83 Weeks with Eric Bischoff - Strictly Business with Eric Bischoff #46: Al Snow

Episode Date: September 28, 2023

In this edition of Strictly Business, Eric Bischoff welcomes professional wrestler and owner of Ohio Valley Wrestling Al Snow to the show! Eric and Al discuss Al's hit Netflix Docuseries "Wrestlers" and how it came to be. They also deep dive into the process of building the show and what's next for the series. Special thanks to this week's sponsor! Manscaped- Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code WRESTLEBIZ at Manscaped.com. BlueChew- Try BlueChew FREE when you use our promo code WRESTLEBIZ at checkout--just pay $5 shipping. FOLLOW ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA at https://83weekslinks.com/ Stop throwing your money on rent! Get into a house with NO MONEY DOWN and roughly the same monthly payment at SaveWithConrad.com On AdFreeShows.com, you get early, ad-free access to more than a dozen of your favorite wrestling podcasts, starting at just $9! And now, you can enjoy the first week...completely FREE! Sign up for a free trial - and get a taste of what Ad Free Shows is all about. Start your free trial today at AdFreeShows.com If your business targets 25-54 year old men, there's no better place to advertise than right here with us on Strictly Business. You've heard us do ads for some of the same companies for years...why? Because it works! And with our super targeted audience, there's very little waste. Go to AdvertiseWithEric.com now and find out more about advertising with Strictly Business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Equal Healthy Lended. Woo! Hello! Hello, everybody. Eric Bischoff here with another episode of Stricted Business. can tell my normal regular average everyday co-host is not here today. John Alba is off. I am Ashley. I am recording this right before I take off and jump on a plane, head over to the UK, Ireland, Scotland. Have a little bit of fun, do a little business, meet some fans, hang out,

maybe have a pint or two. But before I take, I took off, I wanted to bring in Al Snow. Al is a guy that I've known for a long time. We actually kind of came up in the wrestling business in a way, much at the same time and some parallels in our careers, although Al was in a wrestler and I was just a salesman. But nonetheless, we've got some parallel background. We're going to talk about that. But what I really want to talk about is Al's new series on docu-series on Netflix. So without any further ado, let's bring in Mr. Al Snow. Al, how are you today? I'm just fine. How are you, Eric? I'm good, man. I'm really.

really good. By the way, congratulations. I saw you about two weeks ago in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. Cool little town, man. Just really interesting little town I've never been through there before. And very historically relevant to wrestling. I mean, that was where that field house we were in was where Vince Senior used to do the WWF TV. Yeah, that was interesting while I was sitting there, you know, signing autographs. The promoter that put that event on came over and we talked for a little bit. And as we're sitting there he gave me a little bit of history and some of the big events that took place there the jimmy snooka roddy piper famed coconut event back in the corner and all that but he also you know the ring was set up because there were there were matches there that evening after the convention

and he said see that lighting grid up there and you know calling it a lighting grid is being very kind but it was it was in fact a lighting grid but he said see that lighting grid up there Vince senior bought that and that's the lighting grid that he used to produce TV Way back when. Yeah. And, you know, when you see something like that and you look at what we use and utilize now, even on a scale here in OVW, you know, in comparison, it's just incredible that, you know, basically that lighting grid that was hanging above the ring that

did senior purchase to do television, you might as well have just hung up a bunch of flashlights on a string, you know. And look where the business is now. I mean, we went from that. That was probably a fairly advanced setup compared to some of the old TV studio shoots that we probably both grew up watching. But it was fascinating to me just to sit there and look at that grid and think of everything that took place in the ring below it for so many years that made such a mark and so instrumental in laying the foundation for where the industry is today. It's kind of a mind trip in a way. yeah it's it's it's it's incredible the the evolution i guess you know of professional wrestling

as far as um technology and and the delivery of of the art form but what i love most i think about professional wrestling that is no matter how much everything else about it and around it evolves the actual art doesn't change it's it always remains exactly the same. It's storytelling, man. It's good guys and it's bad guys. It's it's a confrontation and conflict that plays out on a stage. We call it a wrestling ring, but that's a stage. And the dialogue in professional wrestling, unlike stagecraft or television or film, the dialogue in professional wrestling is probably 75% of it takes place as a physical art form as opposed to a narrative art form and it is fascinating when you look at the history and where it began and where it is

today and to your point how much it really hasn't changed the presentation has but the core of it is exactly the same yeah it's i say that it is the art of physical storytelling within the context and that's this is the most important thing so within the context of a competitive situation You know, we're selling that the professional wrestlers are prize fighters and that this is, this is a professional competitive combat sport, sporting event. You know, that's really at the essence. That's what we're selling. I want to talk, we're going to get into Netflix because I have a million questions.

