Al Snow On OVW’s Focus on Character Work, Says It’s ‘Real’

In an interview with Developmentally Speaking (via Wrestling Inc), Al Snow spoke about what sets OVW apart from other independent promotions and how it does something people say can’t be done anymore. Here are highlights:

On the difficulty of running OVW: “On every level it’s a struggle. I’m doing something here that one, everyone says can’t be done anymore,” alluding to running an independent developmental promotion. “Just ask any ‘expert’ and they’ll tell you it can’t be done. I’m also doing something here that no one’s teaching anymore. I’m teaching the art of how to work a professional wrestling match — not wrestle a professional wrestling match — and those two things are dramatically different.”

On being real in pro wrestling: “There is only one singular thing that is fake about professional wrestling and that’s just the outcome, that’s it. Everything physically in that ring is real. The characters that you see, if they really are truly a character that is a star, the reason they’re a star is because it’s who that person really is, just with the volume turned way up. That’s why it works because you can believe in who they are.”

On why it’s hard to run: “As far as the struggle is concerned, everything here has been held together with bailing wire and duct tape. Keeping overhead low [but] still acquiring talent that look the part, that have the basics to be able to build them into a star, teaching [them] that it’s not about what they learned on the independent scene [but to utilize this] platform and make themselves a star when they walk through the curtain.”