Booking a Wrestling Show

Now you have a venue, a ring, and a date for the event. It's time for the most important part, booking the talent.

As far as referee's you can get by with one, but if you use just one you should definitely pay him something.

What I used to do was try to put the best card together I could, while at the same time spending the least that I could. Never ask a wrestler what he charges to work a show, some will try to get over on you just because you are new to the business and don't know any better. Case in point I asked the first wrestler I was going to book what he charged, he told me $50, I asked if he would take $30, he said yeah. Now, the 100 or so mile drive would have been worth $30, especially in this day and age, but he sucked in the ring, he should have paid me to work the show.

Offer the wrestlers what you can pay. If they don't want what you are offering then just go to the next name on your list. If the person is someone you really want on the card and can do some good on the show then offer them a little more.

As far as name wrestlers go, they can bring in a crowd, well some of them. For the ones that can really bring you a crowd you are looking at least in the $1000 range, and if you are going to pay that much then you really need to advertise. I found out names are not really needed. Wrestling fans like wrestling, if there is a wrestling show they will come. There is no need to book five name wrestlers knowing you will never sell enough tickets to cover their cost. Always negotiate when booking a name, just because he says he gets $700 a show doesn't mean he won't take $400. And $400 is a little much.

The only time I used names was merely as a treat for the fans and I never paid over $300.