Sure. But before we do that, I mentioned in the intro that you and I have a parallel path in some respects in that, I believe you told me one. time that you broke into professional wrestling in the AWA. Did I hear remember that right? I broke in actually, uh, it was in 1982 and then what I would do is because at that time when you first broke in, you would make, you know, you would travel, you wouldn't be in the actual territory. You, you had to earn your way in.

And what you did was by being a, uh, what the term job guy, uh, where you went to TV and you were there, uh, what we now call today enhancement. talent, you know, because you were inexperienced, you didn't have a name that they could market. And, you know, the way you got your foot in the door was to travel to the different territory. So I would travel to out to Vern Gagne, AWA, and I would do TV there, and, you know, I was a job guy. I would go to Indianapolis for Dick the Brewzer. I would go to up into Windsor for George Cannon down to the Paphos, you know, for Randy Savage and his dad and, and work TV. I would go to St. Louis for Sam Muchnake, Kansas City, for Bob Geigle, just, you know, all the different

areas and would work TV and get, you know, and the term job guy came from the fact that, you know, as a talent, if you were in the territory, um, you made your money on the live events. You weren't, you weren't paid for TV back then. Um, you know, and either were the promoters, by the way. Yeah, neither were the promoters. They weren't either. Um, um, but, you know, if you weren't going to be used on the live events, you were only coming in for that particular day, it was, it was doing a job. It was not an opportunity or a commercial. It was doing a job. And hence the term job guy or doing a job was where that phrase was coined what what time period did you work for verne uh 82 to 84 85 i believe it was okay so you were there before i got there for sure

i was i was at home watching you at the time but i was home watching you during that period time i i apologize how did you like working for verne i i like you know uh verne was a uh you know he was a he was a tough tough guy there we go we got you got you got you back you dropped out for me a little bit oh sorry about that i asked you how you liked working for verne oh yeah yeah uh verm was a he was a stern guy uh he was a straight guy and direct guy and you know uh but i liked him i respected him that's for sure uh sometimes he could be you know he was the boss so you know what do you what do you get to say i you know you know did you ever see did you ever see get a glimpse of verne going jesus yes yes yes yes yeah lots of times i think i've seen it in my

sleep for a couple of years yeah every every tv i'd see him walking through the locker like jeez what are some of the names the bigger names in aWA that you work with during that period of time do you recall oh yeah um uh let me see uh the fabulous ones when they were out there for their run uh rick martel uh bucks zoom off uh crusher blackwell um uh out of bonds um that was that was exciting um that that actually that that video surfaced on the internet not that long ago of that match it was myself and another guy in a handicapped match and you know uh he and uh abdul the butcher walked in and my heart just sank because just you know i could i could bump really well and you know and I knew like they would always put me with the monsters they were trying to get over at the time

and I just I had a feeling I was like oh god this is not going to be a fun day and brodie at the time like he had a notorious reputation among all the the job guys like if you know things didn't go well in the ring he would he would beat you up you know and and I'd literally like the week or two weeks before I'd just been in Missouri for Sam Muchnick And a couple of the guys were down there, like, oh, Brody was in territory. And, you know, he was working with a guy here on TV. And the guy did something. He kicked him in the face.

And his eyes started leaking fluid. And I'm like, oh, good Lord. You know, and, you know, they go, Al, you and, you know, Victor Lewis was his name, was my friend. He goes, you guys are going to be working a handicapped match with bruiser Brody. And I'm like, my heart just sunk. I thought, I'm going to die, you know. And I went to him and I said, listen, you know, I'll do whatever you want me to do. I don't have any problem.

I just want you because a couple of weeks before, you know, Scott Irwin, Bill Irwin's brother, he was working his super destroyed. And I'm sure it was because I was dumb, you know, decided to smart me up a little bit in the ring. And repeatedly, he kept rabbit punch me in the back of the head. And it was so much that when I got back to the locker room, I couldn't, all I saw was black and out of my left eye for about a half an hour. So I said, hey, you can hit me wherever you want, do whatever you need. Just please don't, if you could, sir, don't hit me in the head. He goes, okay, don't worry. And I'm thinking, yeah, right. I'm not going to worry. Because now

you know he's going to hit you in the head. Yeah. Well, we go in the ring and like, yeah, he beat the crap out of, you know, but he never to, you know, I got to make clear when I say beat the crap out of both of us, he never hit you hard and unsafe places, you know. And he never did hit me in the hat. He, you know, he laid everything in because he was trying to get himself over. Sure. You know, and he was being very aggressive. And you know how you can sense the rhythm of the match and you know, oh, well, we're coming, we're getting to the point we're about to go home.

You know, you don't even need somebody to tell you. You can kind of sense it. And I was like, oh, I got to get tagged out. I got to get tagged out. So I don't have to take the finish. And he grabs me by the hair. And he walks over to my partner and he kicks him right in the face. I mean, he literally lifts his leg up and just straight out like, pooh, and kicked him so hard, like he hung on the poor guy hung on the rope.

