Gerald Brisco and Brian Blair Reflect on Wrestling Season in Florida

– TBO.com and Paul Guzzo published a new article reflecting on how this time of year was actually a big wrestling season across Florida before football bowl game season took major prominence. The article features comments by WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco and Brian Blair. Below are some highlights.

Brisco on how when wrestling was a holiday family affair: “It was family fun and a family affair. Holidays are a time when people sit around their houses a lot. Wrestling provided a way to blow off steam at night when their family event ended. I’d look out and fans would be passing the giblets, whether I wrestled in Florida, Greensboro, or New Orleans, on a holiday we set attendance records.”

Blair on how the tradition ended after the arrival of college bowl games: “Wrestling and football share fans. You add a new event and attendance at old ones get watered down. It’s the same with television. As the number of bowl games people could watch on TV increased, the number of people who would attend wrestling shows on a holiday decreased, especially on New Year’s Day, when I think a lot of people prefer to watch a big game at home on TV than go out.”