Epitaph
05-09-2004, 08:47 PM
USA PRO WRESTLING PULLS NWA: TNA TALENT FROM NYC SHOWS IN FALLOUT OF NEW BOOKING POLICIES
by Mike Johnson @ 2:19:00 PM on 5/9/2004
Frank Goodman's USA Pro Wrestling, which regularly promotes New York City, announced today on the message board of the promotion's website that they were no longer going to be using any NWA:TNA performers who needed to be booked via the TNA offices. Goodman made the announcement after failing to come to an agreement with TNA official Bill Behrens about the new booking arrangement. Jac Sabboth's Impact Championship Wrestling, which works closely with Goodman, will also be pulling TNA talent from their upcoming events.
Goodman noted that he was unhappy about a number of points about the situation, including the idea of paying another company money for talent he had already been booking. In the case of most of the wrestlers involved, Goodman had been using them before NWA:TNA was formed in 2002. Goodman, who has also booked performers (including Raven) for other independent shows and events, felt that he didn't want to pay TNA for relationships and contacts he had already cultivated himself and for work that he himself could do for free.
Goodman was also upset about the idea that TNA could potentially halt any booking plans on the shows that might go against their storylines, feeling that once he booked a performer to work for his shows, he should be able to have the freedom to book storylines around his parameters (within reason), not the parameters of another company that he has no involvement with. In the statement, Goodman noted that he understood TNA's stance on why they wanted to protect talent they push, but said, "I also cannot run a successful indy show knowing that any angle or match I do can be altered by TNA to protect their own talent."
Goodman left the door open to go through the TNA office for future talent, noting that, "I would not be shocked if at some point in time USA Pro did work with TNA on obtaining talent that we did not have a relationship with but we cannot let an outside company have any type of creative control over a wrestler winning and losing on our shows. Now I would like to state that I fully understand that TNA would not like to spend the money on say an AJ Styles and invest in him being world champion and then have an indy show ruin him by jobbing him out to Joe Schmo, so I do understand their points. I just don't feel it's the right situation for us."
Goodman also announced that he was pulling The Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels off of his 5/14 return to Jamaica, Queens at Club Amazora as a result of the TNA situation and that Red, Daniels, and AJ Styles (who Goodman noted he did book through Styles' agent Bill Behrens) would no longer be booked by the promotion. Goodman explained that he had dates and storylines for all three booked through September and did not want to work under the new parameters created by the NWA:TNA edict and did not want to pay TNA's office for wrestlers he could book himself (noting Styles as the exception). Goodman did praise TNA's Behrens for trying to work out a situation with him over the last several days.
Goodman also noted that he has no contractual ties with NWA:TNA and will continue to book talent that he wants to work on his shows. Goodman noted that it is up to the talent to inform him they cannot work for him unless he goes through the TNA office or to handle the situation themselves with TNA's management. Goodman said it was up to the talent and the TNA office to sort out the situation themselves and, "please leave me out of it." Talent that TNA uses that also work for Goodman include Shane Douglas (who holds the USA Pro championship), Sonjay Dutt, Raven, and Simon Diamond. All are booked on the promotion's next event on 5/14.
Goodman goes in detail about his decision on the promotion's local hotline in New York City, which can be called at (516)-214-8333.
As we broke here on PWInsider.com, effective 6/1, all contracted NWA:TNA wrestlers must now be booked through the NWA:TNA office. Independent promoters seeking to use the wrestlers must provide a 50% deposit immediately upon booking the talent and pay a 15% management fee to TNA as well.
Goodman's decision is the first known fallout of the TNA decision. Prior to the announcement, TNA officials informed contracted talent that they were no longer allowed to compete for Ring of Honor as well.
I Really can't see this being the only promotion to fall out with NWA TNA, Infact this could effect, All the promotion's in all honesty that use NWA TNA Talent. Why is it that i can see a few TNA Contracted worker's walking out of the promotion, Especially if promotion's no longer want to book them.
Thought's?
by Mike Johnson @ 2:19:00 PM on 5/9/2004
Frank Goodman's USA Pro Wrestling, which regularly promotes New York City, announced today on the message board of the promotion's website that they were no longer going to be using any NWA:TNA performers who needed to be booked via the TNA offices. Goodman made the announcement after failing to come to an agreement with TNA official Bill Behrens about the new booking arrangement. Jac Sabboth's Impact Championship Wrestling, which works closely with Goodman, will also be pulling TNA talent from their upcoming events.
Goodman noted that he was unhappy about a number of points about the situation, including the idea of paying another company money for talent he had already been booking. In the case of most of the wrestlers involved, Goodman had been using them before NWA:TNA was formed in 2002. Goodman, who has also booked performers (including Raven) for other independent shows and events, felt that he didn't want to pay TNA for relationships and contacts he had already cultivated himself and for work that he himself could do for free.
Goodman was also upset about the idea that TNA could potentially halt any booking plans on the shows that might go against their storylines, feeling that once he booked a performer to work for his shows, he should be able to have the freedom to book storylines around his parameters (within reason), not the parameters of another company that he has no involvement with. In the statement, Goodman noted that he understood TNA's stance on why they wanted to protect talent they push, but said, "I also cannot run a successful indy show knowing that any angle or match I do can be altered by TNA to protect their own talent."
Goodman left the door open to go through the TNA office for future talent, noting that, "I would not be shocked if at some point in time USA Pro did work with TNA on obtaining talent that we did not have a relationship with but we cannot let an outside company have any type of creative control over a wrestler winning and losing on our shows. Now I would like to state that I fully understand that TNA would not like to spend the money on say an AJ Styles and invest in him being world champion and then have an indy show ruin him by jobbing him out to Joe Schmo, so I do understand their points. I just don't feel it's the right situation for us."
Goodman also announced that he was pulling The Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels off of his 5/14 return to Jamaica, Queens at Club Amazora as a result of the TNA situation and that Red, Daniels, and AJ Styles (who Goodman noted he did book through Styles' agent Bill Behrens) would no longer be booked by the promotion. Goodman explained that he had dates and storylines for all three booked through September and did not want to work under the new parameters created by the NWA:TNA edict and did not want to pay TNA's office for wrestlers he could book himself (noting Styles as the exception). Goodman did praise TNA's Behrens for trying to work out a situation with him over the last several days.
Goodman also noted that he has no contractual ties with NWA:TNA and will continue to book talent that he wants to work on his shows. Goodman noted that it is up to the talent to inform him they cannot work for him unless he goes through the TNA office or to handle the situation themselves with TNA's management. Goodman said it was up to the talent and the TNA office to sort out the situation themselves and, "please leave me out of it." Talent that TNA uses that also work for Goodman include Shane Douglas (who holds the USA Pro championship), Sonjay Dutt, Raven, and Simon Diamond. All are booked on the promotion's next event on 5/14.
Goodman goes in detail about his decision on the promotion's local hotline in New York City, which can be called at (516)-214-8333.
As we broke here on PWInsider.com, effective 6/1, all contracted NWA:TNA wrestlers must now be booked through the NWA:TNA office. Independent promoters seeking to use the wrestlers must provide a 50% deposit immediately upon booking the talent and pay a 15% management fee to TNA as well.
Goodman's decision is the first known fallout of the TNA decision. Prior to the announcement, TNA officials informed contracted talent that they were no longer allowed to compete for Ring of Honor as well.
I Really can't see this being the only promotion to fall out with NWA TNA, Infact this could effect, All the promotion's in all honesty that use NWA TNA Talent. Why is it that i can see a few TNA Contracted worker's walking out of the promotion, Especially if promotion's no longer want to book them.
Thought's?