Interview with AWE's Marvin Ward

Who-Marvin Ward promoter of Awesome Wrestling Entertainment.
What-Answers this lowly blogger's generic questions.

Pro Wrestling is alive and well you just have to look for it. In fact if you look through the posts, I have already written a little bit about the war of words b/ween Marvin Ward and Ricky Morton. This article is not going to focus on that. Marvin was nice enough to answer a few questions so here goes. I have a couple of other one's that I may do as a follow up.

Q: When did you start watching wrestling?
A: 1983

Q: When did you go to your first wrestling show?
A: 1989

Q: Favorite Promotion
A: Jim Crockett Promotions

Q: Favorite Wrestler
A: Dusty Rhodes

Q: Even though you got my attention with your war of words
w/ Ricky Morton, have you ever been the victim of a "double booking" by anyone else?
A: Yes


DOUBLE BOOKING-WHEN A WRESTLER PROMISES 2 PROMOTERS THAT HE WILL BE AT THEIR SHOWS ON THE SAME DAY. WRESTLER TAKES THE HIGHER PAYING GIG, AND LEAVES THE OTHER PROMOTER HIGH AND DRY-I REALLY DID NOT WANT TO GET INTO NAMES, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY PITFALLS PROMOTERS MUST FACE WHEN BOOKING A SHOW.

Q:When you decided that you were gonna open up your own fed, and do your own thing, did you have any"detractors" that said you were gonna go broke/fall flat on your face...ect, ect?
A: YES and they still say that! But I will prove them wrong! Our business is not dead, its just dormant at the moment.

Q: Can you give the uninitiated a play by play of a typical day as a
promoter, or booker?
A: From the time the sun comes up thru 1 or 2 am, you are always doing something. From booking talent, setting up venues, calling advertisers, do promotional work on the road, handling the internet marketing, sponsorship endorsements, ect. There is something going on everyday. We, as in 4 of us, do the job that TNA and WWE have 100 people or more doing. So we do not get much sleep.

Q: What is your opinion of wrestlers or promoters who call their fans "marks". Or treat their fan base like they are doing THEM a favour by having a show/shows to begin with?
A: I think its pathetic. We are all marks for wrestling or we wouldn't be doing it. Fans are just as important at the wrestlers or promoters because if it wasn't  for fans we couldn't do this. The only difference between the two is fans want to be entertained and its our job to deliver the best product for their entertainment.

Q: You described AWE as "New school production values meets Old school mentality" please elaborate.
A: We give fans the look of the new school as far as the big lights, staging, ect as they are used to on RAW, but the difference is the product. We go back 20 years and give fans the old school storylines and in ring work.

Q: With so many feds popping up, what does an organization have to do to succeed in a DEAD market or a THRIVING one?
A: Marketing, promotions, and giving fans actual wrestling, big names, and excitement. This biggest key is advertising. If fans know u are there and they have plenty of time to prepare their finances, they will come. I tell people its like this. If Jesus Christ was going to be at the Baptist church on Sunday morning, and u didnt tell anyone, who would come. But if you told the world, everyone would come.

Q: Any thing you want to plug?
AWE's WEBSITE
FACEBOOK PAGE
MARVIN'S PAGE

Thanks to Marvin Ward for taking the time to do this.
Visit AWE's website for their events, and go to the shows.

Hopefully by the time October rolls around this "business" with the Rock and Roll Express can be settled. People of VA, you have your own homegrown fed, support it!