There are six seminars scheduled for the 2017 Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion. The seminars will take place over the course of two days, May 2-3 at 10 AM, Noon and 2 PM both days, in a seminar room to be confirmed.
The seminars will be allotted 90 minutes each (which includes 30 minutes for a Q&A session, if desired).
Here is the schedule for this year’s seminars:
Tuesday May 2, 2017
10:00 AM
Everything That You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About the CAC ( but didn’t know where to ask!”)
Panel: Brian Blair (Cauliflower Alley Club President), Morgan Dollar (Cauliflower Alley Club Executive Vice President), Karl K. Lauer (Former CAC EVP, Benevolent Fund Chairman)
The Cauliflower Alley Club, established in 1965, is a non-profit fraternal organization compromising both retired and active professional wrestlers, boxers and movie stars. It holds its annual reunion in Las Vegas, NV every year but the club is much, much more than an annual fun-filled get-together. It is a year round labor of love for those who volunteer to run it and it is an organization whose mission statement is to “help heroes”!
For the first time ever some CAC heavyweights, including the current President and Executive Vice-President, come together in a CAC seminar setting to explain to you absolutely everything you’ve always wanted to know about the CAC! You’re certainly not going to want to miss this one!!
Among the topics covered:
- Why the CAC was formed, it’s history and why it is needed today.
- What, exactly, is the CAC?
- Where does my membership dues, banquet ticket money, raffle ticket money and donations go?
- Who has served on the Board? (Industry heavyweights that believed enough in the CAC and the ring of friendship to volunteer their time to it.)
- Why are Canadian and International dues more expensive than our American brothers and sisters?
- What does the CAC Board of Directors do?
- Whose on the Board?
- Does anybody at the CAC get paid?
- What goes into organizing the reunion?
- How are the yearly CAC honorees picked?
- I haven’t been receiving the “EAR” newsletter. Is there a reason and is there someone, specifically, at the CAC that I can contact about this?
Noon
Taking It to the Next Level: Successful Indy Promoting
Panel: Tracy Myers (CEO & Founder: WrestleCade, AML Wrestling), Bambi Weavil ( CEO & Founder: Masters of Ring Entertainment, Social Media Marketing Strategist), Mark Vellios ( Promoter: All Star Wrestling, CAC 2012 Men’s Wrestling Award Winner), Herb Simmons ( Owner & Promoter, Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling)
Year in and year out dozens upon dozens of Indy wrestlers and promoters from all over North America and beyond converge at the CAC Reunion, each with the same love, passion and desire that we all share. Each wants to do their best, to be successful at what they do and to make their independent promotion the best it can be.
As CAC members will know, there is no better place to exchange ideas, get tips and acquire know how in regards to professional wrestling then by attending a CAC reunion.
This seminar is for absolutely everyone involved in the pro-wrestling business, from promoters to wrestlers to ring crew to support staff. It will focus on how to grow and sustain a successful Indy wrestling promotion by working together as a team because Together Everyone Achieves More!
Topics to be covered will include:
- When it comes to Indy wrestling, does it really take money to make money?
- How to grow an Indy promotion.
- How important is social and digital media use for Indy wrestling promotions?
- How important is sponsorship to an Indy?
- Best ways to acquire sponsorship.
- Can an Indy remain an entity onto itself or is it wise to work with other Indy promotions?
- How can wrestlers, ring crews, fans and support staff help promote their local Indy promotion?
- How to acquire media contacts to help promote your Indy?
- Is it possible to do it by yourself or should you delegate responsibilities?
- Are “big names” worth it?
- Best way to get yourself booked onto an Indy show (if you’re from the area and/or “out of town”).
2:00 PM
“Money on the Table!” Earning from Video, Merchandising and Licensing.
Speaker: Cory Brown (Founder and CEO Brownbutter Wrestling)
For wrestlers, retired wrestlers, estates and Independent promoters! There are exciting new ways to earn out there for professional wrestlers and promoters at every level: active, retired and the families of the deceased. This seminar will help you understand where the money is and how to understand what all of your professional assets are so you can get them to work for you while you’re at home or on the road. Maximize your earning potential by understanding and taking advantage of new businesses in video, merchandise and licensing.
You’ll learn about:
- What new lines of business income are out there for active and retired wrestlers and wrestling legacy families, as well as independent promoters.
- You’re the boss: Why “going into business for yourself” can be a good thing when applied to your career (and not your booking).
- How to understand the business value of your gimmick and other aspects of your career by seeing them as Intellectual Property.
- The differences between the different online video services (YouTube, FloSlam, Fite, etc.) and how to make money by using them.
- How the promo you cut tomorrow can earn money for you in the weeks, months and years to come.
- How understanding just a little about new technology is enough to make it work for you.
- Selling merch: t-shirts and beyond t-shirts.
- Licensing and representation: Making the work you’ve already done earn for you or help put you over for a new audience.
- Professional strategy and planning and “mailbox money”: the greatest way to earn and support your family, even after your final entrance.
Wednesday May 3, 2017
10:00 AM
Talking Them Into The Seats; The Art of the Promo
Speaker: A.J. Kirsch (2016 “Rock The Promo” Champion, WWE Tough Enough Contestant, Reality TV star and Hoodslam Wrestling Host, Commentator and Announcer)
Plus: WWE and NWA Hall of Famer, CAC Honoree and broadcaster extraordinaire, JIM ROSS will join A.J. KIRSCH in leading this seminar!
