, there is always a place for old school, but not when compared to the glamour of US supershows!
UK wrestlers have appeared on Supershows, but get “jobbed out” in front of UK fans, which compounds the thought that UK Wrestlers pale in comparison to US wrestlers. That is what could destroy the UK Scene.
One supershow provider once told me that they intended to build British wrestlers up and not the usual suspects. Unfortunately, especially after some awful wrestlers tried to join up, the usual suspects were pushed as the new wave of British wrestling… Yawn.
And they get jobbed out too!
I also guess it’s hard for UK promotions to put shows on when their wrestlers are lined up in the queue to see an American show either…
Some people think that these Super Shows are useless anyway, they never live up to the standard and quality of a WWE show, I personally disagree, having gone off to see RAW in Birmingham with Brett Banner, I can compare it to the first 1PW show and can say that they are two completely different monsters.
Firstly WWE is family friendly, 1PW seemed to attract the bespectacled, many-zitted, rock Tee shirt wearing, bloodlusting psychopaths, even though the show was to be fair a little light on what these people were obviously expecting.
However, apart from the lighting, 1PW had the show quality down pat to the RAW show, simply because it wasn’t a taping. You can’t hide from the fact thought that if the WWE wanted to, they would blow all of it’s UK competition out of the water in terms of production values.
But it does bring up a valid point that I have learnt through promoting with KSW, production is nine tenths of the brand image the fan sees, the other tenth is the action.
Some people say that once people tire of the Supershow then it will soon roll off, now it is fairly hard to argue against this point, people will get bored after a while, they do it with WWE, some people give up wrestling, so it is a given that people organising these shows will eventually see a drop in profits and then they become less viable to continue.
How many £9000 overall wrestler fees does it take before the audience tires of the same wrestler?
It will happen, but not very quickly, this is new and if it makes money then more people will get on board and that will eventually kill off the game.
I wouldn’t say that it was a money making scam though, scam would be harsh, wrestling is a business, that tries to maximise profit to improve shows for the future. Some make an initial investment and hope to recoup the money and some just get a bit at a time and improve a bit at a time.
Supershows have to have investment, so it is going to be a cut throat business, as wrestling can be, people want their money back, or people are prepared to lose on future interests. Which is what Mitch suggested a while back in #200.
Either way the people have spoken and now you have your opportunity for your say on the results, check out the thread in the TWO forums.
Also don’t forget to take part in the next poll which should be on the left of this writing somewhere, if you join in, vote honestly!
I’ll catch you soon
Saz