Promoting wrestlingscout.com
In 2006, I setup my Youtube account, mostly as a way to favorite and follow pro-wrestling content on this growing medium. The following year, I decided to upload all the videos that my friend and associate Brandon Thurston had put together so masterfully five years earlier. I noticed that these videos, the Antonio Inoki "Hurt" video in particular, were getting a lot of hits. In my mind, I saw this a potential avenue for driving traffic to my wrestlingscout.com website. It was not until the summer of 2009, that I decided to do something. Originally, I was inspired by Karl Stern's bumpers, so I tried making a purely audio bumper. This became the original first segment of my Mid-Atlantic & Georgia video, which ironically someone ended up using as a bumper. I eventually, decided to combine my fledging skills with iMovie and Garage Band with my concept of territorial videos to promote my site's re-tooling. I focused a lot of time on them because they were well-received and noticeably bumped up my hits.
Youtube - The Rebirth of the Territories
As for the content, almost all the audio and video comes from Youtube itself. Partially because of the ease, partially because I want people to be able to seek out something that might interest them. The pictures come from any number of places, so attributing them would be a challenge. I have a very liberal view of copyright and feel that I'm doing nothing but promoting pro-wrestling in general and encouraging the nostalgia and interest that many long-time fans have. Youtube is, in my honest opinion, the greatest thing that has happened to pro-wrestling in a long time. It allows people to easily and freely access a wide variety of products that they would not otherwise see. While I commend the WWE for its 24/7 channel, its many documentaries and DVD collections, I think having pro-wrestling filtered through their lens has many drawbacks. Youtube provides a more democratic market, where things that would never come to light can be shared with the masses. The WWE was actively stopping users who uploaded "their content," but they've both eased up on that and started sharing more themselves.
Loose Ends
I had laid out a plan to do 18 videos in December of 2009, 15 months later, I've done 15 (including substantially adding to one) and I've added some along the way. I would love to finish the remaining 4-5 that I have planned by the end of 2011. Some I have begun collecting pieces, while others I have nothing except ideas. As I am publishing on Youtube, I am realizing different limitations and so I am going to start including my videos on wrestlingscout.com with more detailed information and links where they apply. I would like to thank all those people who have viewed and enjoyed my videos and sent along such positive feedback. I've gotten many messages from pro-wrestler's children over the years and many have shared nice comments and that is always highly encouraging. I hope I can continue to please everyone with my future offerings.
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