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CBC to showcase new indy promotion
By
MARK XAMIN - SLAM! Wrestling
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There is a new Canadian indy promotion, and this fall it will gain national
exposure on CBC. Power Pro Wrestling, headed by President
Shaun Myall, Vice-President and play-by-play man, Marty Goldstein, and media and
talent consultant Chris Tidwell, will be attempting to make its mark across the country.
But we're not talking about a weekly television show for this upstart promotion
-- actually, Shaun Myall and the gang will be appearing on the second season of
Dragon's Den, a television show based off of the British concept, but
produced by CBC. The show features upstart business ventures to make a pitch to
a panel of judges of Canada's five richest millionaires (called "Dragons"),
vying for investment funds. With financial backing so crucial to indy success,
this is undoubtedly an amazing opportunity for PPW, though Marty Goldstein made
it clear in an interview with SLAM! Wrestling that the business
venture is a go regardless of the Dragon's Den show.
"Our plan was designed with no idea we could be eligible for any added
investment by appearing on Dragon's Den," Marty Goldstein said. "Having said that, obviously 'found money' in the
form of a substantial investment from a Dragon would allow us to revise the
business plan, invest more in our infrastructure, and leverage that equity
against other business loans and strategic business partnerships. But we are in
business regardless of what happens with Dragons Den. Hopefully lots of people
will tune in when it is broadcast and will enjoy the show."
Dragon's Den, hosted by Dianne Bucker of CBC's
Venture series, has
been a ratings success. In preparation for the show's second season, the
producers searched long and hard for imaginative and unique competitors, and
then held an audition in Victoria, B.C. at Royal Roads University. Hundreds of
entrepreneurs showed up, but only a select few were chosen for the taping in
Toronto. Power Pro Wrestling made the cut, and attended the tapings on June 8.
Those that appeared on the show representing PPW include Shaun Myall, Marty
Goldstein, Chris Tidwell, and two up and coming Ontario grapplers out of PPW --
The Hornet and Matt Berns. Myall presented the PPW business plan to the panel.
What ensued was reportedly mayhem, and the segment was the talk of CBC
headquarters. The national exposure can only mean good things.
"The exposure on CBC will be an unprecedented opportunity for Canadian wrestling
to put a best foot forward and be seen in a serious light by millions of viewers
and potential investors, sponsors, and fans," Goldstein asserted. "Far too often
Canadian indy wrestling is looked down upon because the business models
over-reach or are unprofessional. In the case of Island Sports and Entertainment
Ltd, a main component of our approach is to ensure that the athletes and
performers are acknowledged as trained professionals and a legitimate part of
the Canadian cultural entertainment milieu."
Perhaps the most refreshing thing Goldstein told us about is the involvement of
PPW in the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) program -- a program that discourages fans
of wrestling to participate in backyard wrestling.
"In addition our commitment to educating parents and officials through the NIMBY
program about the dangers of backyard wrestling demonstrates our commitment to
giving back to the community and to the development of professional standards
for our industry. That program was developed as part of my company's annual
Canada Day shows in Winnipeg, after we wrote the world's first Wrestling Safety
and Health Study for the government of Manitoba," Goldstein boasted.
So, is PPW for real? It all seems almost too good to be true -- a Canadian
promotion with a strong business plan and national exposure, a television deal
in British Columbia (PPW will debut on KVOS-TV in B.C. this fall) and working to
secure a deal with other carriers as well. Perhaps it is too early to draw
parallels to Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling of the past, but certainly the lofty
goals set by the PPW crew are attainable, and Goldstein assures us that the
business plan is solid.
"The business plan to produce and distribute wrestling content featuring top
Canadian and international performers across multiple platforms, is designed to
engage the viewers and ensure that their emotional investment in our shows are
rewarded with a long-term booking plan. That loyalty and growth will give
investors and sponsors the return they need to justify their own commitment to
the product. Being featured on such a popular CBC TV broadcast and on their
websites will certainly shorten the curve to achieve those goals."
As for the
Dragon's Den broadcast, we'll have to wait for the show to air on CBC
this fall, because all parties concerned are remaining tight lipped.
"Now, we are bound by a contractual obligation not to divulge the actual conclusion of our discussions with the Dragons. You will have to watch the show on Wednesday nights at 8pm on CBC for the results of our pitch," teased Myall on his blog.
This much
is known, however -- one member of the panel of "Dragons," Jim Treliving (former
RCMP officer, Boston Pizza chairman), made a startling admission during the
show. He is actually a former masked wrestler out of Edmonton who went by the
name of "The Hangman." How would this impact the business proposal? One would
think it would be a positive thing for Power Pro, but then again, Treliving went
on to become a very wealthy man outside of the ring. Indy wrestling promotions
are rarely profitable and he would certainly be aware of that fact.
We'll find out this fall, when season two of Dragon's Den hits the
airwaves.
RELATED LINKS
Power Pro Wrestling website
Dragon's Den website
Mark Xamin is the seer of all things, the alpha and the omega, and in his spare time he writes
about wrestling. He can be emailed at mark_xamin@yahoo.ca.
