Wrestling Collectors?

[luxzombie]

Great haul!!! I like using blue, green and red Sharpies myself just for the way they look. I have been asked if I am a dealer by some IPs because of this. Is this a new trend? I have only sold one auto, and that was only because I found out what a low life the signer was, and some one offered to buy it. I tried to GIVE it to him but he would not take it without paying. ( oh well ) Last time WWE was in town I scored Jerry Lawler, Sheamus, Brodus Clay, Kofi, Matt Striker, Scott Armstrong, and Dolph Ziggler. Not as many as a TNA show .

[JWLJN]

Did yet another TNA show last night and to me they seem to be trying to change their ways just a bit. Autographs and the like didn't feel as relaxed as usual at those shows.

Lying about the value of their merchandise didn't exactly endear me either. Their biggest "deal" of the night was a replica of the TNA title along with their other merch deals included and "backstage" access for four for $375. All well and good, but they were saying that the belt wasn't just a replica because it was "heavy" and that a belt like this would normally cost $1,500. Then it was said that they can sell it that cheap because they "bought the mold." I'm guessing that no diehard belt collectors were there, as those are the type of lying statements that would cause a riot among those folks. The "$1,500" belts are not made from molds. Then West had the nerve to say that the Angle/Anderson signed two-pack sold on eBay for $80 last week. They weren't even selling for $20, to be honest. At this show it was $20 to buy the pack and then "backstage" access to have them sign it. I've always liked West and taken his hyperbole in stride (Hell, it's his gimmick), but it was too much.

When I do the TNA shows I try to get more than my money's worth as far as autographs. After convenience charges our ringside/meet and greet tickets were $65. The meet and greet had Gunner, Garrett Bischoff, Ion, Aries, Magnus, and Gail Kim. A Gail photo was one of my main goals and she was freely posing with the belt with anyone who asked. Basing it off of convention prices, I got $30 worth from Gail. I was happy, but still a little disappointed that I knew any RVD, Angle, or Anderson autographs would be impossible unless we did one of the backstage deals. Mickie, Robbie E, and the Hebner's did merch table autos.

About twenty minutes before the show started, West announced that they would be selling the "backstage passes" for $50 which would enable two people to go back during intermission. A friend and I went in half on one and the boy at the merch table told us that we could go back right then, which is when the Angle/Anderson figure purchasers went back. We don't think we were really supposed to go to that one, but we did. No one even checked our pass. The always lovely Atlas guards seemed bound and determined not to allow WWE merch to be signed this time around. This is the first time that I can recall encountering this. I got multiple items done by both Angle and Anderson, so when the Atlas chap refused my WWE Angle card I wasn't upset. No one was even standing with Anderson and he signed his Kennedy card.

During intermission we went back again and Angle was there again (no guard, he signed the aforementioned card) along with Gunner and RVD.

Adding my half of the pass to my ticket, the total that I spent was $90. Considering we got multiple autographs from everyone on the show including higher end convention names like RVD, Angle, Anderson, Gail, and Mickie, it was well worth it. If I hadn't bought the pass, while I still would've got my money's worth, I wouldn't have come away feeling satisfied.

They've also chopped out the gimmick at the end where they do the "around the ring" meet and greet again. Since it was a fairly small show (only six matches) I thought this may have been because there really wasn't anyone to send around without making the meet and greet and pass holders feel slighted.

So all in all a good signing, as everything I was bound and determined to get signed was signed and I finally got a Gail photo op. It just wasn't what it used to be at those shows. I also may have been spoiled by the unreal deal that the Bound For Glory fest was.

-J\/\/

[Haase112983]

Cubs, Josh. Good Hauls! Sad to hear that The Great Khali uses a walker to get around. Not a fan of the guy but very sad a young guy has so many problems.

Just curious is anyone heading to Wrestlemania? Not asking for anything, I know a few posters like to hit Mania every year.

[HorrorWWEMBXZillaGuy]

sent back in October, finally got back Mike Rotundo today on 2 pics and index card.

[jdawg619]

Cubs, Josh. Good Hauls! Sad to hear that The Great Khali uses a walker to get around. Not a fan of the guy but very sad a young guy has so many problems.

Just curious is anyone heading to Wrestlemania? Not asking for anything, I know a few posters like to hit Mania every year.

Yep i Am heading to Wrestlemania i am excited as heck. i really do not need any graphs but what i get is just icing on the cake. I just want to see Cena vs Rock and Triple H vs Undertaker. i am sitting front row and i can not wait

[davidn2161]

Has anyone had any recent successes with Bruno Sammartino? I got my pictures back unsigned and folded 6 days after sending them out. I was disappointed, it wasn't that big of a deal, I just wrote a nice letter and had heard he signed.

I'm new to the TTM, I have 600 sports autographs mostly all in person, so any information on this TTM stuff is new to me.

[JWLJN]

Has anyone had any recent successes with Bruno Sammartino? I got my pictures back unsigned and folded 6 days after sending them out. I was disappointed, it wasn't that big of a deal, I just wrote a nice letter and had heard he signed.

Very unlike Bruno. Did you use the right address?

I forgot to mention one thing in my TNA report that will be of interest to this board. The night before the show my friend told me that he had come across a house show report from a few weeks ago. It seems that at that particular show Austin Aries was stamping his autograph with a stamp of his own signature. I came across of a photo of it myself.

At the show Aries was originally slated to be one of the merch table signers but Don West called an audible and switched Aries and Robbie E at the last minute. Prior to this West had made a joke to the crowd saying something to the effect of, "...and who knows if you'll get an actual signature from Aries or a stamp or what!"

This really pissed me off and I was actually going to file a complaint if it happened. It's not as if I really care about Aries, but it's the principle and the fact that a stamp is NOT an autograph. When Aries came out he was armed with a sharpie and signed all autographs personally. I heard West approach him in the aisle about it and Aries replied that it was too hard to use the stamp when not at a table. West replied, "Well, you can use it tomorrow." I feel bad for anyone in Erie who was specifically looking for an Aries autograph.

So if in the future if anyone is going to a TNA show bound and determined to get an Aries autograph...you may end up with a stamp.

-J\/\/

[davidn2161]

I used the one in the database for Sammartino. I was just surprised when I opened it because I had heard he was a good signer.

Bruno Sammartino
413 Goldsmith Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
USA

[JWLJN]

I used the one in the database for Sammartino. I was just surprised when I opened it because I had heard he was a good signer.

Bruno Sammartino
413 Goldsmith Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
USA

That's the one. Bruno has never refused an autograph in his entire career, so I'm not really sure what happened there.

-J\/\/

[sky312rocks]

i got evan bourne signed 4 cards and wrote note took 13 days