Progress and shows in the new pro div by Wayne D?

[HowieW]

I went to thre web site just a few min ago and it looks like they are going to do at least 3 shows.
I love the concepts and ideals by Wayne Damilla, but knowing the world of bodybuilding, I am a tad skeptical about it going forward and being a viable alternative.
Could it overtake the IFBB pro div, like the NPC did vs the old AAU back years ago>?

[240 is Back]

first guy announced the jump last night.  www.londonisburning.com
Two top 10 perennial O contenders are said to be among those announced around tax day in the first of 2 athlete announcements... Seacrest, out. By the way, am I alone in thinking Seacrest is hot?

[HowieW]

I am kinda curious how Wayne will get sufficeint sponsorship? anyone know?
Howard

[Adam Empire]

first guy announced the jump last night.  www.londonisburning.com
Two top 10 perennial O contenders are said to be among those announced around tax day in the first of 2 athlete announcements... Seacrest, out. By the way, am I alone in thinking Seacrest is hot?

I see the Sasha fan is editing posts now - this board is really starting to annoy me...

[Al-Gebra]

first guy announced the jump last night.  www.londonisburning.com
Two top 10 perennial O contenders are said to be among those announced around tax day in the first of 2 athlete announcements... Seacrest, out. By the way, am I alone in thinking Seacrest is hot?

who's seacrest?

[onlyme]

Wayne has been in this game for along time.  You don't stay in it that long without picking up some contacts.  Believe me he has sponsors and some surprisingly very big ones.  When he is ready he will let everyone know.  Until I am told I can say something I won't.  But believe it this is very real.  Sponsors don't want to be fucked and embarrassed like they are at the Olympia.  I think the sanctioning fee for an IFBB show starts at $60,000.  PDI is $10,000.  That right there is $50,000 more that a promoter can spend on prize money, longer travel, more advertising etc.  

[HowieW]

Wayne has been in this game for along time.  You don't stay in it that long without picking up some contacts.  Believe me he has sponsors and some surprisingly very big ones.  When he is ready he will let everyone know.  Until I am told I can say something I won't.  But believe it this is very real.  Sponsors don't want to be fucked and embarrassed like they are at the Olympia.  I think the sanctioning fee for an IFBB show starts at $60,000.  PDI is $10,000.  That right there is $50,000 more that a promoter can spend on prize money, longer travel, more advertising etc.  

Here is my 2 cents:

Good things going for PDI and Wayne D

1. The Pro Div is new and if ( a big if at this point) can attract a few names, folks will check it out just out of curiosity.

2. Wayne D, KNOWS bodybuilding, unlike Vince McMain of WWF who hd his now defunk WBA crash and burn in the early 90's with a wacked format.

3. Wayne has some excellent ideas on what the fans want and pros need.

4. Wayne will go down with the ship and really put his heart in soul into this. With the Wieders in their senior years and
David Pecker (CEO) involved in various other more lucrative things outside of bodybuilding, if the water gets rough in the IFBB pro div, Pecker will jump ship.

5. With Arnold as sitting GOV and after his last supplement deal debacle, it is unlikely he wuld do much to help the IFBB pro div shoud they need him.

6. The PDI reminds me a lot of the early days of the NPC when they took on and eventually took over the top sport in bodybuilding from the long established AAU and Mr America comm.

Things against Wayne D and the PDI:
1. It is new and UNtested , the IFBB has a long history of show success. The Olympia is still considered the top pro event and has history and tradition on its' side.

2. He needs to still get some top names on his side of the fence to get on his stage.To my knowledge only that London guy has signed on for the PDI cruise.

3. David Pecker has deep pockets of cash reserves on hand and is in control of the most read bodybuilding mag (FLEX).
Wayne would need to get MD on his side if his organization is going to get the publicty it needs.

4. The IFBB has turned bodybuilding shows into events with expos and multi sport contests, etc.
The PDI needs to make teir first shows events as well. What they can't do in numbers or production , they can more than make up for by making the fans feel catered to with great service at his events.

I hope this PDI goes, we shall see?
Howard

Hey onlyme, I saw the weather out in the H islands was pretty chilly for you folks this weekend..true?

[kmhphoto]

Wayne has been in this game for along time.  You don't stay in it that long without picking up some contacts.  Believe me he has sponsors and some surprisingly very big ones.  When he is ready he will let everyone know.  Until I am told I can say something I won't.  But believe it this is very real.  Sponsors don't want to be fucked and embarrassed like they are at the Olympia.  I think the sanctioning fee for an IFBB show starts at $60,000.  PDI is $10,000.  That right there is $50,000 more that a promoter can spend on prize money, longer travel, more advertising etc.  

What I don't understand about all this is why everything has to be so secretive regarding the promoters and sponsors. Why is it that they do not want their names associated with the PDI from the outset?
Are they concerned that this may go the way of previous rumors regarding Watne ie: the Asian Connection, the new magazine, the Lorimer - Demilla partnership, and the agreement with a phsychiatric hospital to offer health screening - an agreement the hospital knew nothing about?

