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Post by MKCS on Dec 11, 2017 17:40:28 GMT -8
Some great advice there, thanks mate.
It's funny you mention overpaying the workers, as I said, some of the workers tried to work me hard with their rates but I point blank know that not one local wrestler is going to sell me 15-20 tickets. I'm not afraid to admit here that once we do non-tournament shows our highest paid guy will be on 75 dollars a match and he gets that rate because he wrestled for Pro Wrestling NOAH, has good size and is a tremendous talent. The good workers with some value in other places are on 50 a match with the younger guys receiving anything between 25-40. A lot of guys said "Give me what you're giving the others" or "Just give me petrol money" which I really liked.
As for my market, I've been following independent wrestling in this city for ten years. I've seen locals draw 300 and even was in attendance when Raven pulled 20 people to a smaller suburb. It seems in this area big name WWE guys can draw but I've also seen 300+ pile into an auditorium simply for 2 wrestlers from Dragon Gate and the local guys. About ten people actually knew who the Dragon Gate guys were the rest were there for local wrestling.
My idea is to build the locals, make them so special that they're able to pull good numbers by themselves and then use "name" talent when in a financial position to do so. Plan is to bring casuals in to see the names and hook them with the locals, rinse and repeat until consistently pulling big numbers. I understand that this is much easier said than done though.
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Post by philvarlese on Dec 11, 2017 18:20:04 GMT -8
Phil likes this...... I'm one of the guys who has defended you here in the past. Your ideas, while I didn't always agree with them, were unique, and with much thought put behind them. As previously stated, capitalization is essential to your success. Have a cogent 1 - 3 and 5 year business plan that you can present to investors if you need financing. It's always better to use someone else's money rather than your own, but if you have a conscience, you probably won't go that route. Most important, give it time, and while you strive for success, know the odds are stacked against you, and remember that it shouldn't cost you a ton of money (losses at every show for more than a year) just so you can call yourself a wrestling promoter. I don't think that will be the issue. I'm rooting for you.
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Post by damienwayne on Dec 12, 2017 9:50:20 GMT -8
Truly wish you success there. Hope things work out and you have a lot of knowledgeable people up here to help you out.
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Post by MKCS on Dec 12, 2017 14:22:50 GMT -8
Phil likes this...... I'm one of the guys who has defended you here in the past. Your ideas, while I didn't always agree with them, were unique, and with much thought put behind them. As previously stated, capitalization is essential to your success. Have a cogent 1 - 3 and 5 year business plan that you can present to investors if you need financing. It's always better to use someone else's money rather than your own, but if you have a conscience, you probably won't go that route. Most important, give it time, and while you strive for success, know the odds are stacked against you, and remember that it shouldn't cost you a ton of money (losses at every show for more than a year) just so you can call yourself a wrestling promoter. I don't think that will be the issue. I'm rooting for you. Thank you very much mate. Our expenses are so low to begin with that I hope it won't be a year or two of losses. As it stands I'm planning on selling tickets for our "bigger shows" which will feature bigger matches and the more established talent for 15 dollars ringside, 10 dollars general and 5 dollars for kids (With paying adult) so going off that if I could sell out ringside (60 seats?) and 40 adult general admission tickets I'd make a small profit. Smaller shows with just an established guy or two I'm planning on just having a flat 10 dollar general ticket with a 5 dollar kids ticket and hoping to make a killing in food, drinks, merchandise etc. 100 people for a wrestling show is quite common here in Australia. Truly wish you success there. Hope things work out and you have a lot of knowledgeable people up here to help you out. I appreciate it DW, thank you. Yeah, it's good to know that I can come here if I need advice and there are people who have to have over 100 years of experience in the business combined. It'd be a great encyclopedia of knowledge I'm sure.
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Post by MKCS on Dec 28, 2017 18:08:47 GMT -8
Hello guys.
Just an update on this project since it's been about 2 weeks since the last update. I've got 2 weeks off during the holiday period and during this time we launched our social media profiles to our local area and the area has been receptive so far. We've managed seven "likes" from total strangers who are into wrestling from just 2 days of targeted Facebook advertising which I think is pretty good for a page which is literally a logo and a "Thanks for liking us, stay tuned" post.
During the holiday period (Including Christmas!) I created a basic website which we're looking to launch publicly next week. Site is pretty basic but includes home page, upcoming events, wrestler profiles, results, paid show page and a contact us page. I have shown a few people the incomplete website and they've said it looks really nice which I'm happy about.
