Some matches should be used sparingly, like Hell in a Cell. Give the wrestlers a reason to fight inside the Cell, not just because it's October. Also, before Survivor Series, the Raw and Smackdown rosters hate each other all of a sudden and after the PPV forget about it.
Survivor series teams the winner should be before elimination chamber in my opinion and the winners of the team are all placed in the chamber along with the champion
Pacing is very important in a wrestling show. You kinda got to it, but never said it out loud. Your audience can't be excited the entire show. It would just wear them out. So you start with a hot midcard match to get the audience excited. Then have a couple of matches that people may not care as much about as a cooldown. Then there should be a secondary main event in the middle of the card to get the excitement back up. Then so on until the main event. Never put two hot matches back to back. It could exhaust your audience and (even worse) the second match may be a let down compared to the first. And for the love of all the gods, don't spend precious PPV time on long-ass promos. A few short ones are fine, but I definitely don't want to see a 15 minute promo in the middle of a show I paid for to see matches.
Really good job, Dave. When I was booking indy shows, several of the concepts you brought up were essential. Main Event is definitely your focus, as you said. Curtain Jerk, or just "opening match," is also essential because it could be used as a measuring stick to gauge your audience. This was usually a place to put cruiserweights as they were good at getting the audiences attention and set the tone for the show. One other concept is "The Popcorn Match" (i.e. the match after intermission). This was important because it helped get the audience focused on the show again after walking around and mingling with other fans and getting to meet some of the talent during intermission. Again, great job. Would love to hear you do commentary sometime. You've got the voice for it.
Great Video, Dave! It seems like a wrestling show is similar to a band's set list. You come out with your two heaviest, most thunderous songs. You want to blow open the doors and let them know whats in store for them. But after that you want to bring it down a notch afterwards, you want a low point, maybe your band has a ballad( pfft. ballads!) or slower song to "cooldown match" the audience. that way you can build up that momentum again for the big finale, which is going to be your "big hit", the song you play that everyone loves, ...much like a babyface main eventer in the final match of the night. Leave them with that big buildup to the finale. Oddly, if you dont, the people lose interest. If you just bash them over the head with the same crushingly heavy tunes that all sound the same, the audience starts tuning you out. They get bored. You have to bring them up, let them down, and bring them back up again for the big finish.
I think a great wrestling card is like a variety show there has to be something for everyone I’ll look at wrestlemania 17 which is regarded by many as the best US ppv ever it had technical wrestling (Angle vs Benoit) crazy hardcore action (Big Show vs Kane vs Raven, TLC 2) a soap opera match (Vince vs Shane) it had a squash match where the villain gets there’s (Chyna vs Ivory) it had comedy (the gimmick battle royal) and it had a star studded main event with a shocking finish (Rock vs Austin)
Great video. The part about protecting finishes and high spots, I believe is critical and every company seems to be throwing it out the window. If a ddt is a finish up the card, lower card matches shouldn't use it as a transition spot. Or there shouldn't be multiple chair shots that aren't a finish if up the card a single chair shot ends a match.
I covered MLW at the Roseland Ballroom in Queens NY. So much of the talent was double and triple shotting that Wrestlemania weekend. Must've been a nightmare for everyone from Impact on down to the little guys. MLW's show had a big match before the intermission. Rey Fenix and Airwolf were the cooldown match before main (and they were such talents that it worked out great.) Just a great card by Court Bauer that illustrated all the concepts you mention in your vid. Love your stuff, Dave. Keep it up!
Great video Dave!🤘😎🤘 I do hate when WWE or other promotions book an opening match like a No Holds Barred match type to go on first on PPV. I think a simple singles, Tag or 6/8 man Tag or a Singles Midcard/Cruiserweight or Tag Belts match should always kick off a PPV card and other matches/match types should be book later on the PPV card. Side Note: The 6 man tag @ the end of All In should have been the opener & the NWA World Title match should have been the main event to me
Damn good vid. I like shows with varied wrestling styles...traditional, flippy, extreme, comedy, smash-mouth...as well as match types...singles, tag, whatever. I prefer shows that get to the wrestling asap, no endless opening promo...I really like shows that open with a match already in progress.
One thing you did not mention is do not over stuff your card, five good matches is better than nine bad one's in the same amount of time. Also a give them a decent amount of time and not ones where the entrances are longer than the match.
One additional note: For shows that originate on ratings driven TV, there is something known as "sweeping the quarters". The ratings are split into quarter hour segments, on the 15s - if you can get and hold a large audience from say 8:42pm through 9:03pm you can make 3 quarter hour blocks look really good in the ratings with about 20 minutes of show time.
