FWA To Debut At THORPE PARK

[Mafia Scum Scum]

The new FWA is maybe more of a bigger disappointment to me than the new ECW was.

 

I never invested my time and money travelling all over the place to see ECW, but I did for the original FWA, and was rewarded for my support by the company putting on great shows till just before its original death.

 

The new FWA storylines, roster, the whole BWC bullshit, lack of shows, proves to me what a joke of a promotion this is.

 

If people want to see decent shows, go to companies that regularly run shows and know how to treat their customers correctly.

 

FWA can't draw anymore, probably would make a loss if they had to pay their workers properly, and make me disappointed to be a British wrestling fan.

 

The roster is a joke? I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better roster anywhere in the UK. To me, that's what makes the new FWA all the more frustrating. I went to European Uprising and absolutely hated it. I've seen The Leaders and Stixx and Malen have a great match in IPW:UK, same goes for Kincade vs Stone. So why did I dislike both matches this time round? Could it be the useless and confusing red card system and telegraphed heel turns? The convoluted storylines that Alex Shane insists on, while in the very same show trying to introduce the product to a whole new market? Maybe it was the fact that Spud vs Storm was promoted on the website right up until the day, despite the fact that Spud couldn't possible work the event and had known for some time.

 

While I agree with the argument that it's shortsighted to complain that FWA are doing these expo and Thorpe Park shows at the expence of a normal wrestling show, FWA needs to have something else in mind to follow up with. No, they do not have to tell us what it is right now, but they haven't had a show where people pay for tickets since August. The show before that was the Nottingham show, which they claimed was the DVD people should watch to get an idea of the blueprint of the FWA. It was full of good matches with logical booking, even if the promos did go on a bit. So which is it? What is the FWA now? How can one style of promotion be abandoned after just one more show in favour of "matches on the hour" for new audiences?

 

I won't bitch about the FWA again until I see their larger picture unfolding, but I also won't go to another show until then. Yes I'm a part of the IWC and yes I do complain a fair bit, but I also love wrestling and travel the country watching shows. When I'll happily drive over 500 miles round trip on a Sunday for an IPW show, but won't drive the 80 miles for an FWA exhibition, it shows me that I'm not the target audience. That's fine, but it's very easy to get me interested in a wrestling event, and I was excited about the FWAs return. I set up a standing order for the DVDs, went to shows and followed announcements on the website. I honestly had no intention of blasting the company, which just shows how low my expectaions have fallen in such a short period of time.

 

There is nothing unique or special about their roster that I can't see elsewhere.

 

Plus if you are going to push Martin Stone as your main guy then I am not interested.

 

The guy is so overrated!

[Teedy Kay]

There is nothing unique or special about their roster that I can't see elsewhere.

 

By jove, I think you've cracked why FWA is just another Britwres company making ends meet, their talent is overexposed. I personally would probably prefer to go to see IPW:UK if I'm honest.

[Jason Mayhem]

The new FWA is maybe more of a bigger disappointment to me than the new ECW was.

 

I never invested my time and money travelling all over the place to see ECW, but I did for the original FWA, and was rewarded for my support by the company putting on great shows till just before its original death.

 

The new FWA storylines, roster, the whole BWC bullshit, lack of shows, proves to me what a joke of a promotion this is.

 

If people want to see decent shows, go to companies that regularly run shows and know how to treat their customers correctly.

 

FWA can't draw anymore, probably would make a loss if they had to pay their workers properly, and make me disappointed to be a British wrestling fan.

 

The roster is a joke? I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better roster anywhere in the UK. To me, that's what makes the new FWA all the more frustrating. I went to European Uprising and absolutely hated it. I've seen The Leaders and Stixx and Malen have a great match in IPW:UK, same goes for Kincade vs Stone. So why did I dislike both matches this time round? Could it be the useless and confusing red card system and telegraphed heel turns? The convoluted storylines that Alex Shane insists on, while in the very same show trying to introduce the product to a whole new market? Maybe it was the fact that Spud vs Storm was promoted on the website right up until the day, despite the fact that Spud couldn't possible work the event and had known for some time.

