RE-POST: Wrestling & the Internet (October 2002)

As we wing our way ever onward into the 21st century, many would have you believe that the Internet plays a vastly important role in the professional wrestling industry, when, if truth be told, it is actually only a small part in a very large machine.

If a small, indy wrestling promotion drew a crowd of 400-500 for one of their shows, at a rough guess, only 10-15 percent of that crowd would have daily access to the Internet. Others may make use of Internet facilities in local libraries and cyber cafes, but the majority of wrestling fans only have a passing interest in the world wide web.

WAW is a good example of this. In April 2001, they drew 2000 fans for their Fightmare show at the Norwich Sports Village, and did this with very little Internet exposure. The following October they drew a similar number at October Outrage III. It wasn't until the following December that they received extensive Internet exposure, and even with this exposure, most of the fans who attend their shows do so after having seen other forms of advertising.

As WAW's resident Internet reporter, I have worked closely with the promoters on many projects, and I can say with a great deal of certainty that the Internet side of things accounts for a very small percentage of business. We received very few ticket enquiries via e-mail. We get a few e-mails from fans wanting details of upcoming shows, and some from wrestlers abroad wanting to work for WAW, but the majority of our business is conducted by post and telephone.

I am normally on hand to review most of WAW's shows, other commitments notwithstanding. When I first began this job, the only condition I put on it was that I was never told beforehand what the results were, because, as a fan, this would have spoiled my enjoyment of the show. While it is the wrestler's job to tell the story in the ring, it is my job to relay that story to the Internet.

The majority of the wrestlers I have met often ask me my personal opinion of their performances. My friendship with them allows me to be honest and open about their work. Those who have been around the block a few times know that while my opinion is valued in some quarters, it is, after all, the opinion of just one man, and if I were to air these very private opinions on the Internet, very few wrestling fans would actually get to see them.

But there are some wrestlers who can sometimes make life very difficult for me. They would approach me either before or after a show, asking if I will give them a good review. I know that sometimes this is said as a joke, but it is difficult to tell at times.

There have also been times when wrestlers, having read my review, have approached me afterwards and criticised me for not making them look like "the next big thing", even if I have given them a good review. When this happens I am left to ask myself if I really hold that much power in the professional wrestling industry. Although it would do my ego no end of good to think that I do, I know that I don't. I am, after all, just one man, and I really don't think that the opinion of a wrestling fan is going to make-or-break a career. If this was the case then certain WWE stars would have retired long ago.

My point here is this - why should a wrestler be worried what one man writes about them on the Internet, when those words will probably be seen by very few wrestling fans? At the end of the day, wrestlers should remember that I'm not really the person they should set out to impress. The man they should be looking to impress is the man who pays their wages at the end of the show.