5 Rookie Mistakes New Wrestling Promoters Always Make

So you want to run your own wrestling show. You’ve got the passion. You’ve got a ring guy. You’ve got three wrestlers with gear and a fourth who “almost has gear.”

Before you hit “print” on those flyers, let’s talk.

If you're googling wrestling promoter mistakes or trying to avoid common indie wrestling pitfalls, this list might save you from blowing your budget, alienating your talent, and running your promotion into the ground before intermission.

❌ 1. Booking Talent Without a Plan

Rookie promoters often stack the card with every available wrestler they know—then figure out matchups later. That leads to a bloated, unstructured show that exhausts the crowd and kills any narrative momentum.

What to do instead:
Build your show around a few clear matches or stories. Give the crowd a reason to care. And always ask: What moment do I want people talking about when they leave?

Planet Wrestling Insight: We build around Copa del Mundo, a tournament with structure, stakes, and characters that matter. See for yourself.

❌ 2. Ignoring the Venue Vibes

It’s not just about square footage. The best shows happen where the energy feels tight and electric. Rookie mistake? Booking a space too big for the crowd—or one with terrible acoustics, bad lighting, or zero atmosphere.

What to do instead:
Scout venues for more than price. Think layout, crowd flow, lighting, and how loud the pops will sound. A packed 150-person room beats a half-empty gym every time.

❌ 3. Thinking “The Wrestlers Will Promote It”

They might post a flyer. They might share the event once. But it’s your job to fill the seats. Hoping your roster will hustle for you is a recipe for empty chairs and awkward silences.

What to do instead:
Treat promotion like its own match: have a strategy, hit it hard, and don’t stop pushing until bell time. Flyers, Facebook, YouTube, email blasts—all of it matters.

Planet Wrestling Example: We hype every show with teaser videos, wrestler promos, and a constant online presence. It’s work. It works.

❌ 4. Not Having a “Day Of” Run Sheet

You’d be amazed how many new promoters run events with no timeline, no crew assignments, and no clue what happens between doors opening and bell ringing.

What to do instead:
Write it out. Load-in time. Ring setup. Talent arrival. Doors open. Match order. Intermission. Closeout. Assign someone to run the day so you can troubleshoot, not micromanage.

❌ 5. Overpromising to Talent (Then Underdelivering to Fans)

This one’s brutal. Promising wrestlers huge crowds, guaranteed payouts, or fancy production… then delivering a rickety ring, six people in folding chairs, and a playlist run off a phone.

What to do instead:
Be honest. Set expectations. Respect the work. Build trust by doing the basics well: start on time, pay as agreed, and create a show worth working. Word gets around fast in the indie scene—both good and bad.

✅ Learn From the Mistakes—Then Do It Better

Every promoter makes mistakes. But the smart ones learn fast and adapt.

At Planet Wrestling, we’ve been there. We’ve hauled rings through snow, lost power mid-promo, and had wrestlers no-show with five minutes’ notice. But we’ve also created moments people still talk about—and we’re just getting started.

Want to see how we run things?
Check out our next event:
Copa del Mundo – June 21, 2025 in Romulus, MI
Grab tickets here

Then start planning your own dream card—with a little less trial and a lot less error.