I think the gimmick doesn't hold up. Fans have minimal input, just picking stipulations. Fans also have no idea if they are accurately being represented. And if total control was thrown to the fans, it would probably be terrible because of trolls and because most fans don't really understand how to make a card work
@@DaveKnowsWrestling A great example is when they had fans vote for contestants on Tough Enough. They just trolled and had the guy with the least potential in the whole show advance to the end. And wwe offered the ones who lost contracts
@@DaveKnowsWrestling It can't, cos it's a work. Would we trust the results? My guy in match =/= my guy wins Too random/no feud (and potential feud killer) NBA diminshed the % fan votes account for re All Star votes because "trolls voting for scrubs"
Dave I find nowadays that wrestling cards dont have the flow they once did back in the day. It felt more like building up to a crescendo, like getting on a rollercoaster ride and building up slowly. Nowadays cool down matches arent utilized as well and people try and steal the show prematurely. Regardless, this was a dope video buddy
I like how you said there is a difference between tv show and ppv but fans these days get mad when a tv show doesn't have a bunch of matches. I think njpw is best at building a card, they have a few multi tag matches then they have the important matches. They prove that you don't have to have a cool down match after a great match or maybe it's because unlike American fans Japanese fans aren't jackasses who scream for no apparent reason tiring themselves out. I also like how NJPW has variety in its matches without every other one being a gimmick match. Also we don't see two guys wrestle each tons of times because they utilize the multi tag matches on the smaller shows. You have the best wrestling TH-cam channel.
Thank you for appreciating the messages in this video and also for liking the channel! And I also feel that NJPW does a good job at building cards and hyping matches too
Great video, points well made, some not as obvious as others, many highlighting why viewership is down ... Please, name some "perfect shows" that match +80% of your list
I always thought that a cruiserweight match was the perfect way to open a wrestling show. It gets the crowd excited And the commentators can hype up the rest of the card. Like how WCW often did.
Cruiserweight matches can be great high-paced starting matches, but I think that the amazing things that cruiserweights can do are also worthy of high card spots.
@@kitttheabsurd I’m saying they’re basically the same in concept in terms of the wrestler’s builds and abilities (in general) but the only major distinction is Junior Heavyweights are viewed as mid to main event stars and cruiserweights are generally only booked to ceiling out at midcard. So for example smaller guy wrestles a fast paced high flying technical match on the lower card he will generally be called a cruiserweight. Same smaller guy wrestles a fast paced high flying technical match on the higher card you’ll usually see him referred to as a “jr heavyweight” or almost anything but a cruiserweight. I just feel like there’s a stigma attached to the word, maybe it could just be me and/or my circle or whatever, but I feel like that’s a trend I’ve noticed.
It's funny that WWE needs to contact Dave and ask him how to put on a wrestling show. Man they have forgotten all aspects of wrestling and storytelling in general.
One day, we must have a DKW show! If there is a weakpoint with indie shows, is that everyone understandably wants to get noticed, but a lot do so without protecting the main event's finish. I wonder what the undercard can do to receive good attention without disrespecting the main eventers?
Here is a question I get different answers for, how many matches is the ideal number for an Independent show? Some say 6, some give a range of 4-7, some people say you can go as low as 3 O_o
Spam that move cough cough *superkicks* cough cough But legit I’m tired of the super kick it should have been exclusive to Shawn but now every wrestler under the sun bastardized it
Some matches should be used sparingly, like Hell in a Cell. Give the wrestlers a reason to fight inside the Cell, not just because it's October. Also, before Survivor Series, the Raw and Smackdown rosters hate each other all of a sudden and after the PPV forget about it.
I'd like there to be an incentive for the Sole Survivor(s) towards the RR
Serbanelooo facts
Survivor series teams the winner should be before elimination chamber in my opinion and the winners of the team are all placed in the chamber along with the champion
@@ramelchilds7416 It would be cool if they fought for a brand exclusive PPV or the right to host the MITB Ladder Match.
Pacing is very important in a wrestling show. You kinda got to it, but never said it out loud. Your audience can't be excited the entire show. It would just wear them out. So you start with a hot midcard match to get the audience excited. Then have a couple of matches that people may not care as much about as a cooldown. Then there should be a secondary main event in the middle of the card to get the excitement back up. Then so on until the main event.
Never put two hot matches back to back. It could exhaust your audience and (even worse) the second match may be a let down compared to the first.
And for the love of all the gods, don't spend precious PPV time on long-ass promos. A few short ones are fine, but I definitely don't want to see a 15 minute promo in the middle of a show I paid for to see matches.
