bluechipper Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 As a fan of this sport, I was truly impressed this weekend by Flo's latest edition of their annual Flonationals tournament. The awarding of the belts to the champions, big stage for the finals, and the compression shirt/fight shorts made it all feel big. I know they've done the attire switch and stage in the past, but I think the belts are new. The best part about this tournament was the presentation. It felt like a big event that would attract viewers who are new to the sport. With that being said, there's a lot of talk about growing the sport and many express their desire to make wrestling a cultural phenomenon across the globe. That brought me to Flo Premier League. When it was first introduced, it seemed awesome, but it was quickly overshadowed by what was wrong with it rather than what was good. One of the outstanding negatives was the rule set. The Tirapelle rules were confusing to fans and newcomers. With that being said, should FPL return, it should follow the standard Freestyle rules with a few additions/adjustments such as overtime and maybe par terre opportunities. The obvious goal is to have the casual sports fan who's searching the tube to be able to come across this channel and say, "Holy crap. This is awesome." Presentation is everything. Part of what makes companies like WWE and UFC possible are their presentations. I'm not sure which thread it was in, but someone mentioned how to grow wrestling with simple things like teaming with a graphics designer to advertise your school's top wrestler in a headline match-up and that's where it starts. Little ideas like those will help push wrestling to the forefront. I've been observing India's Pro Wrestling League, and they have a good idea going with the wrestlers represented by team, but still, it's a little too confusing. Also, with Flo's growing appeal, indie wrestling or fight promotions seek new talent and ways to grow. Partnering with a company like Bellator or Ring of Honor would help increase viewership considering many collegiate or international wrestlers venture to both sides. The ideas aren't longshots and could make a huge impact if done correctly. If the FPL were to return, how would we, as fans, like to see the action? - UFC format (Year-round competition, schedules vary between wrestlers, showcases and big events of top stars) - WWE format (Year-round competition, weekly event schedules) - NCAA format (traditional competition schedule, wrestlers sign with teams/clubs) I'd like to see an MMA-style pro schedule with the Flo belts defended. Flo has a way of producing excitement for hot matches such as the Mark Hall/Anthony Valencia rivalry in high school that came with a press conference and a full build-up of advertised promos and video packages. Mason Parris has been the talk of the weekend, and his newly one belt has solidified him as quite possibly the best 220lber in the nation. I understand these are high school guys and they have a lot to do, but imagine Flo events with the belts defended. That's what FPL could bring and I think it could be amazing. I'm interested in hearing what others think about this. Please share ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio Jr. Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 The Agon thing was supposed to be this but it kinda fizzled...high school kids dont have time to defend their titles at weekly or even monthly events... I think the best bet is an after college thing. Real Pro tried it and flopped. Agons tried it and I havnt heard much from it. The issue is those athletes need funds and to get those funds people need to make money and the audience just isn't there for a BIG MMA like feel. I mean the Arena At Flo Nats was pretty Barren by the time the finals rolled around. I dont think RoH or WWE would be interested in any of this as they are trying to "push the business forward" The one time WWE got real was the Brawl for All and that was awful. I think its a cool idea but the best bet would be flo to host a small dual season using WT weights. have 4-5 teams in round robin for the season and have one dual be an episode. Film it all at once and release 2 duals a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluechipper Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 The Agon thing was supposed to be this but it kinda fizzled...high school kids dont have time to defend their titles at weekly or even monthly events... I think the best bet is an after college thing. Real Pro tried it and flopped. Agons tried it and I havnt heard much from it. The issue is those athletes need funds and to get those funds people need to make money and the audience just isn't there for a BIG MMA like feel. I mean the Arena At Flo Nats was pretty Barren by the time the finals rolled around. I dont think RoH or WWE would be interested in any of this as they are trying to "push the business forward" The one time WWE got real was the Brawl for All and that was awful. I think its a cool idea but the best bet would be flo to host a small dual season using WT weights. have 4-5 teams in round robin for the season and have one dual be an episode. Film it all at once and release 2 duals a week. I don't see the WWE garnering interest unless significant buzz were to come about. They are always scouting, however. I know it's a common thing to have talent agents from the company at the NCAA tournament to recruit for the performance center, but it would be a whole new world for them if they were to venture to mat wrestling. After doing research, Ring of Honor doesn't have the money to sponsor or partner with a company like Flo. Flo partnering with an MMA company like Bellator would be an easier route possibly due to the amount of coverage Flo gives to guys who have entered that realm. (Pico, Ruth, Fortune, etc.) Kyle Dake posted a tweet back in 2016 with a poll asking fans if they would support a professional freestyle wrestling league, and with 3,327 votes, 89% voted yes. The responses from fellow wrestlers, such as Reece Humphrey, Jake Herbert, Tony Ramos, and OSU All-American, Nick Piccinnini, all were in favor of it, but they all agreed that for it to happen: • A businessman or sponsor is needed to back it for the idea to happen. • Freestyle rules are needed to transfer seamlessly to the Olympics • A season-schedule. A season schedule may be needed for the inception and early stages, but without a doubt, marketing and endorsements from some of the biggest stars are key. A lot of the UFC's success came after the Zuffa, LLC deal. The company was strategic with creating more concepts than just pay-per-view events and placing their shows in time slots that didn't compete with WWE Raw. With the help of crossover stars such as Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz, and ideas such as The Ultimate Fighter, the company was able to catch the attention of major mainstream media outlets such as ESPN and USA Today. AGON was able to pull in $100K from each of their four pay-per-view events. It'd be interesting to see what else could be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualwrestlingfan Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 (edited) Be cool to see a league that incorporates freestyle, Greco Roman, and collegiate folkstyle. I believe tennis had a league that mirrored high school team positions (3 singles and 2 doubles). Sounds like you need a stable John DuPont type of person to get it running (good intentions to grow the sport with $ but not bug or become paranoid). Edited April 4, 2017 by casualwrestlingfan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabio Jr. Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 100k from a pay per view sounds like a lot but in that market it is a pittance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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