Okay, I looked through all 18 pages in this folder, and I didn't find this topic. I'm sure you all have made one like this before, but it's always a good topic of discussion.

Basically, if you were start a wrestling promotion today, or tomorrow, your preference, who would you contact and sign to contracts ? Where would you promote shows, who would be your top star, etcetera ?

I always like these threads, and for some reason, I think about this all the time.

I would basically run NC, SC, GA, and TN and pay to put my TV show on local access stations on those areas. I would run city rec centers, armories,etc. Any venue with about 1000-2000 seated capacity. Twice yearly I would run a supershow in the Cricket Arena in Charlotte which holds like 7,000.

I would use a mix of well known names / young talent / old timers, depending on who is getting over with the crowd. My full time roster would be fairly small with a lot of guys coming in for a few shows at a time.

Some regulars:
Chris Hamrick
Tracy Smothers
Brad Armstrong
Ric Converse
Corey Edsel
Vordell Walker
Caprice Colemen

Occasionally bring in:
Tully Blanchard
Midnight Express
Ricky Morton
Barbarian
Ricky Reyes

I'd basically just revive Carolina Championship Wrestling. I'd just spend less. That promotion should never have gone out of business while drawing 5,000 to shows.

Umm...yeah that's basically what I was doing.

Yeah, I just was just thinking the same thing really. I think that's the most sure fire kind of fed to start.

Do it here in the south, and you can draw 1,000 a week with no problem. Build up to the "Tribute" shows with a bunch of bigger names and old-timers and draw 5-7,000. There's money to be made there if you are smart with it.

Definately. I think they're problem was bringing in guys like Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes. Take those guys away and that's probably 10 grand a show you aren't spending.

Dusty Rhodes used to run a show in the town I went to college in. He didn't advertise, and ran it in an armory about 15 minutes out of town. Guess what? 200 a show anyhow. Advertise, and you've got double that EASY

If I was going to do a more original idea I'd probably head down to the New Mexico/Arizona/Texas area and open a lucha styled fed using CMLL talent. I'd actually start this anywhere in the U.S. but I figured my chances of getting CMLL talent would be easier the closer I was. I'd also probably bring in Osaka Pro guys and Chikara guys. I'd be going for mostly all masked wrestlers. Shark Boy would also be brought in.

I'd headline with Hijo Del Perro Aguayo vs. Mistico. I'd probably give Shark Boy a big push too. The guy's got a fanbase. Other CMLL talent would include Dos Caras Jr., Maximo, Ultimo Guerrero, Rey Bucanero and Averno. From Japan, Ebessen would probably be a must. Miliano Collection AT even though he's a Dragon's Gate guy.

I'd be going for a lot of quirky comedy guys outside of some of the workhorses from CMLL.

Hell, I'd watch that in a heartbeat. I would probably try to build a similar promotion around high flyers and comedy guys, with one or two quality horses thrown in. I would definitely have to get Milano Collection AT, because he's fantastic.

I'd make sure to sign:

Lesnar
Benoit
Finlay
Christian
Joe
Mysterio
Perro Jr.
SUWA
Dragon Kid
Milano Collection A.T.
GdI
Masato Tanaka
Claudio Castagnoli
Mike Quackenbush
Bryan Danielson
Rocky Romero
Mikey Whipwreck
Tajiri
Super Crazy
Roderick Strong
WGTT of Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas
Probably Chris Hero to tag with Claudio
Trish and Mickey for women along with various SHIMMER girls
Probably bring in Kawada occasionally too

You'd also hire Ultimate Warrior in a heartbeat.

I'd still bring those guys in for the big shows, but only for the big shows. One problem he had was that even after Tribute sold out, he still booked more big name talent on the card. That just doesn't make sense.

I was thinking about this again the other day and here's a new run through of a promotion and the wrestlers I'd sign:

Matt Morgan
Luthor Reigns
Brent Albright
Tank Toland
Chad Toland
Scoot Andrews
Preston Quinn
Damien Wayne
Sean Denny
Ric Converse
Jeff Lewis
Ace Rockwell
Krazy K
L.A. Par-K
Mistico
Shark Boy
Joey Ryan
Matt Classic
Scotty Blaze
Johnny Gargano

Didn't Scoot retire or is he making a comeback? And an NWA-VA/lucha hybrid promotion would be THE best. Good call.

No, still retired. That would be dependent on luring him back into being a wrestler by either promising a push or the right amount of money.

Oh, ok. Sell me on Scoot Andrews. I heard a fair amount of hype for him and have seen VERY little of stuff beyond the initial ROH shows, but I never saw anything too great about him. What am I missing? Any matches I can get my hands on where he's awesome?

Well, he was clearly better than Xavier during the matches they had in RoH. They should've really kept him instead. I can't think of anything off the top of my head though. Probably NWA Florida.

I wasn't high on Xavier as a babyface, either. But I actually liked his heel run with the belt. And he's not the worst champion in ROH history. James Gibson is. But that's besides the point. Is the rest of NWA Florida worth checking out, or would I just be looking for him? And what specific time period? I'd imagine around 02.

I've never been too high on Scoot either. In fact, the only really good match I remember him having also involved Danielson, Low Ki, and Chris Daniels way back in the day for I think ECWA.

I thought Scoot was fucking awesome in 2003... when I was 18. I go back and watch the same stuff now, and it doesn't hold up well.

I think he's just never been matched up right. I think you put him in a situation where he's wrestling a more old school heavyweight style and you'd see his game take a few steps up.