07-25-2019, 11:42 AM
Good afternoon, I’m Sallie Graham and welcome to this special edition of Extra. Last week immediately following EMERGE, I had chance to sit down with Drew Bryant for the first time in a while, and what followed what a very insightful interview. What follows is excerpts from that interview
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Sallie: Drew, thank you for sitting down with me, I know you are a very busy man.
Drew: No problem at all
Sallie: To begin with, on EMERGE #25 we saw a very emotional side to you…
(Drew laughs)
Sallie: A side we haven’t seen before, can you explain what brought that emotion on.
Drew: See, what people don’t understand about me Sallie, is I don’t fail. It’s not in my make up to fail no matter what I’m doing. So, when I took over EMERGE, it wasn’t to just sit on my laurels and steer the ship, it was to make the company THE ship.
Sallie: What do you mean by that?
Drew: I’m not stupid, far from it. It didn’t take me long to realize who was in charge of the show, and it certainly wasn’t me. I very quickly realized, as Dexter and Vee did before me, that the position we held, was just a face. The really important stuff that was decided by the SCW board.
Sallie: And is that a bad thing? I mean, they do pay the bills.
Drew: Yes, they do… but the thing is, in doing so, EMERGE wasn’t getting anywhere near the potential it could. Look at it this way, look at the talent that we have lost over the past seven months. Yes, EMERGE is the development arm for SCW, I get that… but that doesn’t mean that it should be.
Sallie: But, that is the reason it was created?
Drew: No, it was created to push through the talent for the UWA… SCW was simply EMERGE’s salvation at the right time.
Sallie: OK, so what are you saying?
Drew: Look, it was well versed what a mess I made of the UWA. If it hadn’t been for my mistakes that company would still be around, and I’ve no doubt it would still be challenging SCW week in week out. As I said, EMERGE could be so much more, and SCW knows that, and that is why they refuse to sell, and continue to take the profits from MY creation.
Sallie: You think they are holding onto it purposely to hold it back?
Drew: I think so yeah… wouldn’t be the first time the SCW hasn’t allowed a company to thrive through spite would it?
Sallie: OK, but moving on… has the SCW ever given any indication that it might sell?
(Drew nods)
Drew: Yes, when I made my first offer, they were more than happy to come to the table and discuss terms, but that all changed, apparently because I went public with my intentions. What they don’t like Sallie, is knowing precisely what I have backing me, and the financial power that we possess. They know that any sale would be looked on as a sign of weakness on their part, when in fact, at the end of the day they have little choice
Sallie: You speak of this ‘financial power’, can you give us any idea of who that might be?
Drew: Other than myself, my backers will remain anonymous until they choose otherwise. Needless to say, we are working on our final proposal to SCW right now, an ‘over the odds’ offer they would do well to accept.
Sallie: And if they don’t?
(Drew laughs again)
Drew: They will… but if they are too pig headed to do the right thing, then there is more than one wrestling company in the world that we could purchase. At least this way, they benefit.
Sallie: Just a little more about this ‘Consortium’ if I may?
Drew: Of course…
Sallie: Can you just tell us if Blake Mason is one of those names?
(Drew smiles)
Drew: Blake was approached in the beginning, but declined… thankfully that decision was for the best because our ‘plan’ has changed over time.
Sallie: Plan?
Drew: To be the best in the world… and finally topple the SCW from its perch
Sallie: And you think you can do that?
Drew: I know I can
Sallie: Now Drew, the EMERGE fans have not reacted well to you plans to move from its current home if this buyout happens. Surely any deal would rest on the fans being on board?
Drew: Look Sallie, the thing is, we are just talking about the fans in Canada, who would be short a wrestling company if we left. From our surveys, fans around the world are all for us leaving Canada and going back to the much more accessible UWA Arena. And anyway, if this buyout happened, do you really think a spiteful company such as SCW would let us stay in their building? I don’t think so…
Sallie: You seem to have a bit of a grudge against the SCW… I’m sorry Drew, but it seems to me you should be thanking them for keeping EMERGE going.
Drew: And that’s because you don’t think, you don’t see the arrogance that exudes all over SCW programming, a show that allows promo’s to be filmed in front of persons in comas, or an obvious drug addict to wrestle, even though he is a danger to others. They believe they can put this garbage out on television and people will watch it, because they just don’t have a choice. Who’s going to challenge them for ratings? GCW? Please. The wrestling industry needs a strong EMERGE, not bound by the purse strings of SCW and given a budget it is worthy of. It needs to be shopping at the TOP table, as well as picking up the best young talent there is. When the Consortium takes over, and we will Sallie, EMERGE will be the show, UWA will once again be the brand, and with the Consortium at the helm, we won’t just challenge SCW… we will beat them. And people like Syren, like Bree Lancaster… they will be knocking at our door to let them in, to be treated like the superstars they are. And people like Peyton Rice will stay EXACTLY where they should be.
