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Customer Service in the Wrestling Business
Sometimes these columns just write themselves.
I was reading some message boards when I noticed the "bios" of the participants in the next Jersey J-Cup. Once again, originality in the wrestling business...the original "J Cup" has been based out of Japan for years. I highly doubt anyone would confuse Japan with South River, New Jersey.
Looking past the lack of creativity (and another promoter trying to shill another rip-off of the Super 8), I realized that the guy behind the "Jersey Cup" was Ricky O, or Ricky D'oh as I refer to him.
Ricky D'oh made "headlines" last November for backing out of/cancelling/hiding out from/running away/running out of money to pay workers/whatever for a show in Rahway, NJ- a show featuring Taylor from the first Tough Enough. Workers, fans, and staff/hangers on alike showed up at the venue only to find no ring and no promoter. Apparently the venue was told the show was canceled, but no one bothered to tell the workers. And no one told Taylor, who flew from Washington to be at one of her first shows since losing Tough Enough. Not Washington, DC- the STATE OF WASHINGTON. And she wasn't told the show was canceled.
Remembering all this (as I was one of the "fans" who made plans, met friends there, had dinner, and went back to the show to find...well, no show), I called Ricky D'oh out on it, asking him if he was planning on running this show instead of hyping it to fans like he did the DAY of the November show, only to run and hide, while Taylor flies coast to coast for no reason at all.
Below is Ricky D'oh's response. This is how a self-proclaimed "promoter" responds to criticism and questions, people:
"you know i put up with your shit alot but you know nothing . first off she was paid in full for the trip the hotel and the show . second man you have no clue what happened and third we will meet one day and you can ask me all about it but till you have 1 fact why don't you shut your mouth"
He's a class act all the way, isn't he? Rather than addressing the issue, something he never did back in November and has had six months to think of a reason, Ricky decided to talk "tough," claiming I "have no clue what happened" and hoping for a meeting, where, based on previous responses to the same issue, would mean him becoming violent and physical.
Let's break it down:
I couldn't care less if she was paid or not- I do know that someone else had to take care of that.
I also couldn't care less what happened the day of the show. I do know that Ricky D'oh no showed, the ring no showed, the staff and workers were not told, and many people were inconvenienced.
I also know that no explanation was ever given, save for this "you don't know the real story" nonsense, which is just a veiled way of making more excuses. avoiding the question, and treating paying customers like dirt- as if they didn't deserve to know what happened.
I certainly couldn't care less about meeting Ricky D'oh and asking him face to face- as if that has anything to do with...well, anything. Perhaps Ricky's been watching too much of the Sopranos- as he would be behind bars or mowing my lawn for the next 15 years if he ever raised a hand to me or any critic.
I managed to name at least two facts above about the show he blew off last November:
- the show was canceled
with no notice given to staff or workers
- he never bothered to give anyone a real explanation as to why it was
canceled
That's more than the one he requested.
And Taylor still flew coast to coast to sit in a hallway with no notice or information given to her as to why. That's a great way to represent the business to a relative newcomer who could have given him unlimited positive PR about JCW, indy wrestling, and erasing some of the stigma about indy promoters. A great opportunity- and Ricky D'oh blew it.
Was Taylor even contacted
by Ricky after the show, or offered any reason why the show was canceled?
Why were people being told the day of the show that it was still on, when
the ring never arrived to the venue and the promoter hightailed it out
of town?
Why weren't the workers who showed up at the venue told the show was canceled?
Why, when faced with these questions, did the "promoter" refuse
to answer anything, only bleating that "no one knows what really
happened?"
It's things like this that continue to give the wrestling business a big, fat, black eye, and confirm to any doubters that the business is populated with morons who don't know the basic rules of running a business or event and don't possess the social, mental, or professional skills to properly respond to legitimate questions and customer complaints.
If criticism from potential customers is too much to handle, either let someone else handle it or get out of the business.
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Jim has been watching
wrestling for over 20 years and has followed and reported on indy wrestling
for over 6 years. He's also a fan of the New York Giants, New York Yankees,
St. John's Red Storm basketball, Alabama Crimson Tide football, and the
New Jersey Devils, but please don't hold that against him.
Contact Jim at BilJim2@aol.com
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Previous Columns:
Watching Tazz is Tough Enough
Seven in Two
Getting Your Moneys Worth
How Not to Run and Indy
If That's What it Takes, They Don't Have It!
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The comments and statements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
Brett Schwan and the Wrestling Clothesline (although many times, he comes
damn close!)
