PROGRESS WEMBLEY: Biggest UK Indie show ever?

[zahidf]

Progress to put on a Wembley arena show next September, the 30th. Biggest UK indie wrestling show ever?

[PunkStep]

Well, I'm going to look to buy tickets, and I don't think I've gone to a British wrestling show as a fan for 10+ years. Absolutely delighted for Progress, and this has been achieved without the reliance of import names unlike 5*, 1PW and let's be honest FWA (for their bigger shows). I hope they shift a load of tickets, the crowd will be electric for this.

[BomberPat]

Never been to a PROGRESS show, never really given it much consideration, but giving serious thought to going along to this one - it would be a massive success, not just for PROGRESS, but for BritWres in general if they could pull this off, and they're about the only promotion in the country that I'd have any real confidence in managing it; if anyone else announced something like this, I'd see it as their Coventry Skydome moment, getting ideas above their station and getting into something bigger than they can handle, but the PROGRESS lads seem to have their wits about them and know what they're doing for the most part.

Whether you like their style of wrestling or not, PROGRESS have pretty much created the model for succeeding in wrestling - they've not gone the 5* or What Culture root of throwing money at the product and thinking that will be enough to draw people in, or relying on names established elsewhere, they've not looked for a quick fix, they've just built up a brand, and a sense of fan loyalty that I've never seen before in this country, through canny marketing and presentation, and through consistently putting on a good product, and having the confidence in their crew to be able to do that. My hat's off to them, and I hope they pull this off - it will be one hell of a watershed moment if they do.

[zahidf]

I've been to several and really enjoy the product. I'm a little worried what happens now British String Style seem to be about to leave, but ally pally yesterday was excellent, so I will trust them and buy a ticket asap!

[mim731]

The fact they've announced it a year in advance is very clever too, gives plenty of time to build the hype for it and get more people on board. Given how clever they've been in marketing and design and building a company that seems relevant and vibrant I could easily see this being a huge success. 

When do we reckon tickets go on sale?

[zahidf]

8 minutes ago, mim731 said:

The fact they've announced it a year in advance is very clever too, gives plenty of time to build the hype for it and get more people on board. Given how clever they've been in marketing and design and building a company that seems relevant and vibrant I could easily see this being a huge success. 

When do we reckon tickets go on sale?

Is onsale for the mailing list next Monday

[I Bent My Wookie]

Looking at the SSE, when the UFC ran an event there in 2013, it pulled in just over 10,000 once they readjusted the layout for a 12,500 seater stadium I believe. With PROGRESS likely to put in the same format for seating etc, would people be expecting them to be taping off areas and go for a smaller attendance, or that they can reach near 10,000 with the pull of having WWE connections, possible names from there appearing, a huge UK social media presence and that they have a year to really drive it home and build the audience even further?

[zahidf]

4 minutes ago, Shy Dad said:

Looking at the SSE, when the UFC ran an event there in 2013, it pulled in just over 10,000 once they readjusted the layout for a 12,500 seater stadium I believe. With PROGRESS likely to put in the same format for seating etc, would people be expecting them to be taping off areas and go for a smaller attendance, or that they can reach near 10,000 with the pull of having WWE connections, possible names from there appearing, a huge UK social media presence and that they have a year to really drive it home and build the audience even further?

I suspect they may try for a 9000 capacity, similar to NXT.

[I Bent My Wookie]

I actually forgot NXT ran there, god I'm getting old. That would have brought the capacity down due to WWE's staging though, would PROGRESS feel the need to fork out for an elaborate staging for just that show?

 

EDIT: That being said, having just looked for the attendance for NXT in London, that was reported at just over 10000 too, so now I'm just more confused.

[zahidf]

5 minutes ago, Shy Dad said:

I actually forgot NXT ran there, god I'm getting old. That would have brought the capacity down due to WWE's staging though, would PROGRESS feel the need to fork out for an elaborate staging for just that show?

 

EDIT: That being said, having just looked for the attendance for NXT in London, that was reported at just over 10000 too, so now I'm just more confused.

