Wrestlecircus: The Opening Act (Austin, TX 10/16/16)

[percymania]

So this thing sprung up in Austin. I have no idea who the promoter is, but they got my interest. I nabbed a front row seat. I've always wanted to go to an indie show and this looks like a good one. ATX deserves a better wrestling scene, so I hope this catches on.

[Mayonnaise]

Damn, that is a loaded show. Someone either has a lot of cash to throw around or it is one of the wrestlers running it. Should be a blast.

[percymania]

haha yeah. I'm looking at the card, the venue, and the ticket prices and I'm thinking there's no way they're making money on this show. I don't see how. I can't pass this up. Originally they had Tama Tonga booked in the main event but he was replaced with Cabana.

[Deleted]

Sept 12, 2016 22:03:49 GMT -5 percymania said:

haha yeah. I'm looking at the card, the venue, and the ticket prices and I'm thinking there's no way they're making money on this show. I don't see how. I can't pass this up. Originally they had Tama Tonga booked in the main event but he was replaced with Cabana.

It's possible. Based on ticket prices, if they set up for 15 seats per section of each row, and they draw 240 fans, the gate is $6,600. Add to that anything they can get from local sponsorship, concessions, merchandise, eventual sales of the video, and the show could generate in the $10,000 range. Nine matches, with the bottom 1/3 of the talent pool likely willing to wrestle for $50-$100 each. I think they'll do fine, as long as they get word out about the show through proper promotion. If only 100 fans turn up, then yeah, they'll lose quite a bit of money.

Below is a photo of the venue. Small room, but looks as though it could probably fit 300 for a wrestling show. They probably got it for less than $1,000. Maybe less than $500.

[Sicho100]

Andy Dalton must be funding the show. Dude's making "Decent NFL QB" money, so he's got quite a bit to throw around.

[Mayonnaise]

Sept 12, 2016 22:36:44 GMT -5 @kudohdriver said:

Sept 12, 2016 22:03:49 GMT -5 percymania said:

haha yeah. I'm looking at the card, the venue, and the ticket prices and I'm thinking there's no way they're making money on this show. I don't see how. I can't pass this up. Originally they had Tama Tonga booked in the main event but he was replaced with Cabana.

It's possible. Based on ticket prices, if they set up for 15 seats per section of each row, and they draw 240 fans, the gate is $6,600. Add to that anything they can get from local sponsorship, concessions, merchandise, eventual sales of the video, and the show could generate in the $10,000 range. Nine matches, with the bottom 1/3 of the talent pool likely willing to wrestle for $50-$100 each. I think they'll do fine, as long as they get word out about the show through proper promotion. If only 100 fans turn up, then yeah, they'll lose quite a bit of money.

Below is a photo of the venue. Small room, but looks as though it could probably fit 300 for a wrestling show. They probably got it for less than $1,000. Maybe less than $500.

Looking at the card, about half would be local with most of them being the lower end guys. The rest, Florida, LA, Chicago, New York, Boston, and North Carolina just off the top of my head. That just seems like a lot to spend on unless they're coming in far cheaper than I think or not paying for trans. That is what gets me.

[Drillbit Taylor]

Sept 12, 2016 21:39:46 GMT -5 percymania said:

So this thing sprung up in Austin. I have no idea who the promoter is, but they got my interest. I nabbed a front row seat. I've always wanted to go to an indie show and this looks like a good one. ATX deserves a better wrestling scene, so I hope this catches on.

The guy who is booking it is a good guy on a UT fourm.

www.shaggytexas.com/board/showthread.php/172317-I-started-my-own-pro-wrestling-company-here-in-Austin-TX.-Haters-gon-hate.

[Dragonfly]

Sept 12, 2016 22:58:06 GMT -5 Mayonnaise said:

Sept 12, 2016 22:36:44 GMT -5 @kudohdriver said:

It's possible. Based on ticket prices, if they set up for 15 seats per section of each row, and they draw 240 fans, the gate is $6,600. Add to that anything they can get from local sponsorship, concessions, merchandise, eventual sales of the video, and the show could generate in the $10,000 range. Nine matches, with the bottom 1/3 of the talent pool likely willing to wrestle for $50-$100 each. I think they'll do fine, as long as they get word out about the show through proper promotion. If only 100 fans turn up, then yeah, they'll lose quite a bit of money.

Below is a photo of the venue. Small room, but looks as though it could probably fit 300 for a wrestling show. They probably got it for less than $1,000. Maybe less than $500.

Looking at the card, about half would be local with most of them being the lower end guys. The rest, Florida, LA, Chicago, New York, Boston, and North Carolina just off the top of my head. That just seems like a lot to spend on unless they're coming in far cheaper than I think or not paying for trans. That is what gets me.