And I hear him growl. He goes, fall down. And he just kicks him again and broke his nose. And the guy just sails off the ring apron. He slams me. He goes, don't move, kid. Backs over into the turn buckle. And I'm like, I'm going to die.

I'm going to die. Oh, and he never touched me. Not once. Hook my leg. said thank you and i think i peed myself a little bit with relief as i walked out of the locker great stories great stories well let's get into your project man sure the name of your series it's uh wrestlers uh very direct uh very pretty self-explanatory you know what it's covering and um it was what an amazing talent uh Greg whitely uh was the director and producer

of wrestlers he's also the director and producer of cheer and of last chance you and uh what an amazingly talented person he and the entire crew all of them uh just incredible people and i think one of the great benefits of of doing this project is i've gotten to meet such amazing people that i'll probably continue to have a lifelong relationship with well after this is faded away that's awesome it's awesome but I want to I want to back up and get into how how your series got made it was this an idea that you had worked on or did somebody come to you with this idea well what had happened was you know we brought on original partners where myself Chad Miller Joe Reeves and Larry Vins we went in and we bought OVW from Danny Davis and and then COVID happened you know and then we were we kept it going, you know, and still producing weekly television, just granted they were recap shows, all of them, but we were still able to keep that going, but we were financially at a place where we needed, you know, an influx of capital. So we brought on Craig Greenberg

and Jeff Tublin and Matt Jones. They bought a majority stake in the company. And, Through that, Craig, I believe it was Craig and his wife, had a relationship. This is literally a one and a million chance. I mean, when I explain this, I mean, it's just incredible that it even occurred. So they had bought into the company, a school friend, a high school friend had came back into town to attend a wedding. They met, had a conversation that came up about wrestling. One thing led to another.

and she was an executive with BBC America. And then kind of took that back to BBC America. It was pitched to Greg Whiteley by, you know, our other partner, Matt Jones kind of took the reins from there and with a young guy by the name of Alejandro Mendez with BBC America. They pitched it to Greg Whiteley. He agreed, you know, wanted to do the project.

And then, you know, they came here, you know, how the thing goes. you do the teaser tape, they come back, they do a little bit of a teaser episode. You know, Netflix is on the, on the, you know, cusp. They don't really know. They showed up at the end of May, the last week of May, and they were here until the end of August, all the way through August, the beginning of September, filming seven days a week, 12 to 16 hours a day. and that I have to emphasize this isn't a reality series quite honestly it is a documentary and you know everyone to the testament of the staff the talent everyone you know 100% we decided to commit and and open up completely every aspect of our lives you know and they Greg very respectfully went and documented all of it what happens in the ring backstage

age, you know, when these these people leave and they get in the cars, they go home to their families. I mean, you know, we, you can't be half pregnant. You've got to be either all in or all out. And we were all in as far as opening up and being as open about and real as possible about our lives. Let's step aside for a second, Eric, to remind the Strictly Business listeners out there that this episode of Strictly Business is presented by Blue Chew. Let's talk about sex gentlemen guys remember the days and it might have been a while ago it's okay if it was it might have even been just a few weeks ago when you were always ready to go on a moment's notice no shame our bodies change now you can increase your performance and get that extra confidence

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They just happen to be attached to BBC America, which does a lot of great documentaries and docu-series. What about the deal-making process? Who on your side of the team, your side of the equation, was the point person, if there was one, to negotiate the deal? Matt Jones, one of the partners, I believe spearheaded with,

Alejandro Mendez of BBC America, spirited the, came together to bring the whole project to fruition. Did you have any second, once you knew, because you don't know until you're actually filming the way television works, but once you started or right before you started, did you have any second thoughts

that kind of like pulling your pants down and showing your ass, meaning exposing everything? Because you came up in an era that, you know, you and I both kind of fall into that old school era, you know, late 70s, early 80s, coming up at the business early on. It's kind of hard to just open up and tell everybody everything. I still have a hard time today. I do it, but I have to remind myself it's okay.