Really good job, Dave. When I was booking indy shows, several of the concepts you brought up were essential. Main Event is definitely your focus, as you said. Curtain Jerk, or just "opening match," is also essential because it could be used as a measuring stick to gauge your audience. This was usually a place to put cruiserweights as they were good at getting the audiences attention and set the tone for the show. One other concept is "The Popcorn Match" (i.e. the match after intermission). This was important because it helped get the audience focused on the show again after walking around and mingling with other fans and getting to meet some of the talent during intermission. Again, great job. Would love to hear you do commentary sometime. You've got the voice for it.
Alright we need to band together and get this guy on the level of whatculture, partsfunknown, etc, his channel is way too good
I agree, we need him to build a new Indy promotion.
or Wrestlelamia; Botchamania, etc.
Great Video, Dave! It seems like a wrestling show is similar to a band's set list. You come out with your two heaviest, most thunderous songs. You want to blow open the doors and let them know whats in store for them. But after that you want to bring it down a notch afterwards, you want a low point, maybe your band has a ballad( pfft. ballads!) or slower song to "cooldown match" the audience. that way you can build up that momentum again for the big finale, which is going to be your "big hit", the song you play that everyone loves, ...much like a babyface main eventer in the final match of the night. Leave them with that big buildup to the finale. Oddly, if you dont, the people lose interest. If you just bash them over the head with the same crushingly heavy tunes that all sound the same, the audience starts tuning you out. They get bored. You have to bring them up, let them down, and bring them back up again for the big finish.
I do think music has a lot of similarities with wrestling shows
@@DaveKnowsWrestling Albums and PPVs.
I think a great wrestling card is like a variety show there has to be something for everyone I’ll look at wrestlemania 17 which is regarded by many as the best US ppv ever it had technical wrestling (Angle vs Benoit) crazy hardcore action (Big Show vs Kane vs Raven, TLC 2) a soap opera match (Vince vs Shane) it had a squash match where the villain gets there’s (Chyna vs Ivory) it had comedy (the gimmick battle royal) and it had a star studded main event with a shocking finish (Rock vs Austin)
Exactly
I read once that, aside from the main event, the opening match is the most important match on the card, as it sets the tone for the entire evening.
Great video. The part about protecting finishes and high spots, I believe is critical and every company seems to be throwing it out the window. If a ddt is a finish up the card, lower card matches shouldn't use it as a transition spot. Or there shouldn't be multiple chair shots that aren't a finish if up the card a single chair shot ends a match.
Yep a lot of bookers these days seem to either forget about protecting the card or just don't bother to find out what's going on in it to make sure
I covered MLW at the Roseland Ballroom in Queens NY. So much of the talent was double and triple shotting that Wrestlemania weekend. Must've been a nightmare for everyone from Impact on down to the little guys. MLW's show had a big match before the intermission. Rey Fenix and Airwolf were the cooldown match before main (and they were such talents that it worked out great.) Just a great card by Court Bauer that illustrated all the concepts you mention in your vid. Love your stuff, Dave. Keep it up!
Thank you first and foremost and yes I do remember that weekend was heavy. Always is whenever Mania is in town
This channel is shaping up to be one of my favorite wrestling channels here on TH-cam. Keep it up, Davey!
Great video Dave!🤘😎🤘
I do hate when WWE or other promotions book an opening match like a No Holds Barred match type to go on first on PPV. I think a simple singles, Tag or 6/8 man Tag or a Singles Midcard/Cruiserweight or Tag Belts match should always kick off a PPV card and other matches/match types should be book later on the PPV card. Side Note: The 6 man tag @ the end of All In should have been the opener & the NWA World Title match should have been the main event to me
Still an underrated channel.
Damn good vid.
I like shows with varied wrestling styles...traditional, flippy, extreme, comedy, smash-mouth...as well as match types...singles, tag, whatever.
I prefer shows that get to the wrestling asap, no endless opening promo...I really like shows that open with a match already in progress.
One thing you did not mention is do not over stuff your card, five good matches is better than nine bad one's in the same amount of time. Also a give them a decent amount of time and not ones where the entrances are longer than the match.
I feel like every WM card is overstuffed
NXT usually does a good job with this.
Playing Tew2005 comes in my mind while you were talking about this
One additional note: For shows that originate on ratings driven TV, there is something known as "sweeping the quarters". The ratings are split into quarter hour segments, on the 15s - if you can get and hold a large audience from say 8:42pm through 9:03pm you can make 3 quarter hour blocks look really good in the ratings with about 20 minutes of show time.
That is a good point too, TV ratings are something to take into consideration, scheduling a TV episode may have to be it's own video
Excellent video now I can book my action figure events better
Great video Dave. How do you feel about cards where “the fans book the show” like Taboo Tuesday/ Cyber Sunday?