I have spent at least 15 hours in the past three days doing the mind numbingly boring task of E-Mailing every single fair within a 10 hour radius to attempt to sell them fair shows which consist of three matches (2 singles and a tag) and just four wrestlers. Interestingly enough the smaller fairs don't seem that interested but the larger ones do with two fairs responding with interest and one responding with saying their entertainment is already booked but to contact them next year and they'll see what they can do. Nothing booked with the two interested parties yet but if they both said yes and agreed to the price I'd give them I'd be close to getting back my initial investment off them alone.
I've also contacted school fetes. One of the wrestlers we're using is a qualified fitness trainer and has a working with children check so my idea is we do a 3 match card at the school followed by a 15-20 minute discussion and Q/A session on the importance of being active and eating well lead by him. Some cheap souvenirs, some photograph sessions, it all sounds pretty good for the school and obviously for me.
Today (The 29th) will be spent E-Mailing city fairs (That 15-20 hours of work was just country fairs) and more schools for possible dates. The 30th I'm doing date night with the girlfriend who has been incredibly patient throughout all of this and the 31st I am working. The last week of my work break will be spent visiting our venue for our title tournament to sign all the necessary papers and messaging hundreds and hundreds of clubs to attempt to sell them shows.
My aim is to run 8 shows myself and sell a further seven in 2018. Since these fairs usually are 2-3 days long that'd mean we'd run on something like 25-30 different days in 2018 and would mean we are running more shows than most in Australia. Still plenty of work to do but the fact people are interested and getting behind the project is a very good sign and right now I am happy. I will update you all in another few weeks.
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Post by MrWood on Dec 29, 2017 2:44:23 GMT -8
Good early leg work. It only pays off with hard work. Keep us posted
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Post by Jay Cal on Dec 29, 2017 9:34:10 GMT -8
Sounds awesome. I know I'm in the minority, but I'd also say... tape everything. Even if it's one HD hand held camera. Try to tape as much as you can, for down the road you could potentially use it to tell stories or just show where you came from.
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Post by Fred Richards on Dec 29, 2017 9:49:11 GMT -8
Sounds awesome. I know I'm in the minority, but I'd also say... tape everything. Even if it's one HD hand held camera. Try to tape as much as you can, for down the road you could potentially use it to tell stories or just show where you came from. Heed Jay's wisdom. These tapes will prove important if you are going to effect quality control. Tape to critique. Tape to view, in private, to best identify what went right and what went wrong. Look at the workers from curtain-to-curtain, that's important. Watch and listen to the crowd - that's essential because they pay the rent.Go get 'em!!!
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Post by MKCS on Dec 29, 2017 16:25:01 GMT -8
Thank you guys. I actually went to school with a guy who is good with a camera so the shows I'm paying to put on will have one camera filming from afar and him roaming on the floor. He's not a wrestling fan but I'll teach him what I want from the cameras.
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Post by MKCS on Jan 10, 2018 15:20:11 GMT -8
Hello guys, time for an update.
I last left you when I was contacting venues for shows and had just launched all of our social media for our first show. We launched all of it and our official website just last week and it's receiving praise from people who are saying it's well made and professional looking. Of course there is always room for improvement but right now I am happy with it.
Our wrestling ring was a cause for headaches as on it's way to the port of Sydney it was "lost" then found. I was then informed by the shipping company that I'd be looking at approximately 1300 dollars for it to come out of customs and to arrive in my town. This is on top of our 1500 dollar investment to get it from Kentucky to Sydney which cost 1500 AUD. $2800.00 just to get the ring to my house from Kentucky, not a bad day for the port of Sydney or the shipping company. Independent wrestling is expensive.
This past Saturday night I had a meeting with the wrestler I mentioned in my original post who has been around since 1994. We caught up, shot the poop and talked business. He was impressed with my knowledge and complimented the roster saying it seems I understand professional wrestling which was a great compliment from him considering he's been doing it for 20+ years. He gave some really solid advice, suggestions on talent, presentation etc and it was great to meet with him and chat.
We were also in talks with a women's empowerment festival that focuses on well...empowering women and focusing on their health (Both mental and physical). My idea was that we'd run the only all women's wrestling shows in the country at the festival and create shows that are similar to the Joshi's in Japan or SHIMMER/SHINE in the United States. The festival was completely on board with that but can't pay us for our appearance, however they offered us over 10,000 dollars a day in free advertising and convention space. We'll be pursuing some sponsors over the next month or so to try and make this one a reality, if we successfully found a sponsor we'd instantly add an extra 10-15 dates to our schedule and would become a promotion that wrestles all over the east coast of Australia rather than just one state.