Did you have any trouble doing that? Yeah, I did. I was, you know, a lot of different era. And I was very reticent. You know, let's not full ourselves. you know, the American society as a whole has known that professional wrestling's been predetermined since the 1940s here in the United States. And, you know, there's always been that unspoken agreement, which we in wrestling call Cape Bay, but unspoken agreement of, hey, we know you know

is the audience that we know you know, but we're not going to insult you and we're not going to rub your nose in it. And the audience is like, hey, we know you know that we know and we're not going to, you know, we're going to enjoy it. We're going to take it for what it is. You know, and I was, I was, to be honest, very reticent about, but I felt like I could trust Greg Whiteley in the crew to treat it with as much respect and irreverence as people like you and I in the business ourselves do and you know and you know pull back the curtain and we did but we didn't pull it so far back which i can give you as like the wizard of Oz you know we we pulled it back enough to where you could see there was a little old man standing behind the curtain but we didn't pull it so far back

that we take away the magic to where you see him pushing buttons and turning knobs and things like that Greg focuses not more on it being an expose of wrestling. You know, he focuses more on these and the lives of those personalities and what drives them and how much wrestling gives them a purpose in life, you know, and that pursuit defines them, you know. And that really is the drama in any good documentary or docu-series or even, you know, silly reality shows. And I distinguish them because reality shows. to me are taking unprofessional, not actors and actresses, putting them into staged situations where you know you're going to get a reaction. They know you're looking for a reaction.

So while they're not actors and actresses, they're pretending they're actors and actresses in an absolutely contrived situation, and you're hoping to get drama. That's the Kardashians. And some of the reality shows that Jason Hervey and I produced, it was the same thing. But a docu-series and a docudrama is quite different because you're following an arc, you're following a story like the mother and daughter, for example, is what stood out in the two episodes that I've watched so far. Yeah, it's about wrestling. Wrestling is a backdrop. The stakes are there. We learn all about what they've gone through, what they've overcome drugs, alcoholism, abuse, whatever it may be. And wrestling is the one thing that A brings them together as a mother and daughter, which is a mother and daughter, which is, a little unique, and then it's the challenge and the opportunity in pursuing the dream. That is, that's a story that could have a backdrop in just about any environment,

and yours happens to be wrestling, which is unique because people don't often get to see behind the curtain or even understand the process. You know, we, in the United States, we know how the NFL system works, right? You start midget football when you're six and then you play all through grade school and you get to high school and maybe just maybe you'll get scouted or get a scholarship to college. And then if you happen to be able to play in college, there's about that one half of one percent chance, you know, you may get drafted into the NFL and there's even a smaller chance that you may actually play and make a profession out of it. same thing with baseball basketball we understand the process and the evolution in major sports because we're exposed to it a lot now it's a business actually but with professional wrestling like how do you get there how do you go from hey i think i'd like to do that

to doing that and that's what's so cool about your docu series is it gives people a chance to to better understand and while it may be exposing it to a certain degree as you point out not in a way that offends anybody but in a way that I think makes people appreciate it even more because it is so hard and it does take such a big

commitment and that's what I was most excited about when I saw the first two episodes is that that's the kind of thing that it will actually make the business better in my opinion because it will give people a better appreciation and understanding of it and that was

my hope you know i desperately wanted this project to that if you were a wrestling fan it would only increase your appreciation and respect for you know the art and the and the performers if you were not a wrestling fan my you know i had that same goal when we did tough enough and i had the same retic doing it that i did you know uh with this the same i forgot you were even i forgot you you were part of tough enough, too. That gave you a little bit of an insight into the process. That's pretty cool. Yeah. And I was, you know, and you know as well as I do that it being a docu series, it's not, like you said, I want to differentiate it. It's not a reality show. There were no,

you know, you're seeing people as to who they are. You're seeing real reactions, real behavior, you know, good or bad. And, you know, as such, you know, I was desperately hoping that, which I think, thanks to Greg and his, you know, masterful way he did things, I think that if you're not a fan, it has eyes to potentially created, if nothing else, a curiosity and maybe garnered some much needed respect for the business of professional wrestling and the art of professional wrestling. and it might actually bring you in and make you a fan of it. You know, and if I can achieve that with this project, then I think that it's a home run. How about your students? I'll refer to them as talent as they are in this show, subjects maybe.

I mean, I already know the answer to this question. Anytime you give young talent an opportunity to get camera time, they're probably going to be excited about it. But did you have anybody that's a part of your school that was like, man, I don't know if I really want to be a part of this, or was pretty much everybody on board? No, there were some talent that were resisted to it and were hesitant to be a part of it. And, you know, I had to explain to them just what a, you know,

what a monumental opportunity this could turn out to be for them. You know, the amount of exposure by major platform. like Netflix and the number of people that could see them get interested in them and now could help to create an opportunity to make themselves an attraction was just something that you know they couldn't pass up that it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity that they may never ever get again if it passes my and luckily you know they's Did I lose you again? No, we got you.

Okay. Yeah, I can't tell. So, you know, that, you know, everyone decided, you know, opened up and decided to take advantage of this. And I couldn't be happier because, you know, contrary, you know, Eric, there's such innings these days, you know, in the wrestling business. And, you know, people think that they're. their employees of a company, you know, oh, well, so-and-so is getting fired from WB. You can't fire a wrestler.

