Colorado Pro Review by Shawn Ray!

[Ron]

Shawn emailed me this earlier today, for our reading pleasure. While I wasnt able to go this year (due to family - newborn, etc), I fully support anything that will help the sport grow. Next year, I have already reserved the dates in Denver. 



Shawn Ray’s Colorado Pro Am Classic Review
by
Shawn Ray

May 17th, 2005

Looking back on my first Pro Am Classic promotion, I realized how grateful I am to have had friends, sponsors and athletes I’ve grown up with over the last 20 years in the sport supporting my efforts. I especially appreciate the friends I’ve made in the last couple of years since my retirement from competition, who helped make this show a roaring success! My company, VYO Tech Nutritionals my partner, Colorado District Chairman, Jeff Taylor are nothing short of Amazing when it comes to the details and behind the scenes aspects of putting together a first class team!

I went into this project knowing all the things I love about our sport and the things I hate about it. Looking at it from different perspectives certainly helped, as a Professional Athlete competing in the show, to a Fan watching the show and a Promoter promoting a show. I tried to cover all the areas of promotion for everyone involved to make a memorable event impressionable so that everyone would want to come back and take part year after year!

Location:  I chose Denver, CO because it is one of the “Fittest Cities in America!” The surrounding area is beautiful, the time of year was nothing short of spectacular as far as the weather is concerned! Everything an athlete or fan needs is only a short distance away from Top quality restaurants, entertainment, shopping and relaxation. On top of that, the hotel rates were really accommodating for all parties involved!

Venue: I chose the Colorado Convention Center because I have always felt Professional Bodybuilding Contest should have the feel of something B I G! Like a heavyweight Title Fight or the Super bowl Championships! The Multimillion Dollar facility offers us room to grow as a show, in the way the Arnold Classic has without having to relocate in a couple of years as we grow.

The Team: Jeff Taylor and I assembled an All Star Team that made the functioning part of the show very easy for the athletes and ourselves. Steve McAdams of Body Rock Productions came into handle the Stage, Set Design, Lighting, Music and Direction. Pam Betz was our Field General regarding the organizing of the NPC Athletes and Show functions. Kim Klein, was our Chief Expeditor Backstage, directing the Athletes. Isaac Hinds was in charge of our Print Ads, Web site and promotions on the Internet. 

Prize Money: I decided to come on strong to let the Athletes know that I meant business and they would be paid onstage and in FULL! I had some great sponsors who helped make this payday possible for these athletes: VYO Tech Nutritionals, BOSS, Bbing.com, Egg Whites Int., Hydroderm Skin Care, Gaspari Nutrition, Twin Labs, Axis Labs, Muscle Milk, Pro Wrist Straps, Lords GYM, Ballys, Lasik Spa, Jarrow Formulas, US Military, T-Mobil/ Nextel, Labrada Nutrition, and many more!

Athletes: We had the most competitive Line up in many years regarding our top 10 athletes! New Comers, Phil heath, Bill Wilmore and Marcus Haley made the show worth attending, as these guys have great futures ahead of them! Some cagey veterans of the IFBB Darrem Charles, Rodney St. Cloud, Jason Arntz and the return of Gary Strydom really made things interesting!

Future: I have signed on for the next 2 years to continue to follow my dream of promoting our sport! Next year we will be back in action possible adding IFBB Pro Fitness to the roster Friday night, along with championship Arm Wrestling, Gymnastics, Wrestling and Karate during the EXPO!

The Contest Winner: Phil Heath did not surprise many people who knew him. He continued his winner streak of 6 in a row, as he served notice to many IFBB Pro’s out there by beating a good line up of athletes including a “Peaked” Darrem Charles! My personal opinion of Phil is that if he shows up at the Mr. Olympia in this kind of condition and shape he would rest comfortably in the top 3 and give Jay Cutler all he could handle. I think he has what it takes to replace a guy like Ronnie Coleman atop the Olympia Seat and has Father Time on his side due to his young age of 26!

Congratulations to all our Raffle Winners of the prizes (Cell Phones, Ipods, Dinner Certificates, Contest Tickets, DVD Player, CD Player, Magazine Subscriptions, Sponsor Packages) and more, including Jim Bluff from Utah for winning the 2006 Hummer H3!

Overall, I had the time of my life, impacting other people’s lives through this promotion. Bringing BIG TIME Bodybuilding to a state like Colorado is exciting because the people are so nice and into fitness! I hope I am part of the process in “Raising the Bar” for contest Promotions & Prizes, which is why Jeff Taylor & Co. deserve a lot of recognition for their role in making this show a success!

