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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 10:26:17 GMT -6
There was plenty of room for me to talk into knowing the local politicians and community leaders which resulted in arranging for shows in many untapped places.
Who do you think arranged for the VWAA to have the building in Lansing in the first place?? You think Lansing would have just let the VWAA set up shop without a business license. Not too many wrestling companies can get into Lansing or Calumet City IL...must be a reason. There was a lot of talking behind the scenes that I was only involved with to get that license and other things to say the least.
Hell, I even had the VWAA as a primary sponsor for an 18-21 all-girl volleyball team that none of the guys supported if I can add. That doesnt happen without talking. Many many missed opportunities.
As for local TV channel4 in Lansing....who arranged for that? Little known fact is that I arranged for the VWAA to have free air time for all house shows. Maybe the real question is "Why and who blew this opportunity".
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 11:18:07 GMT -6
Is it true you spent a bunch of money on t-shirts for the Furies because they were your friends when there was supposed to be a vote on who to spend t-shirt money on?
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 11:24:34 GMT -6
Not when you pay out of your own pocket money. I never touched the company money for those shirts. I even bought Ivan Manson's shirts too out of respect. And yes..with my own money.
How about when the other owner spray painted the Fire Sprinklers and the Fire Department issued a $5000 fine...who paid that out of pocket ? Me !!
And yes the Furies were great friends and not treated fairly. In order to keep them happy and stay with the VWAA I bought the shirts and my wife killed me for it.
How about how we lost JJ Kelly as a sponsor ?? Like to hear that story too??
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 11:28:13 GMT -6
So you spent your own money on t-shirts for a indy tag team that would only sell to their friends and families? And it's Obama's fault your broke right?
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 11:36:57 GMT -6
Who says Im broke??
Dont all sports teams sell to their friends and families? Have yet to see a Bears fans buy a Packer shirt.
Mitch Blake was one of my pall-bearers for my dad if you must know. Highly respected along with Virgil.
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 11:54:11 GMT -6
"Dont all sports teams sell to their friends and families? Have yet to see a Bears fans buy a Packer shirt."
either your saying professional teams which means VWAA had 5-20,000 fans a night which is a lie or your comparing VWAA to a local youth sports team which is more or less admitting it was social club and not a wrestling promotion.
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 12:19:59 GMT -6
Nope..you are wrong on my point of view.
Far from a social club. Please tell Mitch Blake, Hunter Paine or Machine or any former VWAA wrestlers that it was a social club and I think they would beg to differ.
As for buying a shirt...its pennies when compared to one of the owners taking the remaining money in the account from the bank loan the VWAA received to finance a truck claiming it was for a business when used for personal reasons.
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 12:33:42 GMT -6
You guys took out bank loan to start a indy wrestling company? Why? Do you guys like defaulting on loans?
How much did WCPW lose on the outdoor show in October at Toyota Park?
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 12:45:33 GMT -6
Needed the loan to pay for the ring, belts and my brother to rebuild the building. Thanks for my sister who years later admitted to paying off my brother so that the VWAA could avoid a huge lawsuit from my brother and the city of Lansing.
What killed us was not collecting any revenues in the form of dues or membership. My vote to raise dues didnt count. Concentration went on the shows instead as the money maker which was a mistake.
I left when one of the owenrs yelled at my wife, 4 year old son and 9 year old daughter because they were selling candy to cover the cost of the fire sprinklers incident. At this time, 5 sponsors were lost.
Actually WCPW made money which is why Toyota Park brought us in the following year. Based on the results from Toyota Park, I was very close in having a Wrigley Field show when WCPW closed its doors.
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 12:52:48 GMT -6
You guys had BOTB as a outdoor show in the rain, in October, and then the next year BOTB was at a gym I thought.
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 14:18:46 GMT -6
The first show was Legends under the stars. This made money and Toyota Park brought us in the following year which is correct, we had rain, hail, light snow and cold.
However from what I heard, the show still made money thanks to the sponsors. Hard to believe but the Park still made money. I do know that there was a change in management at Toyota Park the year after that which affected WCPW from returning.
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Post by CameronJacobsLies on Feb 20, 2013 17:30:16 GMT -6
How much did you even sink into VWAA?
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Post by bobbyj on Feb 20, 2013 20:19:05 GMT -6
Im not afraid to admit. Close to 18 - 20K. which includes the out of court settlement. Still paying on the second morgage. Most was rent, insurance, and other related expenses. Came very close to losing a marriage.
It was also when I reached the 18k mark that the city of Lansing came down hard on their request for a plot of survey. For a year I was trying to work with the city to meet this requirement. The landowner refuted and I was scrambling with the city board for weeks until I left the VWAA. Last I heard the police were watching the place and waiting to bust a show because a plot of survey was needed. I still blame myself for missing this loophole with the city. I think a show was forced to cancel but I am not sure.
The VWAA started with a good concept, great Talent and a great promise. However the same could not be said for our business practices.
Met many great guys and learned alot from Steve Cain who has a wealth of knowledge on being a ref.
I did my math before I signed on as a 3rd owner but revenue was not being collected nor enforced until it was too late. Im also a graduate from a business college. Before you knew it, everyone who was "IN" seemed to get a free ride and the shows were filled with family and friends who didn't pay. There were too many holes.
The guys wanted shows and more shows..I think we were doing 2 - 3 shows a month but no money was coming in. It was sad that my sister came up with an idea to have a basket for "TIP MONEY" just to get a buck or two extra.
Ship was sinking and like a gambler..I kept pumping money into it to keep it afloat until I abandon ship in 2009. You get addicted that you can make a difference and team player crap about being the one to save a business or your not doing enough as an owner especially when there were 3 of us at the time.
Found out through the lawsuit a promissory note was taken out which thank God I didnt sign. Crazy sh*t for a burning ship that was sinking badly.
Have to give credit to WCPW and DeCero..he knew how to stay afloat for 20 plus years and keep money in the account. If I could do it over again..Should have stayed with WCPW and invested in their product.
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