People here have told of their own problems with promoting shows and have detailed the considerable financial losses they've suffered despite having put a huge amount of time and effort into them. Isn't it a little odd that all these new promoters in the US and Europe are prepared to be so secretive about their shows?  Surely they'd be shouting from the rooftops trying to drum up business?
Are all the posters and ads going to have a huge question mark on them in the hope that curiosity will bring in the crowds? I can hear it in the gyms across the world now
"Hey, Joe, are you going to the British PDI Championships?"
"I'm not sure John, when is it, where is it, how much are the tickets and whose competing?"
"I have no F$%King idea"
"Ok, I'll go"

At the moment there is only one "pro" in the PDI. August sees another possible 20 joining from the amateur ranks at the shows in Florida and Vegas. Another 10 at the NOC qaulifier in September. So now we have 31 unknowns battling it out as professionals on September 16th. Unless some top tier IFBB pros join, it's not a lot to promote and assuming several do, there's not a lot of time for all these shows in Europe to be organized?

[onlyme]

Howie the weather sucks on the other islands.  Floods on Kauai and Oahu.  Hilo too,.  But I am in Kona which is dry almost all the time.  It did rain a little the other day.  Kona averages 360 days of sunshine a year.  We need a little rain.  Cold no.  The temp is still around 78 or 80.  Up in the mountains though it gets pretty cold.  There is snow on the mountains today

[HowieW]

Howie the weather sucks on the other islands.  Floods on Kauai and Oahu.  Hilo too,.  But I am in Kona which is dry almost all the time.  It did rain a little the other day.  Kona averages 360 days of sunshine a year.  We need a little rain.  Cold no.  The temp is still around 78 or 80.  Up in the mountains though it gets pretty cold.  There is snow on the mountains today

Stay high and dry with the bears      Sun in Kona Mts? Really? woooooah, I had no idea.
So if you were a betting man what are the Vegas odds of the PDI making it?

[onlyme]

Things against Wayne D and the PDI

1. It is new and UNtested , the IFBB has a long history of show success. The Olympia is still considered the top pro event and has history and tradition on its' side.  Yes but it was Wayne who made it a success.
2. He needs to still get some top names on his side of the fence to get on his stage.To my knowledge only that London guy has signed on for the PDI cruise.  I agree, but I see them coming cause mostof them know he is sincere about making the PDI a success.  Remember he has allot of motivation to make it a success.
3. David Pecker has deep pockets of cash reserves on hand and is in control of the most read bodybuilding mag (FLEX).  No matter how deep they are, there are investors and others to answer too.  No one wants to keep losing money.  
Wayne would need to get MD on his side if his organization is going to get the publicty it needs.  What does Flex M&F and the other AMI mags do for the Olympia.  Nothing special.  Good coverage after the fact and the ads are paid for.  So what do the mags do that they wouldn't do for Wayne if he pays for the ads.  Plus do you think the US is the only place to do shows.  Europe is huge and AMI doesn't control the industry mags over there.
4. The IFBB has turned bodybuilding shows into events with expos and multi sport contests, etc.
The PDI needs to make tier first shows events as well. What they can't do in numbers or production , they can more than make up for by making the fans feel catered to with great service at his events.
Wayne too does this and even bigger.  plus the IFBB doesn't do anything.  It is the promoter.  The IFBB has nothing to do with the other events.
I hope this PDI goes, we shall see?
Howard

Hey onlyme, I saw the weather out in the H islands was pretty chilly for you folks this weekend..true?

[onlyme]

I am actually talking on the phone about it now.

[HowieW]

I am actually talking on the phone about it now.

cool! Hey , seriously, I hope this goes big time, we need some fresh blood in the sport.

[Adam Empire]

What I don't understand about all this is why everything has to be so secretive regarding the promoters and sponsors. Why is it that they do not want their names associated with the PDI from the outset?
Are they concerned that this may go the way of previous rumors regarding Watne ie: the Asian Connection, the new magazine, the Lorimer - Demilla partnership, and the agreement with a phsychiatric hospital to offer health screening - an agreement the hospital knew nothing about?

People here have told of their own problems with promoting shows and have detailed the considerable financial losses they've suffered despite having put a huge amount of time and effort into them. Isn't it a little odd that all these new promoters in the US and Europe are prepared to be so secretive about their shows?  Surely they'd be shouting from the rooftops trying to drum up business?
Are all the posters and ads going to have a huge question mark on them in the hope that curiosity will bring in the crowds? I can hear it in the gyms across the world now
"Hey, Joe, are you going to the British PDI Championships?"
"I'm not sure John, when is it, where is it, how much are the tickets and whose competing?"
"I have no F$%King idea"
"Ok, I'll go"

At the moment there is only one "pro" in the PDI. August sees another possible 20 joining from the amateur ranks at the shows in Florida and Vegas. Another 10 at the NOC qaulifier in September. So now we have 31 unknowns battling it out as professionals on September 16th. Unless some top tier IFBB pros join, it's not a lot to promote and assuming several do, there's not a lot of time for all these shows in Europe to be organized?

I respect the arguments both ways on the new fed.  I think the big deciding factor will be how many rookies join and if that bleeds the new IFBB talent pool.  If PDI can survive long enough to get enough young talent, it has a much better chance of making it.  After all, when you look at the mags - they really try to push these up and coming stars.  I mean, how many articles on "How Ronnie trains legs" can we read...

[kmhphoto]

If PDI can survive long enough to get enough young talent, it has a much better chance of making it. 

It looks like the PDI is already wilting before it's first show!
The European Tour section at www.extreme-usa.com now has "For more information contact" whereas yesterday it listed 7-9 countries. Of course they could be updating the details to include the dates, promoters contact details etc. but I doubt it.

[stomper]

i wish him luck but w/o big names also what is thier premier title of the pdi(mr.o etc.)