 

While I agree with the argument that it's shortsighted to complain that FWA are doing these expo and Thorpe Park shows at the expence of a normal wrestling show, FWA needs to have something else in mind to follow up with. No, they do not have to tell us what it is right now, but they haven't had a show where people pay for tickets since August. The show before that was the Nottingham show, which they claimed was the DVD people should watch to get an idea of the blueprint of the FWA. It was full of good matches with logical booking, even if the promos did go on a bit. So which is it? What is the FWA now? How can one style of promotion be abandoned after just one more show in favour of "matches on the hour" for new audiences?

 

I won't bitch about the FWA again until I see their larger picture unfolding, but I also won't go to another show until then. Yes I'm a part of the IWC and yes I do complain a fair bit, but I also love wrestling and travel the country watching shows. When I'll happily drive over 500 miles round trip on a Sunday for an IPW show, but won't drive the 80 miles for an FWA exhibition, it shows me that I'm not the target audience. That's fine, but it's very easy to get me interested in a wrestling event, and I was excited about the FWAs return. I set up a standing order for the DVDs, went to shows and followed announcements on the website. I honestly had no intention of blasting the company, which just shows how low my expectaions have fallen in such a short period of time.

 

Now the majority of this I agree with.

 

The red card should be a dq...that's a no brainer.

 

I think the guys that do the booking for FWA need to look at it from the audiences standpoint more. Heavy storyline driven shows in front of people that don't know the stories of characters doesn't make much sense. Fast pace, high spots and wrestlers that can get their gimmicks over quickly and well are the way forward at those events. It needs to be kept simple.

 

I agree that I would prefer to watch wrestling at a wrestling show (regular attendee at IPW sitingbourne shows), hence why I don't go to these expo shows as I know they are not for me, but I am not silly enough to bitch about FWA doing them and can understand the business logic behind it.

 

The fact is we all only have 24 hours in a day, and can only do so much. IPW put on cracking shows, but they don't have regular online content, like FWA do and are unlikely to get much bigger than they are. FWA are pushing to try and get greater exposure for their brand, but it is obviously at the expense of spending time on putting on your stand alone shows that the IWC think are key to a successful wrestling company. Which one is the better strategy?? Time will tell I guess.

 

I think short term FWA could do with someone to manage their online content as although it is fairly well produced it is not particularly engaging and a lot of it goes on way too long, and the same could be said about their non wrestling elements of their live shows (promos / videos etc).

 

I think if you could combine the delivery of the quality of live shows and booking of IPW with the ambition of FWA and the groundwork and basic business sense of LDN then you'd have a cracking wrestling company. That's ain't ever gonna happen though!

[Bashar]

Phase 1: Collect Underpants

Phase 2: ?

Phase 3: Profit

[nate]

Great news for the FWA. I think fundamentally the FWA has changed direction and given up on being the fed that appeals to the IWC Britwres fans and tries for mainstream acceptance. I think now they're focusing all their energy on events which can boost their profile among investors/tv execs etc... and people who can help them build a mainstream financially viable company. I'd imagine now they will only look towards putting on regular paid for shows when/if the new forms of exposure they get build a new fanbase who would pay for that. Yeah this may be frustrating for Britwres fans but FWA are probably working on a 5 year business plan. And in the meantime, if you wanna see the best wrestling in the UK just head down to an IPW show!

[Mafia Scum Scum]

There is nothing unique or special about their roster that I can't see elsewhere.

 

By jove, I think you've cracked why FWA is just another Britwres company making ends meet, their talent is overexposed. I personally would probably prefer to go to see IPW:UK if I'm honest.

 

How many of their roster, in fact how many British guys are draws to the UK wrestling fans, not may I would say.

 

So if you want average Joe Punter to spend his dosh at your show then you give him some reason to go.

 

Confusing storylines featuring guys you can see elsewhere, usually cheaper than the FWA ticket price was, means they are less likely to go there unless local.

 

IPW have a mix of decent storylines, imports, well known UK wrestlers and give other lesser known talent a chance from time to time.

 

If IPW vs FWA was a wrestling match, IPW would be Kevin Nash to FWAs Bob Backlund, with the result being a very quick one sided win to IPW.

[The Dart]

Has it occured to you that perhaps you are not the type of customer that they want??