Ah, the 9000 was from memory

They had some great lights/video screens last night for ALLY Pally. they may want similar for Wembley

[BomberPat]

I'd imagine they'd have to aim for smaller attendance - 10,000 would be an astonishing turn-out for a British indie show, even with a year to get there. TNA drew around 7000-8000 at their most successful Wembley shows (though no idea how many of those were papered), and NXT claimed around 10,000 - though, again, not sure how legit the figure was.

With enough decent marketing - which we know PROGRESS are capable of - and the right talent and the right matches, and with a little help from WWE talent if that working relationship is still ongoing by then, perhaps they could equal NXT Takeover's attendance, but that would be a huge ask for a show with nothing like the amount of coverage and exposure of NXT, and without the novelty of it being potentially your only opportunity to see some of these talents. It'll hopefully sell well just on the back of feeling like a significant one-off, though, and a lot of people will want to make a point of going to see it succeed and to support the scene, not just because they want to see the show themselves, and there'll probably be a fair amount of people who'll go because they'll want to be able to say they were there. If PROGRESS can capture that sort of feeling, that's their best chance - make it feel like one of the early Sex Pistols gigs, where more people have since claimed they were there than would have fit in the room.

 

I'd assume WWE would lend them someone - similar to Kassius Ohno working ICW, and Jack Gallagher working the New York shows - though who knows how much could change in a year? I'm curious how involved WWE may have already been in the decision-making here, and may have already made some promises/assurances to PROGRESS as to what support they could offer? If they're smart, PROGRESS should be booking towards big matches and big-time pay-offs at this show already. If they can work towards the culmination of year or more long story at this show, that's the ideal - to me, that would have to involve British Strong Style in some capacity, which raises questions as to their WWE status, and how long WWE plan on using them, and on allowing them to work the indies. If it can be stretched out to another year, a "Loser Leaves Town" match to send them on their way to WWE would be a hell of a thing - or, if they've already gone full-time with WWE by then, bringing them back for one night to face a new dominant heel trio would be a nice touch.

[Benno]

NXT did 10,079 at the SSE. With Progress ceiling so far being about 2000, they'd do well to get half way there. Anything near 5000 is a big win.

The obsessive fan culture they have, will only get them so far, and as much as I'm not a fan of their best mates relationship with WWE, I'd think the only way they get near at this point is with that heavy hand of WWE help. 

I'm just not sure what they can do past them using allum like Jack Gallagher or I suppose a Finn Balor. Progress haven't been very good at building their own stuff in recent history so I can't imagine a home grown big match doing it either. 

If they get on the Network as long rumoured though, that'll be a big factor. 

[zahidf]

4 minutes ago, Benno said:

NXT did 10,079 at the SSE. With Progress ceiling so far being about 2000, they'd do well to get half way there. Anything near 5000 is a big win.

The obsessive fan culture they have, will only get them so far, and as much as I'm not a fan of their best mates relationship with WWE, I'd think the only way they get near at this point is with that heavy hand of WWE help. 

I'm just not sure what they can do past them using allum like Jack Gallagher or I suppose a Finn Balor. Progress haven't been very good at building their own stuff in recent history so I can't imagine a home grown big match doing it either. 

If they get on the Network as long rumoured though, that'll be a big factor. 

They did get to 2000 without announcing the card though. With a year's notice and the fact it seems to have a similar buzz to old style ROH, they could do 5000-6000.00 I reckon.

[BomberPat]

21 minutes ago, Benno said:

If they get on the Network as long rumoured though, that'll be a big factor. 

If there is any prospect of them getting on the Network, I wouldn't be surprised if this show is the "launch". Throw together some highlight packages and pre-show hype, but have the Wembley show as the first "proper" Network special.

[Jon-Carr_92]

ICW at the Hydro last year was announced as 6,193 paid. That would be a good benchmark to aim for. Just 5,000 would still be phenomenal mind. To get to 7,000 which I'm guessing they're going to cap this at would be quite something. If it was plausible enough, I'd give it a shot to get to that. Fair play to them.