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Post by Giles Russell on Jan 28, 2014 13:57:20 GMT -5
Oh and let me say the UAL is in beastmode, but all I can keep thinking is how long can they keep this up....? Entry fees and t-shirts are not gonna pay those bills. I'm say this again, The only way any of you guys will ever get any real ROI will be when you can get the non-aw public / spectators interested and ready to spend cash to watch and to advertise on the shows. That will only happen when the shows focus on the characters in the sport (like GOA is doing) and when the live events become more entertaining / shorter to watch. Really take a hard look at the product. Ya'll are still offering the same ole, same ole at the live events and expecting different results. The production quality and venues are sick! But, were still trying to shine turd. Neil, was pretty entertaining, but there were times watching the other week, when I was hoping someone would turn a lion out on stage or something to wake me up. Hell, big Drenk, put together a focus group of random folks to watch your next event and give feed back. I personally think, we need to totally cut out the grip up process and the finger pull/slipping part of the sport and go straight straps/refs grip right out the gate. That would cut a TON of the boring, time consuming bs out.
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Post by Ron Berdinsky on Jan 28, 2014 15:04:37 GMT -5
^^ This ^^ is the nail getting hit on the head. 2 great posts Giles. btw....Gary is getting ready for Cirque Du Soleil this summer.
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Post by Robert Drenk on Jan 28, 2014 15:29:47 GMT -5
Just wait and see, the focus group already took place and the changes have been made! I totally agree with the TV series being the key to gaining the momentum and building the fan base. We are in a beast mode 100% A ton of heavy stuff is about to be rolled out and the game will be changed! UAL for Life
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user123
Silver Member
VA
Posts: 381
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Post by user123 on Jan 28, 2014 15:53:46 GMT -5
Agreed on starting in straps and refs grip.
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Post by Rob Vigeant Jr. on Jan 28, 2014 18:33:42 GMT -5
Listen guys... One point to raise when everyone is saying how boring AWing is to watch.... We are at the whole event. Given it is a bracket system and double elim. It is a long process. Anything... I repeat... Anything, gets boring after a period of time. UFC is entertaining... But if they had 300 matches on a card people would be numb at match 8... Imagine if football games were 10 hrs ... Who would be a fan ?.... Porn even... A multi billion dollar industry is routine and mundane after the first 10 mins. Think about these points... It has validity.
We are jaded because we have lived through dozens and hundreds of marathon days... So we associate this sport as being boring, but if you saw a half hour highligh of the best matches... You'd be drawn in.
The key is keeping the people wanting more and in a time frame where it is still entertaining. I believe the core is there and quality entertainment is on tap... But like every other endeavor it is time sensitive.
This means the last 1hr of ual 6 would be the show... Edited and whatnot... Not everyone gets to be a star, but the product has solid sell ability if you look at it from a non jaded career arm wrestler
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Post by David Owens on Jan 28, 2014 19:19:55 GMT -5
Interesting thread. I agree with most of what Giles said with exception to the part about taking the set up out of the e quation. While I do agree for tournaments this will drastically speed up tournament length however as far as bright lights and big screen go I think its perfect the way it is as long as you have a good team of analyst/commentators explaining this part of the match so people can understand why they are so stressed on getting this certain start or hand position and replay to cut down on human error.
Think about football...it would be much more fun to watch without all the complicated rules but for the ones who understand them its just part of the game. And for armwrestlers this is the time when even the non verbal armwrestler has something to say, this is where it can get heated, this is where the loser breaks away with some lame excuse why the ref cheated him or he didn't hear the go.
