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Earlier this week at Uncharted Territory, Beyond owner Denver Colorado dropped some details to the crowd (and me, later) on this new promotion….well, maybe it’s a program? Or just a new show? It’s definitely under the Beyond umbrella, said DC.
It’ll be called “Wrestling Open” and launches in January. The plan is to continue running weekly wrestling shows out of the White Eagle in Worcester, still on Thursdays, still streaming live on IWTV, still available on IWTV VOD soon after. This coincides with the end of Uncharted Territory Season 3 (which closes out on 12/30). It’s not a replacement for it, UC was ending anyways. UC Season 4 WILL be coming eventually but dates and locations have not been confirmed yet.
The show is aimed at raising the profile of talent who maybe wouldn’t be able to be showcased on Uncharted Territory normally, giving them a platform to be noticed (not just by Beyond but Northeast promotions as a whole…and maybe beyond that too). Uncharted Territory has been doing this right along with the Discovery Gauntlet, which has helped springboard many unknown talents into the larger regional spotlight. This is more of that….just on a larger scale. At one point, a Discovery Gauntlet spinoff show was considered before the pandemic really kicked off and this feels like an evolution of that concept.
Another intent here is to keep weekly live wrestling going for the established fan base in Worcester with reduced ticket prices (going back to $10), which will hopefully bring in larger crowds. If you do think of this like a Discovery Gauntlet spinoff show, it’s also about making it even easier for helping potential new fans to discover the magic of live pro wrestling. The driving force here is to get more people in the door which helps get more eyes on up and coming talents.
The show’s format is unique and will be structured more like an open-mic night. DC is not booking this show actively and the Wrestling Open show’s content will be primarily driven through an open signup for all wrestlers in driving range of Worcester on any given week. Anyone can sign up (well, any WRESTLER!). Anyone who works the show gets paid. Will there be storylines? Will there be feuds? It remains to be seen and it really depends on who wants to make this a weekly stop.
The pay structure is unique and intriguing as it borrows from local music shows as its model. DC said he is working to streamline production costs, in order to maximize the amount of revenue that can be paid to the wrestlers and crew, who will all get an equal share of the gate. In addition to this, extra bonuses will be paid out based on IWTV streaming numbers. On the whole, it means that a lot of people who sometimes do setup/breakdown for free (a common practice of “paying your dues” in wrestling) and work for little pay (or have a VERY small asking price) will have the potential to make more than they typical would if everyone works to get people in the door and onto the stream. If the show does well, everyone wins.
As for Beyond itself, DC is going to focus on larger monthly shows (with WWR+ staying in the mix on a bi-monthly cadence). Obviously, getting over at the Wrestling Open could open the doors to getting onto these main shows (For example, see Discovery Gauntlet participants Mane Event and Waves & Curls making their Fete Forever debut last Sunday).
My take: Honestly, I’m excited. The Discovery Gauntlet has been one of my favorite parts of Uncharted Territory right along so I welcome the chance to give the region’s lesser known a talent a spotlight (and a payday). The real question will be if the area’s established talent is down to work in this interesting new paradigm. I feel like the answer is YES though since the local Beyond crew has always felt like a family, working to lift each other up and really helping to put a spotlight on everyone on the roster. DC made the comparison to me of a NY comedy club where Jerry Seinfeld goes in to do a set just because he feels like it and I recall seeing video of Prince just walking into an open mic one night and jamming out for an absolutely surprised crowd. Wrestling Open definitely has the potential to create moments like this for the fans. I like the feeling that, in a way Beyond is trying to create a TRUE indie show here, not another super indie. Where can people refine their craft in front of people with lower stakes? Right Here. It seems like the indies have been getting very polished over the past few years and the expectations are so much higher too. This? This is as DIY as it gets. Hell, this is as DIY as some of the shows I play with my band. It’s exciting to know that there’s an established audience for your content but that you can make it even better if you can get your own friends/fans through the door too. It’ll take a group effort to make each of these shows a success and who knows if the format stays the same. DC is definitely viewing this as an experiment and some things will definitely be tweaked as time goes on to make for a better show but it seems like he has a good conceptual foundation to start from. I’m into it…so I’ll see you in Worcester, friends. Until then!
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