We intend to add 1000 people per/yr in the seats until we are at Full Capacity of 5000 Fans watching this event!

We will be back June 1st & 2nd of 2007!

Thank you,

Shawn

[scribbler]

Great show Shawn...I look forward to many more

Chris

[phyxsius]

240 where is your review man?

I love your previous work on Ironman

[divcom]

240 where is your review man?

I love your previous work on Ironman

Looking forward to the first week of June 2007!  Definitely get the fitness athletes in the line up.  Would love to see them and the fig ladies work 16th St Mall.

[littleguns]

Shawn, not being negative but just wondering if and when the true financial reports will be coming in. I thought the Charlotte Pro show in 05 was phenomenal but the promoter(s) were barely able to keep the shirts on their backs. They were all positive about furutre shows but when the reports came back, it was a different story...

[Tre]

Although both were excellent events (from a fan perspective), you cannot really compare the Colorado with the Charlotte promotions.  They each had their strengths and weaknesses and the pre-show promotions were handled very differently. 

The one major similarity is that both were held in beautiful cities that proved to be great travel destinations. 

[littleguns]

Tre....point well taken.

I would love to see Shawn succeed but when it comes down to it, it's all about the Benjamins baby $$$

[240 is Back]

I want to see the scoresheet and judges names from the Colorado Pro.

No flaming, no dissing, but I am curious about it.

Shawn said it'd be released on Monday.  It is Thursday.  Whenever I ask about it, it is immediately deleted.

I can understand deleting anything negative that I might say about the judging- but I'm just asking to see what Shawn said he'd show us. 

Is that worthy of being deleted?  If so, what aspect of it is negative?  We'd want to see the stats of any other sports' game.  To delete my Qs about seeing the promised scoresheets makes it look like something is being hidden.

[Stavios]

I want to see the scoresheet and judges names from the Colorado Pro.

No flaming, no dissing, but I am curious about it.

Shawn said it'd be released on Monday.  It is Thursday.  Whenever I ask about it, it is immediately deleted.

I can understand deleting anything negative that I might say about the judging- but I'm just asking to see what Shawn said he'd show us. 

Is that worthy of being deleted?  If so, what aspect of it is negative?  We'd want to see the stats of any other sports' game.  To delete my Qs about seeing the promised scoresheets makes it look like something is being hidden.

I hate to say this but you are right on this one

[Ron]

Shawn, not being negative but just wondering if and when the true financial reports will be coming in.

I think it is time to get something here. You guys don't get to see the financial reports. Like any other business, it isn't yours. Where did you think you can see anyones financial reports? Are you serious? Do you ask any other business or entity to see theres? No, so enough of that.

I want to see the scoresheet and judges names from the Colorado Pro.

Not that easy to get right away. The NY Pro is this weekend, and all thoughts are on that show right there. If you have a problem with Shawn, then email him on it. The first post was left there, the next 20 are deleted. The official scorecard results is in the Getbig Results section with the scoring..

[littleguns]

I think it is time to get something here. You guys don't get to see the financial reports. Like any other business, it isn't yours. Where did you think you can see anyones financial reports? Are you serious? Do you ask any other business or entity to see theres? No, so enough of that.

Ron, I think I was misunderstood, I was not asking to personally see the financial reports, to be honest it's none of my business. I guess I should have phrased it

" Shawn have YOU seen the financial reports to 100% confirm that the there will be a show next year?"

[240 is Back]

Not that easy to get right away. The NY Pro is this weekend, and all thoughts are on that show right there.

I have no prob with Shawn.  I just want to see the judges' list.  He promised we'd see it, and we haven't.  Shouldn't interfere with the NY Pro at all.  Just a list as he promised.   if I get negative, by all means, kick my ass for it.  But I just want the info that Shawn said woudl be released.  I can't imagine there is any reason to keep a judges list secret.

[Tre]

Of the sponsors/exhibitors I spoke with, all indicated that they would most likely return to Shawn's event in 2007.

As I keep saying, it seems the only people unhappy with the turnout are the ones who weren't there. 

[divcom]

As noted... Mother's Day was probably one of the reasons for a lower expo and show turn out... so the first week of June will help.  Also... feel they have to work 16th St mall a bit.  If funds are there... add kid type stuff like dancing, jr fitness, or some of the stuff Betsy does.  Anyway.... it was a nice expo... not sure of the evening shows given I couldnt attend.  Given it was downtown... I was surprise they didnt get more traffic... but many stores, esp department and retail, have failed.   Has become a coporate based setting over the last couple of years .... vs when I worked a pt job around undergrad school a couple of yrs ago.

