What's the point?...

There are a lot of times in this business that I say "what's the point?"  Times when I have a shitty match and hate the business...what's the point?  Times when a promoter stiffs me on pay and I end up spending $50 in gas...what's the point?  Times when I cannot hang out with my girlfriend or my friends because I have a wrestling show...what's the point?

The point is, we are all addicted.  We don't need alcohol, we don't need drugs, all we need is that feeling that you get when you walk through that curtain.  That shot of adrenaline that courses through your entire body  as soon as you hear that crowd reaction.  That sound of hundreds of people cheering for you, or hating your guts.  It's the only addiction that we need.

Lately since I have been helping out more behind the scenes, that question of "what's the point?" has taken on a whole new meaning.  Now, it is more like, what's the point...in us putting on this show?  Or what's the point in us doing this, or doing that?  The question makes a lot of sense when you think about it though.

If you put on a show and pay 30 guys $50 a piece, then that is $1550 that you are spending.  Then you add in the $300-$500 that you paid for the building, the $100-$200 you paid for food for the concession stand, and whatever misc expenses you have.  The average cost to run a GOOD wrestling show is probably about $4,000.

Now, lets say that you have done all of this and only 100 people show up at $10 a ticket.  That is only $1,000.  That's not enough to even pay the talent, let alone all re-cover all of the other expenses that you had.  Or, you could get 500 people at $10 a ticket and have $500 left over to put into your pocket, or put towards the next show.

My whole point here is that whether you run a good show or a shitty show, the question still remains, "what is the point?"  Are you trying to make money somehow?  Are you trying to get a TV deal?  Are you just booking shows so that your shitty guys can get some work because no one else will book them?  What is the point?

You can run all of the wrestling shows that you want, but there needs to be some sort of goal or light at the end of the tunnel to make it all worth something.  If you are not making money, then why do you run?  It makes no sense to me.  I guess it is that addiction that I talked about earlier or something like that.  But just ask yourself that question....what's the point?

My favorite is when Promoter A is pissed because Promoter B is running in "his territory."  Well, territories do not exist anymore, sorry.  And if neither one of you is making any money, then who gives a shit?!!?

The whole point to all of this is that you should run shows for a purpose, not just to run them.  Run the shows to better the business and work towards a goal, rather than just for shits and giggles.