I'm not surprised DJ Z is working this show. He and Ray Rowe go way back, and he's good friends with Sammy Guevara. (Zema gets him booked in Pittsburgh. He's pretty damn good.) If this takes off, I'd expect more Pittsburgh/Cleveland to show up.

[Deleted]

With the guys coming in from Florida, they're probably packing into one vehicle and driving in. Lots of locals. Plus, this show is on a Sunday. There may be Friday or Saturday show(s) that some of these guys are also doing, which would mean the promotion is splitting the transportation costs with another promotion. Just some guesstimates:

Ring $500
Venue $500
Insurance $500
Airfare $1,500
Ground Transportation $300
Hotel $400
6 wrestlers @ $50 each $300
8 wrestlers @ $75 each $600
5 wrestlers @ $150 each $750
5 wrestlers @ $500 each $2,500
Total $7,850

Draw 240, sell a few DVDs/mp4s and sell a few shirts = profit.

[domrep]

Sept 13, 2016 10:52:33 GMT -5 @kudohdriver said:

With the guys coming in from Florida, they're probably packing into one vehicle and driving in. Lots of locals. Plus, this show is on a Sunday. There may be Friday or Saturday show(s) that some of these guys are also doing, which would mean the promotion is splitting the transportation costs with another promotion. Just some guesstimates:

Ring $500
Venue $500
Insurance $500
Airfare $1,500
Ground Transportation $300
Hotel $400
6 wrestlers @ $50 each $300
8 wrestlers @ $75 each $600
5 wrestlers @ $150 each $750
5 wrestlers @ $500 each $2,500
Total $7,850

Draw 240, sell a few DVDs/mp4s and sell a few shirts = profit.

So you think Colt Cabana is making $500 for this show?

[Deleted]

Hard to imagine anybody on the show is making more than $500 for a Sunday afternoon show in a 300 seat venue. Hell, top money on a show like this might be more like $350.

[domrep]

Sept 13, 2016 11:28:19 GMT -5 @kudohdriver said:

Hard to imagine anybody on the show is making more than $500 for a Sunday afternoon show in a 300 seat venue. Hell, top money on a show like this might be more like $350.

For guys that have appeared in NJPW and high profile independent guys like Colt? Something's up...or maybe their value isn't as high as I thought it was.

[Deleted]

Some former WWE guys work for $200 a night sometimes, depending on the show and the circumstances. It's indy wrestling on a Sunday in a banquet hall, not the Tokyo Dome.

[percymania]

I'm not gonna bother to try and break down the business expenses. I hope you guys are right saying this show can make money because I hope it's successful so we get more shows like these.

[Deleted]

Just make sure you bring friends so they do cover whatever their expenses actually are.

[Drillbit Taylor]

Future shows will have midgets. That enough is a reason to want it to be successful.

[mcmahonfan85]

I was scrolling down really fast and misread the name as "Wrestlicious"

[Ultimo Gallos]

Sept 12, 2016 21:39:46 GMT -5 percymania said:

So this thing sprung up in Austin. I have no idea who the promoter is, but they got my interest. I nabbed a front row seat. I've always wanted to go to an indie show and this looks like a good one. ATX deserves a better wrestling scene, so I hope this catches on.

Of the people on the poster that aren't big indy names.

Ricky Starks-Dude is good. Has the best facial expressions of anyone in the southern indy scene. Faced Kane on a recent WWE Main Event show.
Keith Lee-He is a legit almost 400lb guy that can do amazing stuff. Been on a tear recently in Beyond and ROH.
Jessica James-One of the better unknown indy women. She is also incredibly tiny in person.
Andy Dalton-Son of Frank Dalton and one of the best "unknown" guys on the indy scene.Can have a good to great match with everyone. Is working all the time all over the south.Plus is one of the nicest guys once he gets to know you.

Looks like a fun card. No idea how far Austin is from Arlington,but VIP Wrestling out of Arlington runs great shows that are cheap to get into. Most of their cards are a nice mix of LA/TX indy guys,then 3 or 4 big indy names to round out the show.Also they are the only fed I know of that had a Women's hardcore match where one lady used a real broadsword in the match.

[percymania]

Apparently Lince Dorado has a WWE deal and they're now advertising this as his last indy show. Well that's pretty cool if that holds true.

[pegasuswarrior]

Sept 16, 2016 3:02:36 GMT -5 Ultimo Gallos said:

Also they are the only fed I know of that had a Women's hardcore match where one lady used a real broadsword in the match.