Now for the most exciting thing of all, after approaching well over 200-300 venues about doing shows and having them pay us to do them we had been talking with many venues and managed to sell not one but two shows yesterday. One town is about 45 minutes south of us and we're taking a pretty good card there due to the close proximity of them to our city. We've also sold a show about four hours south up in the mountains in a snow area. This is the first time professional wrestling has ever hit these mountain towns so I feel quite accomplished having arranged this. I don't like to talk numbers so much but with these two shows being sold to venues I've already made back over 50% of my initial investment (Closer to 75% actually). If we sell just one more show this year I will have made the initial investment back.
I am making money from independent wrestling. I'm not super comfortable revealing my company name and personal details in the public domain but if anyone would like a link to our website/social media just drop me a private message and I will link you to it. From April 21st to May 21st we will run three events with one every two weeks. Two shows are paid, one I've paid to put on myself.
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Post by MKCS on Feb 1, 2018 17:37:10 GMT -8
Small update:
- The wrestling ring arrived last week, it was unloaded by myself and my girlfriend and was incredibly light which is really good because it should ensure quicker set-up times. Unfortunately due to customs the company doesn't send the wood so I'm left sourcing the boards myself, I've been quoted as high as $150.00 AUD per board for what the company suggest I get but if that's the case I will get smaller boards and replace shit as it breaks. 15-20 boards at $150.00 each would be around $3000.00 which is absolutely absurd.
- We secured another show about 4 hours north which is a paid event. Our current schedule will see us do one show in April (Our debut event), 2 shows in May and 2 shows in June. We have two other venues currently interested but we're just trying to work out dates that suit, one is 7 hours away so I'm trying to secure 2-3 events in that area so it's worthwhile for everyone (Especially the talent), the other one wants to do a big outdoor event in November to welcome in the summertime. I think it's a great idea because what's better then sitting in the warm coastal air watching an event?
- In terms of the stuff you guys might be more interested in, the current plan (And the plan since the idea began) is that we'll do a thirty minute web episode every week. This will include a match or two, promos and pretty much be similar to what you know wrestling to be. No hokey stuff, no dumb characters just hard hitting characters kicking ass just like what the NWA was and 80's style. Of course we will have exciting junior heavyweights, women etc but more from a perspective of if a dude gets thrown into a solid steel ring post he isn't just going to stumble, he's going to be unconscious. Realism.
- I am purchasing about 300-400 dollars worth of advertising material for the April 21st event. We will lightly promote for the next 2-4 weeks and then hit hard in the final six weeks to ensure a good crowd on opening night. It doesn't look good for us if our first show pulls 50.
Thanks for reading! Any questions please feel free to ask.
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Post by josephd32 on Feb 5, 2018 1:44:10 GMT -8
Lots of people talk. Very few people actually take up the challenge. Nothing but respect, man.
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Post by MKCS on Feb 6, 2018 15:08:13 GMT -8
Lots of people talk. Very few people actually take up the challenge. Nothing but respect, man. Thanks mate, admittedly I understand why people dream about it but don't do it. It's a very expensive endeavour just to get the start up going and then you run considerable risk with the shows you pay to put on. Also, due to a background in media I was able to save a lot of money. If I needed professional logo design, professional website making and everything else I've done myself I'd be up at around 15,000+ right now. I appreciate the support.
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Post by MrWood on Feb 6, 2018 17:13:54 GMT -8
Lots of people talk. Very few people actually take up the challenge. Nothing but respect, man. Thanks mate, admittedly I understand why people dream about it but don't do it. It's a very expensive endeavour just to get the start up going and then you run considerable risk with the shows you pay to put on. Also, due to a background in media I was able to save a lot of money. If I needed professional logo design, professional website making and everything else I've done myself I'd be up at around 15,000+ right now. I appreciate the support. Keep going man, you will hit bumps in the road but just ride them. As long as you're being strategical and planning with thought you'll be fine. I am enjoying reading your journey.
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Post by gmellos on Feb 8, 2018 12:21:06 GMT -8
Lots of people talk. Very few people actually take up the challenge. Nothing but respect, man. I was one of PJ's main critics but man he putting his $$ where his mouth is! I for one want him to succeed! I am sure hoping for a brontosaurus sized piece of Crow!!!!
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