You know, it's a business relationship between the wrestler and the promoter. The wrestler is an entrepreneur, and he's selling a product, and that product just happens to be him, inviting basically the platform that will allow the wrestler to create a commercial, because that's what every wrestling match is. That's what every wrestling show is. It's not a show. It's a commercial. to sell your product, which are your wrestlers. And, you know, the promoter's giving the wrestler an opportunity to go through that curtain

and take what that wrestler does and make himself an attraction, connect with a star, and be the thing that sells tickets and drives TV ratings and sells merchandise and licensing and et cetera. And then together, the promoter and the wrestler exploit, capitalize and exploit what the wrestler has done on the promoters,

platform. And, you know, and taking advantage of an opportunity like this, any degree, it would be insane to have missed that chance. And literally, I can tell you, because it's the most disappointing thing for me, because I think I say in the, in the, in the documentary that I actually want these people to succeed more than they do themselves. And that's probably the most frustrating aspect of doing this is that we had, we had a deep two million dollar television project that was here seven days a week, you know, for months. And, you know, I have Doug Basham, was a former WB wrestler, great trainer. He's here. He runs a class on a Monday and a Wednesday for two hours each day. They had cameras here every one of those days. And the same

number of people and the same people that showed us in documentary arriving were the same people that came to those classes and were on camera and no one else came and i'm like you're missing such an immense opportunity to get camera time and to have an opportunity to have a conversation with the producers and the directors and the crew and tell them your story and that potentially can make you now the focus of the show that could literally and do give you the dreams that you want to dream you claim you have and yet you can't you can't motivate them to come in and just simply do that one step you know and take advantage for that opportunity and it's it's disappointing you know it is indeed because they'll also learn along the what you learn about television and that's one of the great

things about you know the wrestling business is yes you have to learn how to you have to learn in the technical aspects of performance and learn how to do the moves and all all the things that go along with it, learn how to sell and when to be aggressive, all that. But you also have to learn a little bit about how television works. Because ultimately, that's your goal, is to make it to television. And if you don't have any concept at all of how television really works at the most basic levels, you're really holding yourself back by only focusing on what you do in the ring. But it's hard to convince people of that sometimes.

Yeah, yeah, it is. I mean, that's why, you know, I'm really proud of the fact. like with my partner Chad, we were able to, and it took a, it was a process, but we were able to, through the State Office of Proprietary Education here, we were able to get accreditation as an actual trade school for professional. Oh, good for you. Yeah, and we don't just teach the in-ring skills, to your point. We teach lighting, sound, camera operation, you know, event management, personally.

financial finance, you know, the history of the wrestling business. We teach all of those, you know, and so, you know, now as a performer, not only do they better understand what they need to do in the ring because they've actually operated a camera and know what to look for and why we're looking for it, you know, and they can now exploit any opportunities that come for them in the ring, they now have skills that go outside of the ring and that they can still be an asset of UE going forward if in you know because it's not a matter of if it's it's a matter of when their career inside the ring is going to come to an end either through injury or just attrition you know um where their time's going to be up and

they can now step out of that ring and continue to be a you know positive uh part of the wrestling business um you know that's so you know that's why i didn't mean to interrupt you there we're I'll break you up just a little bit, get a little bit of a weak Wi-Fi signal somewhere along the way. But that's, you know, in the context of what's been going on recently in WWE, I think there was about 18 layoffs the other day or people that were released or not renewed, however you want to look at it. And, you know, I've got some empathy for those people. Now, most of them are young, most of them.

But when you get into your late 30s or early 40s, if you're on that list and you find your wrestling careers coming to an end, at least in WWE, you know, you often have to ask yourself, okay, I'm at the, I'm at a point in my career at an age where I either am going to continue making a living doing this for the next 20 years, or I've got to move out of the business. And you spend so much time learning your craft and traveling around the country, hoping to get an opportunity. And when that comes to an end and you have to transition out of professional wrestling. If you don't have a skill set that you've learned while you're wrestling that allows you to segue into being a talent producer or a television producer or an event management team,

be a part of an event management team, if you have no idea how the business of the wrestling business works, once your career in a ring is over, you're knocking on doors at Walmart wanting to be a greeter unless you've got a college education or some other which most people you know a lot of people do have a college education but it's hard to reinvent yourself when you're 40 trust me i've had to do it a couple times but fortunately i've had more of a business background than a wrestling background obviously but i'm glad to hear that you're doing that i wanted to ask you though with because this is you know strictly business it's about the business of the wrestling business. And with the with the Netflix docu-series now, how many, how many episodes are

their total? I've watched the first two. There are seven, seven total episodes. And are they all out yet? Or are you still? Yeah, they're all out. They're all out on Netflix. And, you know, uh, uh, it has been so amazingly received. We actually got a 100% rating on Rotten Tomato shows. And we were trending on Twitter. Of course, last week when it debuted, and then again on Saturday. And then again, I think it was on Monday or Tuesday, trending for like 24 hours. And then Variety, Forbes, Esquire, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, all gave it for, they featured it on the Today Show. They have a segment of shows that you should watch. He featured it and then raved about it.