As you collect the pieces to assemble the career in professional wrestling that you’ve always dreamed of, you soon realize which pieces are absolutely critical: Your appearance. Your ability to network. Your fundamentals and your ability to tell a story in the ring. But the story doesn’t begin when the bell rings and end with a three-count. Now, more than ever, telling a story means developing the ability that most of the all-time greats had: the ability to cut an effective promo.
This seminar will include instruction on what makes an effective promo, common mistakes and pitfalls, how to tailor your promo to your audience, how to make the most of the time you have, how your promo should reflect your character, and a chance to take what you learn and cut a promo of your own right then and there for on-the-spot feedback from the performer whom Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson personally crowned as the first ever “Rock The Promo” champion (see the entire series at www.youtube.com/TheRock ).
Topics covered will include:
- What is the purpose of a promo?
- What makes an effective promo?
- Is there a “formula” for cutting a good promo?
- The pros and cons of scripted versus improvised promos.
- How can I make the most of the time I have?
- How can I, immediately, captivate my audience?
- How does one address the audience?
- What changes between a live promo and a recorded promo?
- Is there anything “off limits”?
- How can one practice promos?
- Can you improve your promos by taking acting classes and/or public speaking courses?
- Is it possible to have a successful career in today’s world of “sports entertainment” if you can’t cut a good promo?
Noon:
The Zebra: So Much More Than Just Stripes!
Panel: James Beard (former WWF, GWF and World Class referee, National Wrestling Alliance Director of Operations & head referee, Inaugural CAC “Charlie Smith” Referee Award Winner), Merv Unger (former Stampede Wrestling and American Wrestling Association (AWA) referee), Raven Lake (former female wrestler, current referee for All Star Wrestling in Vancouver, British Columbia), Kevin Jefferies (former WWF and Stampede Wrestling referee)
Often referred to as the third man in the ring, the role of the professional wrestling referee can be one of the sport’s most “thankless” jobs.
Good referees aren’t born. They’re made. They study. They learn and they, most often, do a lot more than you see them do inside of the wrestling ring.
As part of the 2017 CAC Seminar series we’ve lined up some of the best in the business to shed some light and insight into the role of the professional wrestling referee. To most, it will be an eye opening seminar. To all, it will kindle within a new found appreciation for the, often, taken for granted role of the official.
Topics that will be explored include:
- Should a referee be a former wrestler?
- The role of a referee.
- How a good ref can make a good match that much better.
- How to be a good referee.
- How to work with the referee.
- Ref ring positioning.
- Personal appearance, dress code and professionalism.
- How a referee can help the wrestlers get through a match.
- Why do a lot of referee’s nowadays wear ear pieces and how as the role of the referee evolved through the years?
- What are they told through those ear pieces?
2:00 PM
GLOW – A Peek Behind The Curtain
Panel: Patricia Summerland (a.k.a. Sunny “The California Girl”), Angelina Altishin ( a.k.a. Little Egypt), Jeanne Basone (a.k.a. Hollywood), Tracee Meltzer (a.k.a. Roxy Astor), Kelle Favara (a.k.a. Beastie The Road Warrior), Dee Booher (a.k.a. Matilda The Hun), Jim Valley (Host of “Saturday Morning Wrestling” podcast & Mid-Atlantic Fanfest Q & A sessions), and Matt Cimber (GLOW creator and director)
Plus: Special Guests T.B.A.
The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling was a late night, mid-eighties, syndicated pro-wrestling staple. It was comedic, athletic and campy. Spotlighting the excess that was the 1980’s, along with in-ring action the show featured big hair, comedy sketches, rap music and beautiful women.
Referred to by many as “America’s Sweethearts” GLOW took the wrestling world by storm and at the height of it’s popularity the television audience reached millions of people weekly. It was so popular that the girls not only toured the United States with the show but they had their own glossy news stand magazine as well. They also made special guest appearances on such main stream television shows like Family Feud, Donahue and Married With Children.
The CAC is honored to, collectively, present the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling with the 2017 Women’s Wrestling Award and is thrilled that many of the stars of GLOW will be making their way to Las Vegas to accept the prestigious accolade.
This free-wheeling seminar discussion will give it’s attendees a glimpse behind the GLOW curtain by the people who would know it best. The people who were there.
Hosted by award winning national broadcaster Mr. Jim Valley, a long time old school wrestling fan, attendees of this one will walk out feeling like they’ve just earned their Master’s Degree in GLOW Wrestling, an American cultural phenomena!
Be prepared to learn about:
- The real women behind the characters.
- How and why they started in GLOW and what they are doing now.
- How the concept came about.
- Was the show, originally, envisioned and sold as a variety show, a comedy show or a wrestling show?
- How they syndicated the TV show and how hard or easy it was to syndicate.
- Was GLOW the start of America’s women’s wrestling revolution?
- Were there any obstacles put in its way to either derail it or curtail its success?
- Are any of the original GLOW girls in the, much anticipated, Netflix GLOW comedy series?
- Were any of the girls consulted regarding the series?
- Why it ended or, even, has it ended?
- It’s legacy.
- Are there similar opportunities out there today for aspiring female wrestlers to gain employment?
- How did Jackie Stallone (mother of Hollywood mega star Sylvester Stallone) come to work on the show and how was she to work with?
- How did a lifelong wrestling fan who started off in Dick “The Bruiser’s” Indianapolis promotion come to be the male face of this wildly popular cult hit?
- Do the panelists think that GLOW, in its format of old, would work today?
- Did being GLOW wrestler’s present the ladies with other opportunities and/or did it limit them in any way?