I've heard a lot recently about this sport going in the wrong direction or dying :/ To me this is nuts. So the sport is going more business than ever before, new organizations more sets of weight classes rules etc., and for the first time the top guys in our sport may not get to come to your local fair event....boo boo. Those who know me like me or not know that for years I tried to change peoples mind about rules, weight classes, multiple nationals, and clear separation of divisions but the powers that be didn't want to work togather to unify so it would never happen and it still never will I see that now so screw it! For the first time in history we have a TV show that will be airing the same time every week about the sport we love and a second promised. No show goes into it thinking "we will make some money on this and then try something else for a year" ....when companies go through all the trouble of making a product for TV and marketing it they also want to sustain it. So what could two arm wrestling shows on TV for the next 5 years do for us? I know even that is too short in the eyes of UAL and I'm sure GOA but seriously I still run into people who dont know armsports exist! That will soon not be the case. Is nobody else waiting for the day when steroid use in armwrestling and drugtesting for it is a topic on parton the interuption instead of us debating it on this forum, I dont even care if im still active when that happens it will be cool as crap. When the issues we have spent so much time posting over are main stream sports issues....how big will this sport be? It will be hard to be the best puller in your city much less the US or world when that happens and thats ok. We are never gonna all agree and thats ok. There is gonna be UAL, WAL, ARMWARS, PAL and probably more much like MMA is today and thats ok. Pick a side, or dont, enjoy the ride or get out of the way! I for one will be glad to say I met some great friends, had a he'll of a time, and knew this guy/girl or that guy/girl when.
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Post by Giles Russell on Jan 28, 2014 20:41:14 GMT -5
David, don't lie...you like the open grip / no straps so you can get in a gut wrenching finger pulling WAR!!!
Just busting your chops dude. I agree with most of what you said too. The exposure for the sport is for real on the way. My only fear is that if the GOA is too staged or cheesy, that it might have the Over the Top effect all over again. Essentially making us wear clown shoes again for being armwrestlers. Hopefully, the guys involved didn't get blinded by the lights and allow that to happen. A lot of good solid characters involved , so it should be tight work.
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Post by John Schnell on Jan 28, 2014 21:12:37 GMT -5
Giles,
I've talked to a lot of the guys from Erie. Yeah, they're pulling in staged areas. Yes, there are some marks in the audience that nobody knows. I agree some of the commercials have a certain Over the Top feel. But the guys, the pullers, are real.
Maybe they will all be a bit more animated than we're accustomed to from them. We've never seen them in these situations. But I am really excited for my friends, and think it will benefit everybody who enjoys this sport and hobby.
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Post by John Wilson on Jan 29, 2014 8:07:10 GMT -5
My highest hope for GOA is that the guys' personalities come through. Just like I firmly believe that A&E intended Duck Dynasty to be "Look at these backwoods Southern Christian morons! Let's laugh at them!" but America saw the people behind the characters and the values they present and America fell in love with the Robertson family.
Sure, the production team will be trying to turn it into Over The Top. But you couldn't ask for a better group of armwrestlers to represent us. If even 20% of the time is spent on them as people, I know that the public will connect with them and the staged hoopla will just be a backdrop to make it exciting- just like people see through the obviously phoney story lines in Duck Dynasty. The story lines are irrelevent, they are just vehicles to present the characters and move the show along.
It's up to the armwrestlers in the show to let their true selves be revealed instead of playing the role for the cameras.
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Post by Giles Russell on Jan 29, 2014 8:51:45 GMT -5
Good stuff. Can't wait to check it out.
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Post by Jim Wagner on Jan 29, 2014 15:22:06 GMT -5
Wait until you see how GOA ends! Just crazy. Not fabricated, 100% real and it is intense. I know we may have said some things stronger then normal, or got more fired up, but they did plenty of "at home" shooting where we are all under our wives thumbs lol. The filming brings more emotion out of you, some good some bad, but all real. I know it was the coolest thing I have ever done in any sport. The crew said over and over Thank you! to the pullers, they were blown away by the effort they gave, which is a representation of all of us. I said on camera there are thousands of pullers just like me who train and diet and work for no acclaim, people who are driven and give up lots just to compete. outside of whatever show stuff that goes on Im sure that theme will come out. You are all warriors and Im on the backside of my pulling but the future looks bright for you all.
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Post by John Milne on Jan 29, 2014 15:38:40 GMT -5
That's awesome Jim
I can't wait!!
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Post by Giles Russell on Jan 29, 2014 16:21:41 GMT -5
Thanks Jim. You're still a beast and I'm sure you guys laid it down!
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Post by Willie Reagan on Jan 30, 2014 22:15:24 GMT -5
James, you and I have been for a good long time now. You have always shown so much integrity. You are a class act bro. I can't wait to see you on TV! You certainly are a great ambassador of our sport!
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Post by Guy Windover on Jan 31, 2014 4:50:05 GMT -5
What they said Jim!! Old Bastards Rule!!
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