You know, and again, that's, that's all a testament to the incredible talent of Greg Whiteley and his crew. I mean, and I was going to tell you, I watched, I literally, I saw you in Hamburg. I got home Sunday evening from that trip. Had dinner with Lori and, you know, play with my dog for a little bit, went a little hike, went to bed pretty early. I thought, no, man, I got to watch this. And I was just going to watch part of one. and I end up watching the first two episodes.

And the first thing I thought of almost texted you was late at night by then, but it was like, man, the open, just the open and the music, the music selection was so right on, the money. Yeah. Yeah, they, you know, they, I mean, they believed in this so much. I mean, you know how much the music lights alone. Somebody spent some money. And let me tell you, there's, you know, because they're selling the soundtrack.

to the to the to the to the show and there is some amazing music all the way through the entire series hey Greg the way he shot you know the the the actual wrestling matches and everything I mean it's so draws you in you know um you know I get goosebumps just thinking about I mean it it and there's so much to take in in every episode you know that most people that have watched it do like you like they start watching and they only have time they say to watch one and they end up watching two or three or they end up going through the whole seven episodes that they just can't stop themselves so that's a good thing you know that's yeah that's so i need to ask you a couple questions because this is strictly business and i you know because we're friends i normally wouldn't ask you these questions and if you don't want to answer

them i completely understand but i feel like a dip shit if i don't ask you ask anything you want When you talk about the soundtrack, for example, you know, in television, typically there's back-end. And back-end would involve, you know, a percentage of sales off the soundtrack. Does your group on your side of the equation, do you get to participate in any of that? No, we don't. The reason we don't. That's not unusual either. No, yeah.

Netflix. Go ahead. The deal was, you know, Netflix did pay. a certain amount of money you know like a I don't know what the fee would be called but like an access fee or something of that nature you know in regard you know but in regards to like what a typical deal that was the case because it's it was you know very made clear it was a documentary and as a result like you know reality series you know they pay the the people that are on those reality

series at least something per day you you know, because again, like you said, they're sort of semi-quazi actors, you know, in contrived, etc. And it was made very clear this is a documentary. And, you know, Greg wants to, you know, he wanted to make sure everyone understood he wanted to come here and he wanted to simply document what goes on and what happens and how people act. And as such, you know, the OVW got a certain fee, but from there on, you know, like no one else got paid. No one has a back-in deal. You know what? It doesn't matter because even if they would have offered you a back-end deal and wrote it in, put it in your contract, you wouldn't see a dime anyway.

All I know. It's an illusion that makes people feel better when they get it, but it doesn't mean anything. Yeah. But as far as upside goes, the exposure for OVW, I've got to think with as many people, as many eyeballs that are on this, there's going to be somebody watching it who is thinking about maybe breaking into the business. Have you seen the benefit of that yet? You know, I think the best way I can describe this is that right now we're about to go on a roller coaster ride.

and we're literally at the top of the hill looking down at that first big drop and we've yet to really take off saying that though like last night for TV you know TV tapings we sold out we had to turn people away but I want to make it clear like for the last probably year and a half we've been slowly building an audience and and this couldn't have happened at a better time business wise because you know we we we we've We literally have been, you know, we've not been knocking it out of the park. But more often than not, we've really started building an audience and a different, a new audience. And we've pretty consistently been on, especially in the big amount of the building. But this is our first TV that we, not only did we sell out the building, but we had to turn people away for that, that episode of TV that we were filmed, that we were doing. That's a happy problem to have. very much so and and I think you know it couldn't have happened because the the roster is in a place where now it they tried to communicate to them as to what we're selling how we go about selling it and and are primed now to capitalize on this exposure because I don't need to explain to you I mean this is a this is a springboard it's it's a launching pad but then you've got to be able to take that and then run with it you know and And if this had happened two years ago, three years ago, the talent, I wouldn't have had the roster in the place that they are now that we could have utilized it to the degree that we can.

And of course, you know, I know it's going to just simply, you know, blow everything here up. I mean, with the relevancy and the exposure, not only for the company, but for the wrestlers themselves. And it's going to create a whole list of issues and challenges for me that, you know, up until now I haven't had to deal with which is now I'm going to have to compete from my talent. You know, they're going to have opportunities thanks to their exposure because the one thing I can give them, you know, that they couldn't get anywhere else was that weekly television exposure that we offer, you know, on regionally we're on in a number of cities. here in the state, but then, and then, you know, we're on Fight TV, which is, goes all around, you know, streaming wise, and then we're on, you know, YTA, action channel, next level sports, game plus, RCN, and Lilley, they're all national networks. Granted, they're, they're not major ones, but, you know, like YTA's in about 50 million