Sallie: It sounds like you have it all sorted
Drew: Yes, WE do.
Sallie: But, there will always be the elephant in the room.
Drew: Fleur Jamieson?
(Sallie nods)
Drew: Sallie, in business, people make mistakes. Sometimes they are little ones, un-noticed, other times they are huge which have ramifications for everyone. I lost my way, I got convinced by Fleurs lies, and I nearly lost everything. Now, I have a wife, a child, and I’ve learned from those mistakes, and assure you, I won’t be making them again. I have found three like-minded people, with deep pockets, that just like me want SCW to be knocked off that number one spot. All four of us wanting to reap the rewards should we manage it. All we want to do Sallie, is take EMERGE home, and make it the number one wrestling company in the world… does that really make us the bad guys here? I don’t think so. Fleur knew what she was doing… I won’t make that mistake again. I’m the majority shareholder, and that is the way it will stay.
Sallie: OK, finally Drew… those people that don’t want this to happen, that want EMERGE to stay under that banner, how will you change their mind?
(Drew smirks)
Drew: Once they see the UWA Arena kitted out once again, once they walk around the Mall, that we are also in negotiations to buy back… that’s how confident we are this will happen, and once they see the product on screen… streamed live around the world to millions, I won’t have to do a damn thing because it will just turn out that way. Trust me Sallie, this is a good thing… and even if it pushes SCW to get off its arse and actually do something rather than put out the same thing it’s been doing for years, then surely it’s worth it.
Sallie: Well, I hope you get your wish Drew, but thank you for talking to me today
Drew: Thank you Sallie
==========
What did I take from that interview? That Drew Bryant is supremely (pardon the pun) confident that this buyout is going to happen, and happen soon. I still don’t know who his investors are, but considering the work behind the scenes, and the outlay this would surely take, they must have pretty deep pockets, whilst not caring much for the SCW. Personally, it would be good to see the UWA back on television, but I still have my doubts as to SCW’s response to this… all we can do I wait and see I guess.
I’ve been Sallie Graham, and this has been EMERGExtra
See you soon
========
Sallie: Drew, thank you for sitting down with me, I know you are a very busy man.
Drew: No problem at all
Sallie: To begin with, on EMERGE #25 we saw a very emotional side to you…
(Drew laughs)
Sallie: A side we haven’t seen before, can you explain what brought that emotion on.
Drew: See, what people don’t understand about me Sallie, is I don’t fail. It’s not in my make up to fail no matter what I’m doing. So, when I took over EMERGE, it wasn’t to just sit on my laurels and steer the ship, it was to make the company THE ship.
Sallie: What do you mean by that?
Drew: I’m not stupid, far from it. It didn’t take me long to realize who was in charge of the show, and it certainly wasn’t me. I very quickly realized, as Dexter and Vee did before me, that the position we held, was just a face. The really important stuff that was decided by the SCW board.
Sallie: And is that a bad thing? I mean, they do pay the bills.
Drew: Yes, they do… but the thing is, in doing so, EMERGE wasn’t getting anywhere near the potential it could. Look at it this way, look at the talent that we have lost over the past seven months. Yes, EMERGE is the development arm for SCW, I get that… but that doesn’t mean that it should be.
Sallie: But, that is the reason it was created?
Drew: No, it was created to push through the talent for the UWA… SCW was simply EMERGE’s salvation at the right time.
Sallie: OK, so what are you saying?
Drew: Look, it was well versed what a mess I made of the UWA. If it hadn’t been for my mistakes that company would still be around, and I’ve no doubt it would still be challenging SCW week in week out. As I said, EMERGE could be so much more, and SCW knows that, and that is why they refuse to sell, and continue to take the profits from MY creation.
Sallie: You think they are holding onto it purposely to hold it back?
Drew: I think so yeah… wouldn’t be the first time the SCW hasn’t allowed a company to thrive through spite would it?
Sallie: OK, but moving on… has the SCW ever given any indication that it might sell?
(Drew nods)
Drew: Yes, when I made my first offer, they were more than happy to come to the table and discuss terms, but that all changed, apparently because I went public with my intentions. What they don’t like Sallie, is knowing precisely what I have backing me, and the financial power that we possess. They know that any sale would be looked on as a sign of weakness on their part, when in fact, at the end of the day they have little choice
Sallie: You speak of this ‘financial power’, can you give us any idea of who that might be?
