----RRO nominee for Columnist of the Year Trent Van Drisse sent the following today to RRO offices on the story I wrote last night about the Columbia, TN show.
“Yes, this show drew 296 paid, and you asked what they did to draw it, but the answer you gave yourself simply isn't accurate Brian. This show was run by Freddie Morton and Kevin Thomason, and this is how they drew a crowd. Both Morton and Thomason are well known in Columbia, and they both get out and work the town. 120 tickets were pre-sold in block to different businesses. Instead of 10 bucks, the businesses paid 8 bucks a ticket to buy them in block form. There was another 80 tickets pre-sold to individuals, probably mostly people Thomason and Morton knew, at least casually. So of the 296 sold, 200 were sold before the event began, and had nothing to do with the TV show really. Did TV help at all? Maybe a little bit, but not in the way you were suggesting. They also took out ads in the Columbia newspaper, and postered too I'm guessing, so who's to say what drew those final 96 fans? A combo of things no doubt. Now I will say this, they asked on the mic during the show how many people have been watching the TV, and it got a good pop, but that's hardly scientific either.”
----Thanks to Trent as it seems like the guys are real good promoters, but the crowd did not have to do 100% with the TV show. Trent’s board has been posting some interesting stuff for the new year. I thought this would be the place to repost some of it and link other stuff.
----Bert Prentice signed a long term lease with the Nashville Fairgrounds to run live events on Tuesday nights beginning January 15th, this also included Thanksgiving Night and Christmas Night 2008. The first card lists The Naturals vs. Shawn Shultz & a Surprise Guest, Matt Boyce vs. Shane Williams, Idol Stevens vs. Teddy Tender, LT Falk defending the NWA-X title against Eric Wayne, Steve O vs. Lani Kealoha and Keith Knox vs. Christian Jacobs. Ticket prices are listed as $8 ringside, $7.50 general.
----It will be interesting to see how good this works. I hope the best for them as they got a really good crew. Tuesday nights if different and I have always thought in the right town that might be a good night to work shows. Especially if you could use Monday Night RAW local advertising to promo the shows.
----Void also started a good post with various people commenting on “sheet” people and the perception of them. I have had to deal with this kind of thing for years. It was actually the main reason I had heat with Jerry Lawler for so long was comments I made in a Wrestling Observer Newsletter Yearbook. CLICK HERE to read it.
----Tracy Smothers also seems to be in bad health and this have a story about him on the board also. CLICK HERE to read it. Best wishes to him from RRO.
