ALL IN and Starrcast held a conference call with the media today to discuss the big weekend taking place in the Chicago area from August 30-September 2.
Starrcast promoter Conrad Thompson, Jeff Jarrett, Eric Bischoff, Bruce Prichard and Cody Rhodes were all part of the call answering questions about the weekend.
Wrestleview.com was part of the call and live tweeted a recap this afternoon.
Here are a few highlights:
Opening the call today is @HeyHeyItsConrad talking about @Starrcast18 next weekend, Conrad says he's a first-time promoter and is excited about the convention in Chicago, Conrad plugs @FiteTV programming options, also mentions a bonus @Twitch stream
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Conrad on the hardest thing to pull off when it came to booking @Starrcast18, Conrad said "without question" was the "Behind the Themes" with Sean Mooney and Jim Johnston
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Next up on the call is @RealJeffJarrett, he jokes he was probably the easiest to secure for @Starrcast18 and plugs the "Spend My Days" karaoke session, Jeff also talks about his "Total Non-Stop Jarrett" stage show on September 1
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Jeff about if this @Starrcast18/@ALL_IN_2018 weekend reminds him of the old days, Jeff says technology has made something like this "so much bigger", he even says this could be even bigger than WrestleMania weekend with how much talent and podcasts are involved
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Jeff on if any talent on the indy scene has his attention, he avoids wanting to zero in on one person, Jeff says the talent pool "is as deep as it has ever been", he cites @ALL_IN_2018 selling out in 30 minutes as proof of that
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Next up is @EBischoff on the call, he talks about the "Monday Night Wars" debate on Thursday (August 30) airing on @FiteTV, he talks about becoming close friends with Bruce Prichard when he signed with WWE back in 2002, Bischoff says he will bring a different perspective
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Bischoff about the biggest misconception when having to talk about WCW, Bischoff cites the narrative that WCW was only allowed to survive because of Ted Turner's checkbook and "stealing" talent from WWE, he adds those talents approached him about wanting to leave
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Bischoff about Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks being able to capture the imagination of wrestling fans, Bischoff says having the guts to put your own money up and book something like @ALL_IN_2018 knowing it may not work makes him have huge admiration for them
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
"They made wrestling cool again" – @EBischoff on @CodyRhodes, @NickJacksonYB and @MattJackson13 and the upcoming @ALL_IN_2018 event
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Bischoff about the @Starrcast18 lineup, Bischoff jokes that four days may not be enough with how much talent will be involved with the weekend, he describes the convention as a "buffet" with something for everyone
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Next up on the call today is @bruceprichard, he is "dreading" The Roast of Bruce Prichard at @Starrcast18, he joked when Conrad asked him about a roast he figured they were going out to get some food
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Prichard interjects about the "Monday Night Wars" debate, he says the one thing that bothers Bischoff the most is that he can't always get his own narrative out in the public when WWE won the war at the end of the day
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Bruce about the territory scene and if he could envision what indy wrestling has become today, Prichard says indy promotions were often referred to as "outlaws", he wants talent to have as many opportunities as they can and that is the beauty of @ALL_IN_2018
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Bruce about Cody Rhodes helping to sellout a 10,000 seat arena in Chicago for @ALL_IN_2018 and if he would have believed he could do this back in #WWE, Prichard believes it, says he has "charisma" and the "it" factor
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Next up on the call is @CodyRhodes, Cody appreciates the high praise from Bruce Prichard just moments ago on the call, he jokes that Conrad gave him a fake time to make sure he would be part of this media call today
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Cody about planning @ALL_IN_2018 and if he had any idea something like @Starrcast18 would be part of it, Cody says he had a good feeling interacting with Conrad, he adds Conrad is a fan and is doing a fan convention
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Cody on how he is approaching @ALL_IN_2018 as a booker, he talks about a thought process of "we know what they want", Cody says he's learned you can't force anything on the fans, "this is the era of absolute gag reflex"
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Cody on what made them decide to do @ALL_IN_2018 this time of the year and another in the future, Cody said he was in Japan with an NJPW executive comparing ROH/NJPW/IMPACT schedules, "it just happened to be this one Saturday" and Chicago was a good destination
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Regarding what is next for @ALL_IN_2018, Cody wishes he could give a good answer, "a lot has happened in the last few weeks" regarding the future, Cody says one thing that is special about this group is that "we have verbally committed to each other"
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Cody adds it is no secret they have contracts expiring and he isn't sure what the future will hold after this first ever @ALL_IN_2018 event
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Cody on how they measure success with @ALL_IN_2018, Cody says "history has been made already" in terms of it selling out "with our own money" and going on WGN America for the pre-show
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
"#WWE is outstanding at what they do, but they don't own pro wrestling" @CodyRhodes on the upcoming @ALL_IN_2018 event
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Cody adds they decided they could book an event like @ALL_IN_2018 without legends or any "crutches" needed to sell tickets
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Cody on any other reason for booking @ALL_IN_2018 in Chicago, Cody refers to Chicago as a major wrestling city, he brings up performing inside a sold out Allstate Arena, "we made it a point to make this first one in Chicago"
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Conrad is back on the call saying he wishes @Starrcast18 was this weekend, question for Conrad on how he is holding up, "I'm near death" and jokes he is a one and done promoter
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Conrad puts over the @FiteTV partnership really helping with @Starrcast18, he says he might have scheduled fewer events and "by accident" he created a Pay Per View experience, Conrad says that wasn't the original plan at all
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
Question for Conrad about original plans for @Starrcast18, Conrad says it's bigger today than it even was yesterday, he jokes that Starrcast has ruined his life and will be really excited when it is over, Conrad says the original idea was only two days in Chicago
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
That does it for the @Starrcast18 and @ALL_IN_2018 media call today, thanks to everyone for following along! We are very excited to be part of Podcast Row next weekend in Chicago! Make sure to stop by our booth on Saturday (9/1) to say hello! pic.twitter.com/hJH1RRcS5m
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) August 22, 2018