homes across America, you know, you know, and so combined, we're in about 100 million plus homes between Canada and Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, Bahamas. So I was able to give them exposure on a regular basis to allow them to create opportunities elsewhere. Now they've got it. You know, they're also going to be really an attraction and they're going to be able to ask for more money. And so now I'm going to have to compete and make sure I have them because I need them here

on a consistent basis like, you know, as well, you know, I don't need to. tell you, Eric, in order to, the only reason you're putting your talent on TV besides utilizing them to create content, your real amazing main reason is your true to an attraction to draw money for you and your company. And they have to be there consistently week in and week out to be able to do that. And so now I'm going to have to face the challenge of competing with probably other promotions to keep them here. So that's going to be one of the downsides of all this. Yeah, I'm going to get that ball. Hey, Elle, thank you. much for everything you've done for me but i can't make your shop because i'm going to go work for so

and so speaking i already have that i already have that i have a pay-per-view i'm going to do october 21st so i'm going to build all my tv you know build your tv to really sell and put over those those matches and this one person and already i've got one coming to me you know haley j the the girl the being you know she's she's a you know and good for her but she's opportunity to the w on the 21st i'm like Well, here we go. We're off to the races now. She'll be back. Trust me.

Oh, yeah. I know. Oh, I know. OVW was officially a part of the WWE developmental territory and developmental system, probably a better way to say it. Yeah. No longer. But I would imagine you still have a pipeline.

You have a direct contact there. Are you still working with WWE and AEW or? Not so much anymore. No, no, I, you know, I have, there are still a few people that I know in WWE that are still there. And I'm protecting those relationships. But no, there's no direct interaction or contact, you know, with WWE. I mean, they, you know, they'll do a favor or whatever. Like if I want to do something, I want to use some video footage that they own, I mean, they have no problem with that.

That was the other thing I asked you, Greg used a, your director used a lot of WWE footage. I saw Hulk Hogan and Andre footage, I think, or for sure, Hulk Hogan footage several times in the episodes that I watched and a lot of other WWE footage, they tend to be very territorial when it comes to their trademarks and copyright material. How did you get access to that? I believe, you know, Greg contact, you know, the BBC America and Greg, they contact, and Greg,

they contacted WVE, and I think, you know, because of the association and the, you know, the relationships that we have had with WVE, I believe that's why they gave it a pass. They were, they allowed it to be used. That's awesome because it added a lot of value, you know, between the music, because it put everything in context, you know, we're watching these young talents who are, you know, scraping and fighting and clawing and trying to learn the very basics and fundamentals while they're trying to survive in their personal lives. And when you see what could be by using some of that footage and putting the opportunity in context, it really added a lot of value, I think, to the

story and in the context of it also. I'm glad that happened because it added, just like the music, it just added so much to it. Yeah. It was, you know, You're right. I think, you know, it showed the other side of the coin, you know, you're down here, you're struggling, you're, you know, you're scraping, you know, and you're, you don't doing everything you can just to survive, but yet if you stick with it, you, you might be, you could be here on that level, you know, where it's, it's, you know, the lights and the audience and, you know, and truly. being, you know, a superstar in no uncertain terms. You know, when you're in W&B, you are a superstar, unquestionably. Any conversations about another docu-series, a follow-up series, anything like that on the table yet? There have been conversations. I think there's a 10-day window, a 14-day window, and then like a 28-day window.

and from what I understand with Netflix makes those decisions like as far as a second season and a series that's dim the 10 or even, you know, only a rare few that have gotten the nod at a 14-day window type of thing. So we're just going to, we're on a holding pattern, wait and see if there will be a season two or not. I think they, you know, so that they can, you know, get all the metrics and get all the numbers. Sure. Make that decision, you know, as to whether or not it warrants a season two or not. Now, I know with Greg's past projects, with Last Chance You and Cheer, cheer had, you know, two seasons, and I know Last Chance You is still an ongoing series to this day.

So, you know, I would be surprised. you know, with the response we've gotten, which has been just overwhelmingly positive, just incredible. I think I would really be surprised if we don't get a season two. It's got to be so fun if you were doing it right now and you could work it out.

I'm pretty sure you probably, your BBC America could work it out. But it would be interesting to follow Haley as she's going from W. And now she's getting her crack at AEW. you, it would be fun to follow along and watch that, no matter how good it is or how bad it ends up, either or anything in the middle, that would be great content to have. And it's a natural kind of progression of what you've done so far. And I'm sure there'll be other opportunities like

that. So I'm pushing for you to get another, get another series. I appreciate it. I think there's a good chance that could happen. I mean, the talk or the discussions we've had is that if there is the season two, like their BBC America's going to come back here pretty quick within the next, you know, as soon as they get a yes or a note, you know, get a yes, they're going to load up and be back here and be filming like, you know, at least for a period, a short period of time for about a month or so I think was related. The seasons are changing and fresh ball fall is finally upon us. And you need to be in the festive spirit, right?

