10 Rules To Run A Successful Wrestling Promotion

Rules to have a successful wrestling program.

You've probably seen all of these lists. People who have no experience in the business, who are under the age of 20, thinking that they have the knowledge to write a 2 hour wrestling program. After you have asked yourself that, your probably wondering , Why is this guy any different?

I'm different for a couple reasons. First, I haven't just watched wrestling for two or three years. I've been watching wrestling for over 15 years. I have seen what works, and what clearly doesn't. Also, I've been in the ring, I wrestled in the pacific northwest for 3 years and refereed for 1. Finally, my collection of different type of wrestling merchandise is unparalleled to. Keeping that in mind, I give you the 10 rules for a successful wrestling program.

1. More Matches, Less Talk: Wrestling fans in this decade want to see wrestling. The name of the sport is WRESTLING. Make it about wrestling. Talking is fine, Talking helps add more depth to the feuds and to the matches. However , having 3 matches on a show equaling 20 minutes of ring time and having interviews, promos and segments making up the other 70 minutes is not going to make your show a success. I don't say that.... The current ratings prove it.
2. PPV only: If your show has monthly PPV's. Make those important. If you give away John Cena vs. Randy Orton on TV , why would your viewer pay for it when you put it on PPV. I understand that when you have a promotion that has 4 programs a week that equal up to 6 hours of television time, that it's hard to come up with new and fresh ideas. However, giving away PPV matches on free TV is not the answer to draw in NEW fans, or to keep the existing ones.
3. Clean Finishes/Swerves: For years we were told that wrestling wasn't fake. How dare you call it that. Then in the late 90's , Vince McMahon came clean and told us all that we didn't want to be insulted and the era of good guys vs bad guys were over. That era lasted about 4 years. Because once the 2000's started. It was the era of the Dirty finishes, Run ins and Swerves. Nothing irritates a wrestling fan more, then getting more Dirty Finishes, then Clean Finishes. Swerves are great, but doing them every week and every month dilutes your product. Why would your viewer watch, if he can predict what is going to happen next?
4. The Internet Knows You: The Internet was still an infant back in the days of the attitude era. So, it's understandable that the wrestling business would be wary of it, and want to keep information from it. Close to 15 years later, if a wrestler gets released or fails a drug test, a popular dirt sheet will know about it in eight hours or less. The WWE or TNA has to be the source. NOT the other websites.
5. Spoiler Alert: If you tape your show, your destined to fail. Why would anyone want to watch your show, when (again) people can just go to their favorite dirt sheet and read results. The Key to making your show or brand successful is making people want to tune in. If they they know what's going to happen, and it isn't interesting to them.... why would they watch? If you make it live, your MAKING them watch.
6. Owen Hart Voice: In 1999 when Owen Hart died, JR came on the screen and in a somber voice told us that it was very real and that something happened that wasn't scripted. Since then, more times then I can count, announcers have used the “Owen Hart Voice”. This voice is used when someone who isn't a wrestler is attacked or hurt. This voice is used when a wrestler is beaten and left lifeless. This would be 100% fine if Owen Hart hadn't died in the ring. The problem is, when you do the voice , we connect the somberness with his death and we feel insulted. We want to turn the channel.
7. Gentle Mix: Due to the fact that wrestling isn't as popular as it was 12-13 years ago. If you want to succeed in this business you need established talent from that era. However, you also need to have new talent. That older talent won't be around forever, so to succeed with a wrestling company you need a gentle mix of Old with New. I would say 60% old... 40% New. However, you will need your older talent to put over your newer talent on a consistent basis. That way your fans will feel the need to cheer or boo those stars, because of their wins and loses. If you have the older generation continue to beat the younger generation, fans will tune out the program because they will have seen this all before.
8. Keep it simple: One vs. One, Two vs. Two, Fatal 4 Way, Handicaped matches. These are all acceptable. When you start involving rules from other sports people get confused. i.e. Where people get locked in penalty boxes for a time limit, or you can only leave a cage through 1 opening and if you don't get out in a certain time limit, Keep it simple , people will find your concept entertaining and will continue to watch. Add to many variables, people will get frustrated and turn your show off.
9. Logic and Continuity: Case in point. An WCW episode in 1999 when Goldberg is accused of Sexual assaulting Miss Elizabeth and the police come and arrest Goldberg. Your asking , “So, what's wrong with that” The problem is that , Goldberg was released from police custody at the end of the show, and then shows up minutes later at the building. SO either....The police station is right across the street from the stadium, or Goldberg got a really fast driver to drive him back.Either way, wrestling fans aren't stupid. It's just like any other TV show or movie. If a guy walks out of a grocery store with groceries and then walks into his home carrying a gun, the viewer will be asking a lot of questions. Same exact thing in wrestling. Eliminate the questions, and maintain continuity.

         10. Keep your business clean: If you are aiming towards the demographic of 10-18, you have to           understand that parents are watching the program with their children. They are also potentially hearing about what is happening in the business from their children because they have read things on the internet. If you want to keep (and strengthen) your fan base, make sure that your drug policy is iron clad. Parents will turn their children away from anything that could potentially induce bad behavior. If they feel that these wrestlers are going to make their children mimic their behavior down the road, they will turn the channel for them.

There ya go. 10 Simple rules. I can almost guarantee that if either one of those companies would follow these rules for 10 months, their ratings would go up 1 full ratings point. TNA would go to a 2.1. WWE would go up to a 4.1. Not straying from them at anytime, that would be a violation of rule #9. If you start something , you have to end it. People want to know who is behind the wheel of the hummer, if you don't tell them. They will get pissed off, and turn the channel to the news, or Monday Night Football. Again, If you keep it simple, save your match ups for PPV , and have more wrestling the talking on your cable shows, your wrestling program will see improved ratings.