Promoters score big government win

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This past weekend, hundreds of thousands of WWE fans ascended to New Orleans for WrestleMania weekend.


But several days before there were any suplexes, body slams or power bombs in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, there was a huge victory scored by local promoters in state government – a win which will ensure the viability of independent wrestling shows into the future.

Rep. Jerome Zeringue (R-Houma) authored HB-502, which pertained to some of the unnecessary costs independent wrestling promoters have to take on in order to host a show – funds that are not needed by licensed promoters in several other states around the country.

The bill passed the House with unanimous approval and it headed to the Senate on Monday where it was also expected to get approval, though no official word was available at press-time.


From there, it would get to Governor John Bel Edwards’ desk and would be placed into law – a huge victory for wrestling fans around the state.

Houma-based promoter, David Pitre Jr., has been fighting to get the bill crafted for several months, and he said he wanted to thank Rep. Zeringue for working with him to get the ball rolling.

When the bill passed the House, Pitre said it was a great day for local sports, calling it a giant step forward.


“This is definitely a monumental day for Louisiana professional wrestling,” Pitre said. “This bill will eliminate some of those un-needed expenses that we previously had to take on. It will allow promoters to put more money into the product and advertisement to grow our events. We will now be able to get that special guest that fans are begging us to bring in for dream matches with our local talent. And more importantly, we will be able to compensate our current talent better because those guys are busting their butts each and every month for next to nothing in return.”

So here is exactly what it all means.

Currently in Louisiana, to host and promote a professional wrestling show, you have to be licensed by the Louisiana State Boxing and Wrestling Commission.


Under this law, that will not change, nor should it, according to Pitre, who said fans should be able to trust that any event is being promoted by a trustworthy booker.

But what will change are some of the booking fees and expenses that used to be in place that are going to go away.

Pitre said in the past, he had to pay the Commission a $250 date fee for hosting an event. He also had to pay a doctor, an ambulance or a 5 percent fee on his gate – as long the organization has a $100,000 commercial insurance policy and someone who is CPR trained that’s not competing at the event.


OK, so on the surface, it may seem the commission’s requirements are reasonable, but if one listens to Pitre explain his case, he and other wrestling promoters actually seem to have a valid argument for the bill’s passage and new regulations to be in effect.

Pitre said the ambulance is expensive to have on-site and is useless because local medical centers send a non-active unit to the scene in case of an active emergency in the community. So that means that if a wrestler were to actually get hurt at the show, another ambulance would have to be called anyway, which basically makes it a sunk cost with no value at all to the promoter.

The promoter said the doctor is also an unnecessary cost. He’s been running Elite Championship Wrestling for almost a decade and in his time in that position, he said the doctor has never once been used – a sunken cost which over the years has cost he and his organization literally thousands of dollars.


“Over our seven years in business, we have never once used the ambulance service, nor have we had a recordable injury with the commission,” Pitre said. “Not one.”

The tipping point for change came in the past several years when other states around the Southeast have loosened their regulations, which put pressure on promoters to do the same in Louisiana or risk losing shows to other states.

Pitre said if the law passes all the way through to law, he will save about $1,300 per show, which will make events more feasible financially, while also allowing for better talent to be booked.


Pitre sometimes books several shows a month, which will amount to savings of tens of thousands of dollars per year.

“The fans are going to be the real winners in this,” Pitre said.

The law applies only to shows held in a building with a capacity of 400 people or less – basically community wrestling shows like we have in our area.


Pitre said Zeringue took the cause personally and really bought into the idea that local promoters were getting a raw deal in having to eat so many sunken costs without getting anything in return.

“We’ve been working together for about a year now to make this bill come to light,” Pitre said. “I really appreciate the dedication he’s put into listening to the struggles promoters are having in these small market towns.”

Long-time independent wrestler John Saxon helps book shows with Pitre and has been around the wrestling business for several years, winning countless titles around the United States.


Saxon said the bill’s passage is one of the greatest days he can remember for wrestling fans.

“David Pitre Jr. is the man,” Saxon said. “He stood up and took on the fight and risked everything he worked for to make changes for everyone. This is truly a David vs. Goliath story and once again, the small David stood his ground and slayed the giant. … He should be totally proud of himself. I know I am truly proud of him.”

Elite Championship WrestlingCASEY GISCLAIR | THE TIMES


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