I think the gimmick doesn't hold up. Fans have minimal input, just picking stipulations. Fans also have no idea if they are accurately being represented. And if total control was thrown to the fans, it would probably be terrible because of trolls and because most fans don't really understand how to make a card work
@@DaveKnowsWrestling A great example is when they had fans vote for contestants on Tough Enough. They just trolled and had the guy with the least potential in the whole show advance to the end. And wwe offered the ones who lost contracts
@@DaveKnowsWrestling no
@@DaveKnowsWrestling
It can't, cos it's a work.
Would we trust the results?
My guy in match =/= my guy wins
Too random/no feud (and potential feud killer)
NBA diminshed the % fan votes account for re All Star votes because "trolls voting for scrubs"
@@iceburgess461 great argument
Dave I find nowadays that wrestling cards dont have the flow they once did back in the day. It felt more like building up to a crescendo, like getting on a rollercoaster ride and building up slowly. Nowadays cool down matches arent utilized as well and people try and steal the show prematurely. Regardless, this was a dope video buddy
Thank you and yes, all of that is what contributes to an off flow in my opinion as well
I like how you said there is a difference between tv show and ppv but fans these days get mad when a tv show doesn't have a bunch of matches. I think njpw is best at building a card, they have a few multi tag matches then they have the important matches. They prove that you don't have to have a cool down match after a great match or maybe it's because unlike American fans Japanese fans aren't jackasses who scream for no apparent reason tiring themselves out. I also like how NJPW has variety in its matches without every other one being a gimmick match. Also we don't see two guys wrestle each tons of times because they utilize the multi tag matches on the smaller shows. You have the best wrestling TH-cam channel.
Thank you for appreciating the messages in this video and also for liking the channel! And I also feel that NJPW does a good job at building cards and hyping matches too
Send this video to vince and Co dave, because to use your tag, because vince doesn't know
Dave, pass this on to vince and Co
3:30 And don't have Terry Funk show up at your show. Dave, your content is amazing.
thanks, im going into the wrestling business and now i know how to book my card. hope rollins and omega are available to me for my first show!!!
I hope they are too
I thought the thumbnail said how to build snow..... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Great video, points well made, some not as obvious as others, many highlighting why viewership is down ...
Please, name some "perfect shows" that match +80% of your list
I love you Dave.
Khan this is for you
I always thought that a cruiserweight match was the perfect way to open a wrestling show. It gets the crowd excited
And the commentators can hype up the rest of the card. Like how WCW often did.
Cruiserweight matches can be great high-paced starting matches, but I think that the amazing things that cruiserweights can do are also worthy of high card spots.
@@kitttheabsurd the difference between cruiserweights and junior heavyweights to me IS card placement, generally
@@yurinoworry but how so?
@@kitttheabsurd I’m saying they’re basically the same in concept in terms of the wrestler’s builds and abilities (in general) but the only major distinction is Junior Heavyweights are viewed as mid to main event stars and cruiserweights are generally only booked to ceiling out at midcard. So for example smaller guy wrestles a fast paced high flying technical match on the lower card he will generally be called a cruiserweight. Same smaller guy wrestles a fast paced high flying technical match on the higher card you’ll usually see him referred to as a “jr heavyweight” or almost anything but a cruiserweight. I just feel like there’s a stigma attached to the word, maybe it could just be me and/or my circle or whatever, but I feel like that’s a trend I’ve noticed.
Not saying that’s a good thing either.
It's funny that WWE needs to contact Dave and ask him how to put on a wrestling show. Man they have forgotten all aspects of wrestling and storytelling in general.
Thank you so much for the high praise. And yes I too agree that WWE has lost their way
Do a video about rock n roll express . Dave Knows please
Tony Khan feared for his life after seeing this.
I think he checks under his bed for CM Punk every night
Do one with Portland Wrestling.
One day, we must have a DKW show! If there is a weakpoint with indie shows, is that everyone understandably wants to get noticed, but a lot do so without protecting the main event's finish. I wonder what the undercard can do to receive good attention without disrespecting the main eventers?
One day maybe... but not a priority now for this channel
Here is a question I get different answers for, how many matches is the ideal number for an Independent show? Some say 6, some give a range of 4-7, some people say you can go as low as 3 O_o
You get different answers because there is no one answer. It's subjective
@@Pduarte79 time is a factor too as well as roster size.
I hear Tony Khan uses his action figures to help him book. Ha.
Oh WOW. When I said people with titles were connected to a company someone said "Meh You Don't Understand The Concept Of Independent Wrestlers Meh"
You are really spinning this out of context to fit your own narrative huh
@@DaveKnowsWrestling You are trying to tell me that Isn't what you said?
vince dislikes since he makes up the card at 7:05 an hour before show time
And sometimes later than that
Spam that move cough cough *superkicks* cough cough
But legit I’m tired of the super kick it should have been exclusive to Shawn but now every wrestler under the sun bastardized it
And the Canadian Destroyer too