edscissors's blog
Mad idea: WrestleFest LONDON
A week ago I was in New York. I went partly, of course, because who would not be excited by a trip to New York ... but partly because of WrestleFest. Personally, as I have already described, I had a great time meeting just a few friends and, otherwise, enjoying New York. Others in the same hotel (the Pennsylvania Hotel on 7th Avenue directly opposite Madison Square Gardens so really, really central) seem to have had full "fight cards", meeting multiple opponents each day.
Few MF members can have been unaware that it was happening last weekend: match requests seemed to focus on New York. Blog entries too (including my own description of my stay in New York - many thanks for all the nice comments) seemed to focus on New York and WrestleFest.
Here in the UK Manchester seems to be the place where there are most meetings. For me, however, the attraction of the NY WrestleFest was that all arrangements/meetings could be private. I'm sorry but I'm not brave enough to appear in a public group (even, for instance, at one of my friend John's Manchester meetings).
The MEETINGS facility seems to have disappeared from our site so maybe I'm too late.
But would it not be possible to set up something similar to NY WrestleFest here in London?
1. We'd need a suitable hotel: central, cost-effective. I suggest that a chain of basic hotels might be suitable. I won't mention the name of the chain here but if booked in good time the rates are OK - and they provide a decent full breakfast ... which is better than the Hotel Pennsylvania managed! Sad that the Regent Palace Hotel no longer exists: that would have been perfect, an exact London equivalent of the NY Penn Hotel.
2. If the "Meetings" facility on this site has been withdrawn, we'd need to find an alternative method of showing an up-to-date list of who has signed up.
London WrestleFest: WHY DO THIS?
A friend of mine, well known and respected on this site, recently came to London for the weekend and there was immediate interest from people who might not otherwise have been able to meet him as he lives too far away to make a meeting practicable.
Might other fighters, from the UK maybe, from Europe, maybe from even further afield, come to London for a weekend, if they/you felt (as I did in New York) that you might be able to meet, efficiently and easily, LOTS of wrestlers you really want to meet and all in the same place/weekend?
Is this a mad idea? TELL ME!
Edward
Southcoast Guy (35)
3/05/2017 12:00 PMI would be interested and I know of a friend with a pvt matroom we could use even if you don't want a group meet we could have a one on one there, don't be shy !
surrey71 (21 )
2/28/2017 11:40 AMHaving tried to arrange a group meet in Manchester, I was surprised by the arrogance and downright ignorance showed by some people I invited to get involved!
You don't need to be popular to arrange a meet, or indeed a wrestlefest type event - just cut out the guys who have seriously overinflated ego or sense of self-importance!
If I was to arrange another, I know who I would steer clear of!
Unfortunately some guys see an age range or type of guy to wrestle as the be all and end all of who they want to meet - whereas if you wanna wrestle new people - minds should be opened to make any event a success
hephaestion2014 (47)
2/28/2017 11:05 AMI think both Manchester and London have pros and cons.
Shame there's nowhere halfway.
As someone who goes to London and goes to Manchester to wrestle, I'm aware of good wrestlers in both who'd enjoy wrestling their northern or southern counterparts, but sadly they either don't travel further north than Watford gap or see Stoke as the end of the world :) The Oyster card, and the Manchester Tram serves as the indications you are entering a no-wrestlers-land
I see what you are saying about having the wrestle factory -and- hotels - but I think the original point was focused on matches in hotels more than matrooms.
Except for the length of time, that's no different from the already excellent OWG, GrapeVine and John Cotterill meets already taking place in Manchester as well as the brilliant High Barnet wrestling group and others in London.
I've had two coffees so I'm not being negative, and I personally prefer whats being outlined, and like all the suggestions, however I feel in all our replies we''re probably moving away from the original criteria.
It was about a wrestlefest in a hotel.
A camel is a horse by committee.
MCRLON30UK (53)
2/28/2017 10:33 AMUsing Manchester instead of London could mean hotel matches + matches at The Wrestling Factory simultaneously, and would be cheaper for just about everyone involved. Plus plenty of budget int'l flights are via Manchester/Liverpool airports.
The main organisers would have to be
a) popular, to get people on board
b) wrestled a lot, so have many contacts
c) have the patience to cut through the famously British negativity/skepticism, as somewhat shown already in this thread
ImtiazAli (198)
2/28/2017 12:28 AMOne issue is the hotels sizes are generally smaller here. That would be a issue for me personally, but of course could see how a head scissor session would suffice. In that sense larger mats are better for me, like the ones at Pippa's... Good thinking though.
Thanks for the annoymous mention, hah. :-)
GrappleViking (115 )
2/28/2017 6:52 AM(In reply to this)
You and me both!
MCRLON30UK (53)
2/27/2017 9:47 PMCould always just group book a cheap Travelodge or Premier Inn. When done in advance rooms are very cheap.
Wrestle in london (15)
2/27/2017 8:32 PMI'd be in for sure, but not sure how the whole hotel thing would work.
hephaestion2014 (47)
2/27/2017 12:43 PMI think, and tell me if I'm wrong, edscissors point was that matrooms aren't his thing as it's not private enough. Hence the anonymity and privacy of a hotel room. I believe Wrestlefest works to that individual hotel turning a blind eye and deaf ear, believe me when I say certain UK chains might promise a good night's sleep and to be *cough*logical but they do take an interest and not so much blind, deaf and dumb.
There's lots of meets that go on here organised by some great guys. Some public, open, and invitation only. Pretty much there's a very mini wrestle fest at some point in the month. I think though a success for most organisers is to not be out of pocket.
If there was something arranged, I'd be interested and am sure others would be too, possibly from abroad - but what sounds great on paper isn't always so much fun to put into practice.
I'm a negative ninny before my second latte, a don't listen to much to me.
surrey71 (21 )
2/27/2017 11:42 AMYou're right Grapple Viking, there are no matrooms in NYC, apparentkyntheyd be shut down by authorities!
Yes it's possible to try via a blog here - and maybe setting up a group or a cheap web page to arrange a similar event in U.K. Either one of London or Manchester facilities or hotels - only thing using hotels is the possibility of a "police visit" if reception suspect something is going on - it's happened to me, explaining what's going on to two officers was no fun!
But whoever sorts it - be prepared for arrogant guys on here who seem to think they're "too good" and "there's nobody attending that I want to wrestle, so I'm not bothering to support your cause".
GrappleViking (115 )
2/27/2017 9:30 AMI'd definitely turn up!
The problem for me with WrestleFest in New York is the fact that it's in New York... halfway around the world!
A "local" WrestleFest is good idea, however, isn't WrestleFest in New York arranged the way it's arranged because they have no mat rooms available for hire?
Then again, even if we have mat rooms available in London, there's nothing wrong with arranging a WrestleFest-styled event.
I like the idea. Let's see what other people think!