Thanks to Friend of TOWIS Iestyn Rees, I’ve been mulling this one over. He tweeted last night:
More wrestlers selling “their” Tshirts at shows. When a medium is baggy on u I think uve got ur priorities wrong! #LookLikeWrestlerNotAFan
— Iestyn Rees (@iestyn_rees) February 7, 2013
He then added:
@carriesparkle Im all for guys having merch but it should b the last of their priorities not 1 of the 1st #MusclesMakeMoney in this business
— Iestyn Rees (@iestyn_rees) February 7, 2013
The ever-opinionated Alan Ravenhill of Welsh Wrestling weighed in with the slightly more controversial:
“Merch is for promoters. If a wrestler sells merch on a show, they’re not working for a real promoter #PissPot”
Well, what do you make of that?
Rees’s original point seems fair – he’s arguing that wrestlers should be concentrating on their ring work and their look rather than concerning themselves with the few tenners they might get their hands on by selling t-shirts; and if you’re wearing your own t-shirt in a desperate effort to increase sales, it can look odd.
Having said that, though, a wrestler who’s made themselves into a brand and can sell merch is surely a terrific commodity – if they can sell t-shirts, they’ll sell tickets to shows.
Indy wrestlers have traditionally hawked their wares in order to boost their income from a show; even if it’s just flogging 8 x 10s in a corner and charging a couple of quid for the privilege.
Ravenhill. however, has been able to operate previously by being the one to sell the pictures of his roster, and giving them a cut – although he says that doesn’t make that much money any more.
That works OK when a wrestler is only working for one promotion and can rely on that regular slice of income – but what about when they work all over the place without job security or guarantee of a next booking in that area?
I’m personally happy to buy the merch of wrestlers I like and whom I want to support, ditto for companies (although usually I have to like the merch as well – I’m an obsessive for only buying ladies’ fit t-shirts; I don’t want men’s baggy shirts, usually in black); now I think about it, I consider it as a way of “tipping” performers and promotions.
As for wrestling t-shirts making wrestlers look like fans, I don’t think any less of Daniel Bryan for galloping around in his NO! NO! NO! shirt – I want him to get a percentage of the merch sales.
So what do you think? Is it a wrestler’s job to produce and promote their own merchandise? Or should that be the promoter’s job, with the wrestler left to wrestle?
“now I think about it, I consider it as a way of “tipping” performers and promotions.”
This is very much how I often feel about it – I don’t tend to be able to afford, or necessarily want, to buy loads of tshirts etc, but I have gone and paid a couple of pound for a signed picture. I think it is nice to be able to show a little extra appreciation to a wrestler if they have performed well and I like them, especially if I can buy it direct from them.
As for wrestlers wearing their own merch – I don’t see it as a problem and never look down on someone for doing so, as long as the merch itself is good.
Yes, definitely agree!