 

If that's the case then why would they be promoting their events and business deals on here? If he's not the type of customer they want then they waste an awful lot of time posting news and videos on here.

[Jason Mayhem]

Has it occured to you that perhaps you are not the type of customer that they want??

 

If that's the case then why would they be promoting their events and business deals on here? If he's not the type of customer they want then they waste an awful lot of time posting news and videos on here.

 

I was talking about him spicifically, not all UKFF members.

 

Believe it or not, there are quite a few people, in fact I would consider them the silent majority, who actually don't sh*t all over everything and just come on here to read posts. It's just the vocal minority who thinks that everyone should agree with them, and that everything is sh*t.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

Nobody just comes on here to shit all over everything, when they see something they disagree with they say so. People who use that defence are usually people who are getting out argued.

 

Anyway back to the FWA. Perhaps they don't need the money from live gates to continue running. Perhaps they have a uniquie business model that non of the rest of us know about. I just hope that it does not all end in tiers for british wrestling.

[THELONEGUNMAN]

how many brand new potential customers / investors / business partners etc did LDN or WAW or Allstar for that matter presented their product to in the last year?

Well on top of Butlins and Town Hall Tours All Star have added Haven to their list of clients.

 

Oh and if you knew how much Brian makes you would realise that

 

People + Money = Profit

[Teedy Kay]

how many brand new potential customers / investors / business partners etc did LDN or WAW or Allstar for that matter presented their product to in the last year?

Well on top of Butlins and Town Hall Tours All Star have added Haven to their list of clients.

 

Oh and if you knew how much Brian makes you would realise that

 

People + Money = Profit

And that's the difference, a captive (almost literally) audience, who will probably find that their weeks Holiday to Butlins or Haven has been rained all over, they've played crazy golf, they've played in a ball pool, hmm what next? How about the wrestling?

 

Whereas Thorpe Park? People go for day trips, arrive at 8am leave at 6pm and want to get as many rides in as possible. Now if it was Alton Towers, and the wrestling was an evening entertainment for the hotel, I'd be a little more positive ... however it's not, so I won't!

[Tommy!]

For the benefit of yourself and the other posters that you speak for, here is a free marketing lesson.

 

The principle is V + C = P where V=Visibility, C=Credibility and P=Profitability

 

So FWA associating with brands such as the expo events and Thorpe Park instantly increases not only their visibility but also their credibility.

 

I am involved with a band that are this summer doing gigs supporting bands such as Madness, Razorlight and Example as well as playing several festivals in front of 1000s of people. Now you may not have heard of this band and we may not have any gigs where we are headlining ourselves, but the fact that we are associated with these headline acts and festivals automatically gives us more credibility than a band who are playing their own gigs in front of 50 people at the dog and duck on a few friday nights over the summer.

 

So perhaps you are being shortsighted in thinking that these appearences are just for the benefit of getting the individual punters interested in FWA wrestling.

 

Your example of a band is sound but not directly applicable. They were a band playing to people who like music, and I'd assume that style of music. You could count the wrestling fans at the Expo's on one hand. The band were being exposed to a strong potential market, they were there for music and they got it. Most people at the Expo are there for comic books or to meet Gloria for It 'Aint half hot. I'm not saying its not still a potential market but most of those people would have been exposed to wrestling before now through TV or another medium and know if they like it or not. The same things applicable to Thorpe Park

 

Now that I believe isn't your point, your point is their association with these events give them an air for further dealing with other bodies, not get more fans in, but where is that going? What good is it to grow continually putting on shows in front of people who don't really care, because that's got to show up on the tapes, which the FWA love to hype with its Youtube videos, especially with how its done which brings me to something I'll put lower down so bare with me.

 

Has it occured to you that perhaps you are not the type of customer that they want??

 

If that's the case then why would they be promoting their events and business deals on here? If he's not the type of customer they want then they waste an awful lot of time posting news and videos on here.

 

This one. I'm not sure who they are trying to appeal to, that's part of it. The end of last year they were going over kill with story that was melting my brain and having Stone call people Twats, the start of that year/end of the year before they were putting on highly enjoyable, simple shows with solid simple story's, now they are playing in front of non wrestling fans and putting out a somewhat odd show for the set up, yesterday no face looked strong or like a hero which an 8 year old me would not be interested in at all, and while it had some good simple story most people there didn't care as they were there for something else and were just killing time or having a rest. They move around so the only people regularly watching are the saddo's like me. If they really wanted to to just apply the above marketing masters equation then just putting out some basic fan friendly matches without much hassle, no story or big issue and have the random people passing by getting into the panto of it at a base level would surely be best.

