----USA Today ran an article during our last holiday - Memorial Day weekend. It read, “Of those altering travel plans, 37% are scrapping trips and one in four won't go as far or stay as long, the poll finds. "We're pretty close to the toughest summer ever, at least for consumers," says Rick Seaney, CEO of Farecompare.com, an airfare search site.” Will people staying home from trips help local wrestling shows draw locals?? Or will the price of gas effect travel so much that this will be become one of the worse summers ever for the local area. Officially the summer of 2008 did not begin until June 20th, but with kids already out of school and temp starts going up, the first week of June starts see a slight decrease in all the local promotions. Let’s take a look at the “Summer Slump 2008” and see if this year will be one of the worst in recent history.
----The way I have obtained these numbers and made my conclusions is from taking data from the same time period of last year. All weekly promotions like last year seem pretty much an across the board 20% decrease. TLCW in June, 2007 had crowds go from 130 to 90/95, which was a 27% decrease. TFW was drawing 100 to 120 a week and dropped in the 100 range. ASWF were drawing in the 100 to 120 range and stayed in the range during this time period except for a big show that drew 440 people in the crowd. NBW stayed almost the same range as they were drawing before the summer and stayed neck and neck with everyone. So, let’s take a look at the numbers [average crowds] from last year of the five major promotions and compare them to this past 5 weeks – the first “block” of the “Summer Slump 2008”. The first number is 2007, second number is 2008 and third number is percentage of change.
TFW 98, 81, -17%
TLCW 103,95,-8%
NBW 100,96, -4%
TIWF 80,134, +34%
ASWF 213,169, -31%
----By looking at the figures above you can see a slight change in three of the promotions and major changes in two of them. NBW looks to be the winner so far with less change than four of the top 5 that are drawing less. TLCW is less than last year, but only 8%. TIWF is down from earlier this year, but is up 34% for the first few weeks of the summer and is the only promotion on the PLUS side. ASWF even though they are drawing a constant of 125 to 200, they are still drawing less overall than they did last year and are down 31%. Their big show last year drew 440 and their show last weekend drew in the 300 range putting it about 32% below last year. They should continue to draw an overall overage number and should do ok. TFW is stuck in the middle of the others dropping 17% and may be the ones to be worried. Not only are they suffering from the “Summer Slump”, but might consider doing some changes in their roster as it stays almost the same year around. Just by looking at these five promotions, the gas prices do not look like they are going to affect the wrestling crowds as much as I expect. Overall average last year of these five was 119 and this year – 115, so we are looking at around 3% less. That is nothing to really be worried about.
----I also took a look at the once or twice a month promotions like All Pro and last year’s CWA. CWA had three shows in June, 2007 averaging 188 in the crowd. All Pro Productions only had one with 120 people, but this year with two big shows, All Pro has average 287 people in the crowd, which are 2.5 times more people than the average. Memphis Wrestling Stars that promoted in Selmer, TN for one show this month had about 300 people there, which is over the average of the All Pro shows. So, the big once of month shows look to be drawing good again this year and actually about 35% better than last year.
----A few different factors last year also figured in the final number, like MEWA running weekly with 236 on average and not running this year. We had XOW coming in with almost 80 people a week. LAW is slightly up this year by 7%, but still drawing in the 50-60 range – well below 40% less than average. RWA, the new kid on the block, is sticking in there with the big ones drawing only 13% behind on the average. So, I took all the attendance of the smaller, the top 5 and the guys that ran big monthly shows for both years and got some good news. The first five weeks of the “Summer Slump” of 2007 had an average of 127 in attendance. 2008 is up with 135 in attendance and a jump of 6%. It might not seem like a lot, but with most people predicting the worse for this summer in people not only traveling, but spending money overall – this is a good sign for the wrestling business in this area.
----So what did we find out?? “Summer Slump 2008” seems to have a pretty good start and may not be as bad as last year’s drop. Maybe people staying home from trips will help the local scene. Some promotions need to do something to bring attendance and others seem to be just coasting along. The monthly big shows are probably better on attendance and better chance to make money for the promoters. Join me sometime in the first week of August as “Coach’s Corner” will feature the second block of the “Summer Slump 2008”.