[onlyme]

First off there is no reason why the scoresheets cannot be posted.  Every sport does it.  Not to say this a sport but to save time explaining I'll call it one for this purpose.  Having the New York this week has no bearing on why the scroecards are not posted.  So that is a lame excuse.

Second, it won't matter about the financials.  I have been in the exact situation.  NONE of you have includeing Ron.  The only other one is Mike.  Except his was more his own actual money instead of others money.  You have to keep positive throughout the whole ordeal.  Especially Sean.  He is more scutinized than I was.  I didn't have this board to contend with when I did my show.  For the next couple days after my show I was very depressed.  But after several sponsors called, emailed and said the show was great for them and they'll be back next year I felt better.  In fact I remember several sponsors who came up to me the last day of the show to tell me they had a great time, made plenty of contacts, and expected nothing more for show of that type in Hawaii and was surprised it was as good as it was.  And everyone said it had an appearance better than almost any expo they've been to.  Every sponsor agreed that this show could easily end up being one of the biggest shows of the year.  It had everything going for it.  Just the date everyone agreed was a crap shoot and we lost.  But, the support was awesome.  I am pretty sure Sean is getting the same reaction.  Sponsors do not come into a show like that expecting tomake their money back.  They are supporting an idea and concept that they believe will be good for the industry and for them in the long run.

Not many sponsors will invest in a show like this for just one year.  Thats stupid.  The smaller companies will do this cause they can't afford a show that doesn't show some kind of ROI almost right off the bat.  But the bigger companies are looking at the big picture.

The concept of everything Sean did was great.  It was almost a carbon copy of my show just missing a few things.  The Hummer I still think wasn;t a good idea basing it ROI and even thinking about future shows cause now he will almost have to give away a car at every show or something really big cause now the fans are expecting it.  And that is a huge debt on the final numbers.  If he can find a dealership to donate a free car then great but if not the car give-away every show is going to affect the bottom line which ultimately will decided if the show continues.

And I still don't think Denver is the town to hav a show like this and expect to make a profit.  Sorry but that is my feeling.  But, I guess time will tell.  But, so far I was pretty right on with everythign I said prior to the show.  Like I said I have been in the exact spot, and unless you have it will be hard for you to comprehend this.  But, Sean is allot bigger name than I am and could probably convince his all his sponsors and more to hang in there with him.

[Tre]

Given it was downtown... I was surprise they didnt get more traffic... but many stores, esp department and retail, have failed.   Has become a corporate based setting over the last couple of years .... 

Well, remember, that part of downtown essentially empties out on the weekends, so there's not a lot of random foot traffic.  Quizno's wasn't even open on Sunday!   

I do like the location, however, and feel it's merely a matter of providing more events which appeal to an even greater cross-section of the general public.  Of all the first-time pro events (that did not grow out of an existing NPC show) within the last 5 years, this one demonstrated the greatest promise. 

[ether]

Sport??? Athletes??? 

[War-Horse]

I just wanted to say, this is good for the sport, and Im happy for all the athletes.

[ether]

nice.

[onlyme]

Sport??? Athletes??? 

I know I know but I was doing it for the lack of a better term or word

[getfast81]

Financial reports?  What are you guys?  Business men or bodybuilding fans? Dont say both because thats bullshit.  240, yeah with his website business he qualifies but who give a shit how Shawn came out.  The show was well ran and there is a whole lot more to talk about than how he came financially.  Phil Heath, Darrem Charles, yadayadayada.  Fucking hilarious. 

Scoresheets would be nice because like 240 said, a sport stat is a sport stat

[divcom]

Sport??? Athletes??? 

Sport in the gym.  BBing and Figure more theatre/beauty contest on stage.  Fitness definitely a sport on stage.  Hope these helps.

 

[G o a t b o y]

And I still don't think Denver is the town to hav a show like this and expect to make a profit. 

I agree.

About the only worse place to have a show, from a financial perspective, would be Hawaii! 

[gordiano]

I know I know but I was doing it for the lack of a better term or word

Let me help you..........Industry, Competitors.

[240 is Back]

I don't care about the financial statements, and I respect the privacy of VYO.  Shawn said they wouldn't come out, and that's fine.

Shawn did, however, promise the judges list, and the scoresheets, would be released the Monday after the show.  If this info has been changed to private, Shawn should tell us.  Otherwise it looks like he said one thing, then chose to do another, to deceive fans of the sport into believing there was accountability at this event.

Shawn, just tell us if you plan to release the info or not.