It was better than last time they were at the NEC, which lets face it was not what people wanted at an event like that and went down like a lead balloon.

 

By doing these events, FWA are proving that their product can reach and appeal to a wider audience than the 150 or so people that most UK "companies" reach, therefore making their product more appealing to potential sponsors, investors and business partners for the future.

It's clear that these expo events are part of a strategy and not the end game!

 

So all in all I agree, I'd hope it is part of some strategy but it doesn't change certain things. It doesn't present the balance. Yesterday they put on a quasi-casual fan show. If the expos have got a deal like Thorpe park that's great, but where does that lead, because I can't see the BBC knocking on the door saying how much they love the high production value, professionalism and apathetic cheers form some kids waiting to meet Dr Who or ride the waltzers. What's the harm in putting out some semi regular shows in front of a semi regular crowd in its own area like most other UK places do if they want to have these little stories and show balance? If they are happy to continue doing things like this, and if they are making money good on them, then why do they do it how they do it? Why the some what flitting from one approach to another in such a way they never fully move on? Why do they constantly build to things, when it never gets a pay off or will be one of the few things that does but in front of people who don't get the build?

 

To go back to my point, that I don't like your analogy, that band can then get bigger because they have shown they pleased people who had a potential to then go on and make money from it. The people liked the band, the men in the suits got to see them on a big stage and liked the results and things moved on. That just doesn't feel the case for the FWA. And in reality, I'd assume, they are actually a small part of This.

 

I'm no business expert or anything and I'm sure the FWA know what they are doing and more power to them. Yesterday was much better than last time in structure even if it sadly wasn't from an in ring perspective in my view. I don't know anything about running a wrestling company, but then I'm not doing it. I do know what I like to watch and what I don't like to watch and how the people around me react. I just don't much take to your some what misplaced analogy and marketing philosophy and the way you put it across. I'm not saying they have to do regular shows to be a success but what they are doing doesn't feel like it's what they want to do in the presentation and vibe of the show.

 

My only real complaint with the FWA is since Art of War I feel like IT doesn't know what it's giving me, but that's just my view.

 

That is long for me, and I've had a drink or two so please forgive any glaring spelling or grammar faux pas.

[PW-AJ]

You could count the wrestling fans at the Expo's on one hand.

 

Judging by the queue for Bret Hart at the November Memorabilia, you must have a freakish looking hand.

[Tommy!]

You could count the wrestling fans at the Expo's on one hand.

 

Judging by the queue for Bret Hart at the November Memorabilia, you must have a freakish looking hand.

 

It should say Expo. I was talking yesterday, watching the FWA. Or thats how it seemed any way, there were a lot of people but it didn't feel like there were lots of wrestling fans or if there was they weren't into the show.

But as you bring it up where were they all after Bret last time, because they weren't hanging around for the FWA.

 

The FWA just frustrates me as a fan, it clearly has bags of potential to be so many things, even doing nothing but things like this which as I say if its money is great for them, but they don't seem to really get it right some how.

 

Edit:

Oh and how embarassing was it for El Ligero, when not one person wanted to have their photo took with him? That must have felt like a long 5 minutes.

 

To quote you from another thread, if I was a nipper I wouldn't have had a photo with Ligero, he lost, he didn't over come any odds or look cool or like a hero. That's no knock on him, because I know he's class at what he does. I walked away, I didn't wait for the 5 mins so I'm assuming you aren't shitting here.

[PW-AJ]

There were quite a lot of people at the start of the FWA show when Bret was there, they just all left after the first match. Expo's aren't a good place to ask people to stand around in one place for 2+ hours, and putting them off with the arse-backwards red/yellow card system straight away didn't help much either. New Frontiers was suited to an Expo show a lot better than Uprising was.

 

As for Thorpe Park, I just hope their first main event pits The Inbetweeners against a bus full of Downs Syndrome kids.