Drew: Other than myself, my backers will remain anonymous until they choose otherwise. Needless to say, we are working on our final proposal to SCW right now, an ‘over the odds’ offer they would do well to accept.
Sallie: And if they don’t?
(Drew laughs again)
Drew: They will… but if they are too pig headed to do the right thing, then there is more than one wrestling company in the world that we could purchase. At least this way, they benefit.
Sallie: Just a little more about this ‘Consortium’ if I may?
Drew: Of course…
Sallie: Can you just tell us if Blake Mason is one of those names?
(Drew smiles)
Drew: Blake was approached in the beginning, but declined… thankfully that decision was for the best because our ‘plan’ has changed over time.
Sallie: Plan?
Drew: To be the best in the world… and finally topple the SCW from its perch
Sallie: And you think you can do that?
Drew: I know I can
Sallie: Now Drew, the EMERGE fans have not reacted well to you plans to move from its current home if this buyout happens. Surely any deal would rest on the fans being on board?
Drew: Look Sallie, the thing is, we are just talking about the fans in Canada, who would be short a wrestling company if we left. From our surveys, fans around the world are all for us leaving Canada and going back to the much more accessible UWA Arena. And anyway, if this buyout happened, do you really think a spiteful company such as SCW would let us stay in their building? I don’t think so…
Sallie: You seem to have a bit of a grudge against the SCW… I’m sorry Drew, but it seems to me you should be thanking them for keeping EMERGE going.
Drew: And that’s because you don’t think, you don’t see the arrogance that exudes all over SCW programming, a show that allows promo’s to be filmed in front of persons in comas, or an obvious drug addict to wrestle, even though he is a danger to others. They believe they can put this garbage out on television and people will watch it, because they just don’t have a choice. Who’s going to challenge them for ratings? GCW? Please. The wrestling industry needs a strong EMERGE, not bound by the purse strings of SCW and given a budget it is worthy of. It needs to be shopping at the TOP table, as well as picking up the best young talent there is. When the Consortium takes over, and we will Sallie, EMERGE will be the show, UWA will once again be the brand, and with the Consortium at the helm, we won’t just challenge SCW… we will beat them. And people like Syren, like Bree Lancaster… they will be knocking at our door to let them in, to be treated like the superstars they are. And people like Peyton Rice will stay EXACTLY where they should be.
Sallie: It sounds like you have it all sorted
Drew: Yes, WE do.
Sallie: But, there will always be the elephant in the room.
Drew: Fleur Jamieson?
(Sallie nods)
Drew: Sallie, in business, people make mistakes. Sometimes they are little ones, un-noticed, other times they are huge which have ramifications for everyone. I lost my way, I got convinced by Fleurs lies, and I nearly lost everything. Now, I have a wife, a child, and I’ve learned from those mistakes, and assure you, I won’t be making them again. I have found three like-minded people, with deep pockets, that just like me want SCW to be knocked off that number one spot. All four of us wanting to reap the rewards should we manage it. All we want to do Sallie, is take EMERGE home, and make it the number one wrestling company in the world… does that really make us the bad guys here? I don’t think so. Fleur knew what she was doing… I won’t make that mistake again. I’m the majority shareholder, and that is the way it will stay.
Sallie: OK, finally Drew… those people that don’t want this to happen, that want EMERGE to stay under that banner, how will you change their mind?
(Drew smirks)
Drew: Once they see the UWA Arena kitted out once again, once they walk around the Mall, that we are also in negotiations to buy back… that’s how confident we are this will happen, and once they see the product on screen… streamed live around the world to millions, I won’t have to do a damn thing because it will just turn out that way. Trust me Sallie, this is a good thing… and even if it pushes SCW to get off its arse and actually do something rather than put out the same thing it’s been doing for years, then surely it’s worth it.
Sallie: Well, I hope you get your wish Drew, but thank you for talking to me today
Drew: Thank you Sallie
==========
What did I take from that interview? That Drew Bryant is supremely (pardon the pun) confident that this buyout is going to happen, and happen soon. I still don’t know who his investors are, but considering the work behind the scenes, and the outlay this would surely take, they must have pretty deep pockets, whilst not caring much for the SCW. Personally, it would be good to see the UWA back on television, but I still have my doubts as to SCW’s response to this… all we can do I wait and see I guess.
I’ve been Sallie Graham, and this has been EMERGExtra
See you soon