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And again, all due respect. Who the fuck writes your jokes? Come on. Tell me the truth. I'll tell you the truth. Some of them I find. Some people now send me. And then some I just, you know, I go, oh, that's funny.

And I just, you know, they put it up. So, you know. I love it. I love it. I follow you on Twitter. And I get the biggest kick. And I always wonder what does he do? Does he sit around?

Is he fantasizing about being a stand-up comedy guy or a writer? I've been doing stand-up comedy. I've been doing stand-up comedy, actually, for about the last eight months or whatever. I got to be the biggest challenge of my life. I have a stand-up comedy show I'm doing October 28th in my hometown where I grew up in Lyme, Ohio, and my mom's going to be in the audience. So that's going to be awkward. I'm going to tell you that's going to be awkward.

You know what I did a while back, and I don't know what motivated me to do it. I guess I was just bored, and I was trying to, you know, I like to learn new things, you know. Sure. In October, I'm taking a class, it's an online class, obviously, but at MIT Sloan, their business school, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's business school. And I'm taking a class there, I think it's 16 weeks on artificial intelligence. because I got to know how this shit works. You know?

Yeah. Like I tell people all the time, everybody that I've ever asked this question, you know, I say, do you have a microwave? They go, well, yeah, I have a microwave. Do you know how it works? No. You know, we all have it, but nobody knows how the freaking thing works. So I do, by the way.

If you're ever interested, I'll fly out. I'll share that with you. But in that frame of mind of like, I don't know how this stuff works. I've always been interested in creative writing, as it relates, especially to television, movie and film, script writing, and development. It's just an interest I have. And I guess it was born out of my experience

in producing television. And meeting people who are traditional writers, you know, that wrote fiction and scripted material. But I thought, man, what are these, how does the process, the writing, creative process work with comedians? So I went online, did some search, and I found there's a guy by the name of Jerry Corley. And I'm not promoting him, by the way.

I don't know if his comedy school is great or mediocre or the shits. But I got some material from them and spent some time online with them. And the process of writing comedy and the process of writing good wrestling, there's a lot of parallels there. And if you're interested in that, you should, I mean, check it out. I'm sure there's a lot of, you know, comedy writing. opportunities out i think the i think the performance wise too i you know i in wrestling you have to be authentic you have to 100% be the guy you're still in that ring it's got to be you an aspect of you

that you just turn up really loud when you're on stage in in comedy it's exactly for me the same experience i've got to be authentically me i've in order for it to be even remotely funny or entertaining it's got to come out of here it can't come from up here you know it's and with wrestling with comedy with any art you know that's that's why you know like I always tell the students here you know you know everyone can paint a house not everyone can be an artist you know there's used to you're old enough like I am you you know the old paint by number pictures I mean they were they were pretty pictures but you you would never see one hanging in a mutant, it was done from here in your head. It wasn't done from your heart,

so therefore it doesn't evoke emotion or connection to anyone who's viewing it, as opposed to if it's done from a place of passion, well, that it's going to evoke some kind of emotional response. And I believe that, you know, both wrestling and comedy are exactly that, that if you're not offend and doing in the wrestling ring from inside where you really feel it and believe it and if you're not on the comedy stage really you think you know for whatever reason in your own quirky way it's funny to you it's now funny to an audience you can communicate that well i'm i'm really proud of you i'm going to be i'll say a prayer for you i hope you guys get another season because i think it'll be good for it

for the school, obviously, for you, for the talent themselves. It'll be good for the wrestling business. And I couldn't be happier for you. I'm a big cheerleader for Al Snow and OVW. So congratulations. I hope we get another series out of it. And I can't wait to see you down the row, brother. I really, really genuinely do.

And, you know, I can't thank everyone for their support. You know, if they could just, if they, you know, even if you don't watch it, just hashtag, wrestlers netflix just keep supporting it spreading the word tell your friends and family you know this you know and i i really do hope sincerely that this is uh is good for the wrestling business i hope that it help and the audience and and take it to you know in a different direction and to a different level well we've got we've got an extremely loyal family here on the ad-free shows and on strictly business and uh between you asking them and me asking them to

please hashtag wrestlers hashtag Netflix wrestlers just hashtag your ass off will you come on help her brother out let's do it help us out HBO help her brother out there you go Al continued success my friend and like I said we'll see you down in a row maybe next time we'll have time to go out and grab a bite to eat have a beer it sounds great I really appreciate it Eric I can't thank you enough hey hey it's Conrad Thompson here to tell you a little more about what adfree Shows.com is all about. Get early, ad-free access to more than a dozen of your favorite wrestling podcasts every single week, starting at just nine bucks.

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