Frank Goodman

Hey wrestling fans, I'm with Frank Goodman, the owner of USA PRO Wrestling. Frank Goodman is here in this interview to shoot on everything from other promotions, to wrestlers, to his working partners in USA. This interview is PART 1 of a 2 part interview. Look for part 2 soon, and keep checking the DOI for more updates.

USA PRO has been in business for 8 plus years and runs monthly around the NY area. They currently feature top competitors as Raven, Sandman, SAT, DRS plus others. They usually run shows at the Elks Lodge in Queens or the Deer Park Community center in Long Island. You can check out USA Pro Wrestling at USA Pro Wrestling

Sean “The MiC” McCaffrey (From here now known as The MiC) Thanks for joining us Frank, and let's get right into it. How did Frank Goodman get into wrestling and more importantly, how did he become the biggest Indy promoter in NY?

Frank Goodman: In the early 1980's I was involved in a wrestling event in Staten Island and met Larry Sharpe....Sgt Slaughter and The Road Warriors and a man named Tony Cadenza who wrestled as the Flushing Flash...he trained me and I did my run as a Indy worker for a few years.

The MiC: So how did you make the transition from worker to promoter and how did make USA PRO Wrestling successful?

FG: After a few years of wrestling I became a Competitive Body Builder and after I saw there was no money in it I decided to become a promoter and ran Jersey with Cousin Luke from 93-99 and licensed the name USA PW in 1996 and in 1999 obtained a NY promoters license.

The MiC: Many criticisms have been bought to USA pro, as in regard to ticket seller matches. Can you comment on this whole "ticket-seller" controversy?

FG: Ticket Sellers have been around since Indy wrestling began. If you’re a little known wrestler and you want to work for a promotion and the promoter is smart and knows how to make money you ask the wrestler to sell tickets to his friends and family and for that he gets the opportunity to wrestle. A promoter can’t afford to let every wrestler on every show, but if the wrestler in effect pays for himself by selling tickets then having him on the show becomes profitable. And that’s why you promote. To make a profit.

The MiC: While we're on subject, can you comment on USA PRO Wrestling message board "legend" Josh Deeley? He's been the most verbally viciously attacked by USA PRO fans.

FG: Josh Deeley is a trained and was licensed by the NYSAC last year, so if his skills are not great that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to wrestle on a show. If Josh Deeley has 30 fans that pay to see him then he's worth something to those PAYING fans!

The MiC: Good point, as illustrated before, you are promoting for profits. On the other end of the spectrum, USA PRO has had some stacked talent for there last few shows. How does a little Indy promotion from NY get such stars as Raven, Sandman, SAT, Simon Diamond, Balls Mahoney, Sabu, Norman Smiley, Konnan, DRS, Deranged, Low-Ki’, (and the list goes on and on, and I'm excluding people.), without breaking the bank and making profits?

FG: From day 1 we have used big named guys. What we do is aside from the live events I am an agent for most of the names you have listed which combined with the fact that when I bring someone to town I get them 2 , 3 or 4 appearances when they come to town for me, so by the time everything is said and done they cost me 25% of what everyone else pays. Another point is that many promoters pay the wrestlers what they ask; a seasoned promoter pays what HE can afford.

FG: There are also many other ways a promoter can make money.

The MiC: It's all economics in Indy wrestling from what you've said. Frank Goodman is synonymous with USA PRO, but you have had partners along the way. Can you comment on previous partners that you have had in USA PRO, namely ICW's Jack Sabboth? And as a follow up, what is your relationship with old LIWF/S.E.X. regular Mikey Zevon?

FG: Mikey Zevon is my partner.......I am and always will be 90% owner and boss, but Mikey has helped USA PW more than anyone else in the last few months and has come up with many of our hot current stories. The MiC: What was/is your relationship with Jack Sabboth?

FG: Jac and I have had always a good relationship, I have bailed out Jac more times then I can count and I have lost my temper many times with Jac and he has owed me large amounts of money, but somehow he has always come through.

The MiC: What do you think about his new promotion ICW?

FG: Jac has always done anything I have ever asked him to do without Question, my only problem is that sometimes if he has had a problem with someone aka Kid Kash or Norman Smiley or Balls Mahoney I get dragged in, but let me say that Jac did in time pay everyone.

FG: Jacs my friend and I hope he sells out every show he does, but to run in another state when your not hands on is tough.

The MiC: That's good advice, but moving on, there was an interview recently conducted by myself, with Carmine Sabia, president of SSCW. Would you like to say something here to reply to him and would you like to comment on SSCW?

FG: As I told you before I never ever ever heard of Carmine Sabia and his interview bothered me because how can someone I never met or heard of bash me.

The MiC: That's true; hopefully the issue will be resolved. Can you tell me some of your favorite workers to have on a show, and can you also tell the fans here at DOI, about workers that you will not hire and why?

FG: Favorites are the Superfly, Tommy Cairo, Kruel, Crowbar and Simon Diamond and Boogie Knights, Wayne...After every USA PW show Simon Diamond and Crowbar and I call each other and joke about what crazy stuff happened in our locker room and something always does, Cairo and I just go back many years as does myself and Bigelow and Snuka is just Snuka!

The MiC: That's cool, who wouldn't you book/use at a show and why?

FG: There are very few wrestlers I do not get along with.....if someone refuses to go along with the stories then we don’t book them.

The MiC: Can you name names here, or would you rather keep it confidential?

FG: The problem with wrestling right now is promoters and wrestlers Don’t keep their mouths shut

The MiC: That's very well, I understand. Moving on, would you mind playing word association for the fans?

FG: go ahead

The MiC: Vince Russo from NWA TNA

FG: I did him some favors and helped him out a lot in WCW without ever meeting him and he took ALL the credit!

The MiC: I hope you weren't part of the Dave Arquette decision!

FG: Snuka and Santana went on Nitro because I booked them not him. The MiC: That's cool, what about Vince McMahon

FG: He's the King and we are the subjects.

The MiC: Lots of people have said that

The MiC: Jim Kettner and ECWA?

FG: Never met Jim Kettner but I have heard nothing but good about him and his promotion.

FG: I don’t watch or follow wrestling other than WWE so most promotions I just don’t know about.

The MiC: Ok last question until Part 2, what can we expect from USA Pro Wrestling as in terms of TV, expanding out of NY and all in all becoming a bigger, more recognized promotion, basically, where will USA Pro Wrestling be, 3 years from now?

FG: we are on Public Access 6-9 hrs per week and we sell tons of videos. So I am happy where we are. We seat 500 on a bad night and average 700-900 on a good night so I don’t think for now that Indy wrestling will ever go back to regular 1,500 crowds without over spending which I wont do....so I will probably be a little balder a little tanner and still have 21 inch arms in 2006!

The MiC: Thanks Frank and the Declaration of Independents will be posting Part 2 later on!.

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