Again, I'm talking on the level of a company going national on TV... as bad as it is (as I'd want a pure, good, deep wrestling product as much as anyone) you have to be realistic. WWF/E is too big a monopoly... I never said there's no interest/little interest in traditional British _style_, I said there is more interest in the "sports-entertainment" _style_, which would get bigger ratings, higher revenue, and after all, that's all the Tv companies, the promoters/owners are interested in, really.

I don't agree that there is no place for promos and storylines (nor that such things don't exist in Japanese wrestling), but they should be done properly and in perspective. The last two Allstar shows I saw had challenges and angles set up which were then left unfulfilled; leaving 'em hungry is great if you're going to be back to resolve the cliffhanger in the near future, but when the next time you're back is in two months with a different roster and all previous contests forgotten, each show really should be self contained. As for promos, I've no problem with quality dialogue (in context) as a brief break from the violence and a way to move on the show.
They should be kept in perspective, though. A tangent example:
In traditional circuses, clowns were only ever meant to be light comic relief to keep the crowd entertained as the ring hands set up the apparatus for the more technical and exciting acts that were the main attractions.. at some point, though (possibly because a painted face makes a better poster image than a bloke in a body stocking), the clowns ended up with higher billing, so the show became associated with their antics instead of the skilled stunts and routines that were the real point of the show. To the point where now would-be audiences only really think of sad men in baggy trousers doing tired routines (which the kids find as unfunny as everyone else, no matter what their parents think) instead of the highly trained displays that the performers dedicate their lives to.

Totally agree about the publicity side; I continue to be annoyed by the detective investigation I have to mount in order to get to know about when shows near me will be held, and if I, a wrestling fan, have to go through such a mission to find the events, what chance is there of the general public being drawn in? The odd poster at the venue ain't enough, guys. As for the usual defence that promotions don't have the resources to mount publicity campains in different towns, how about using the model lower-scale boxing events use; supply the local talent used on the show (or even friendly fans) with posters and flyers and let them be responsible with papering the town with publicity. It's in their interest to do so, better audiences mean better pay-offs and exposure (or should).

Also agree about dropping "Real American Wrestling!", "Big Time American Wrestling!", "American Wrestling: honest!" and the like from posters.. how about "international" wrestling? When you're claiming a British identity with one hand and shamelessly aping the yanks with the other, you're ony ever going to look like desperate wannabes.