=========== FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS =========== 1- Who is running this show? 2- How will it run? 3- Basic league information? 4- What are the rules? 5- Application ==================================== 1- Who is running this show? ==================================== There are two if us on the booking committee.... First, Chris Hopper....been around forever and feeling burned by my last attempt at fed heading, which got stomped out before my fire was remotely quenched....so I figured with 24 years in the game, I would put something together to scratch that itch. I've handled a ton of guys and ran some leagues.....looking to have as much fun as possible! The second, is Keegan.....Hello, I'm Keegan and I've been involved in this game, on and off, since 2001, mainly in angle feds. I'm ticking some final things off on my eW bucket list, this being a major one, and I cannot wait to get started. ==================================== 2- How will it run? ==================================== The desire is to create a true hybrid. We know that we have handlers coming in from roleplay feds and from angle feds. Some are used to not being allowed to write their own matches while others are used to writing their own stuff. Some want the element of surprise that comes with that and others want to plan an angle out just right so that it brings the best to the league it can. So our goals to try and find a way to bridge all of these gaps as best we can. The shows will run every 2 weeks. Deadlines will be strictly enforced. *The shows will be in play-by-play script form written in present tense. We will create a forum for the fed. In this forum will be our main interaction out of character as some who will be joining do not have facebook or skype. This allows interaction on a level ability and opens up planning to each other. This league will not be running with an e-mail list of any kind. We will be announcing show releases on the forum and twitter, which will link peopel to the league website for the show. Angles that are planned will not be discussed in public. This allows those who want to plan it all out to do so without ruining the reactions for everybody by seeing it in advance. Also....submissions for the shows, whether it be in-ringers, backstager, video vignettes, or even the matches themselves will be submitted via e-mail either in the body of the mail or as a txt attachment. Once again. making sure that what is going to happen is not read dozens of times before it reaches the show's release. Far as match-writing.... if you prefer to write your own matches, you can do so. However....remember that some in the fed will not choose to do so and therefore it could limit your ability to partner with certain people for feuds/angles. For matches not involved in angles or planned out with the creative team will be decided not by strength of roleplay or etc.....but simply in whatever way we, as creative, deem is best for the league and directions of those involved. It is our hope that people will work together to form cohesive angles and make the shows the best they can be. HOW WILL CHAMPIONS BE VIEWED? To us, the titles are for those who are the most active and over in the fed. Partg of doing that is being active across the board in SCW activity. In order to get that level of push, there has to be a combination of several things... 1- strong work ethic (you aren't late with your submissions and etc) 2- Work with others (within your feud to create a compelling storyline for the characters in volved) 3- Truly interacting well with others (via the forum and etc where you are giving feedback and discussing things in that "backstage" area) 4- Consistently writing quality stuff This is a new way for all of us to be participating in this hobby to a degree and so we are hoping everybody can step slightly out of the comfort zone and create something special here. ==================================== 3- Basic league information? ==================================== --> TITLES The leagus will start with one singles title and one tag team title. Both will carry the title of "Lonestar" SCW Lonestar Heavyweight Champion SCW Lonestar Tag Team Champions This will be our top titles and ONLY titles for a few arcs. Any additions to this list in the future will be based on factors that are discussed later in this section. --> SPECIAL EVENTS There will be four special events each year. These will be held in the same SCW Arena that houses the television show for the first couple of arcs at least. There are yet to have any names as we do not want to create PPV-quality names when we aren't truly going to be operating under that paradigm. The first arc is scheduled to run for 8 shows and then a special show. This is because we have to establish characters on the roster, have some form of competition to crown champions, and get the ball rolling in general..... The second arc will only have 4 shows before it and will end in December. Every arc after that will have 5 episodes of Rampage before a special event. --> BUSINESS MODEL OF FED The concept is that this is a smallish league more of a city/state level of federation. It won't be seen much outside the Texas border. This means NO pyro for entrances (except perhaps special events)....no big screen in the arena.....and the production values will be more Memphis than Stamford, CT. There will be a section on the website for "Business" and it will detail the attendance, concessions, merchandise and etc that are made from each show. It will also break down demographics and ratings for the Rampage broadcast and potentially also show payouts to individual wrestlers (though I haven't decided if I want to break it down that deep just yet). If we gain handlers and have quality shows regularly, then we will reward the league with growth. That would come in the form of new TV deals entering the next arc, more production abilities, or even a big screen down the line....but the results we show are what will drive those growth decisions. We have the goal of taking a small league and eventually growing it into something that goes past the contiguous 48....but that is up to how we work together. --> WHO IS WHAT WITHIN THE LEAGUE? There are seveal different characters that are vital to how we will write this game... First we want to explain that there will not be any over-arching authority figure angles. It is an overdone trope and while our commissioner may appear more than usual thsi first arc for establishment purposes.....he is not going to be a fixture. He will be more like Tunney in old-school WWF than Mr. McMahon in late-90s WWE. Our owner will rarely ever show his face on camera and his name will rarely be uttered unless needed. Owner, M. Everett Rankin - See the "About" section of the website. Commissioner, Hank Wright - Growing up in Texas, Hank's heroes were cowboys (America's team and otherwise) and hard-hitting gaijin that headed to Japan to enthral fans with their in-your-face style. Wright cut his teeth and became a hometown favorite before becoming the main foreigner in Tokyo, opposing the noble Kenshei HakorI in their career-defining rivalries. Wright also set Mexico on fire, figuratively, for 2-year spell before returning north of the border in another bid to crack his home country. Now, he's home again in a different role. The Wright man for the job? Vamos a ver. Chief of Security, Jason Gugel - Former bouncer hired to arrange security for every event and place SCW does a show from. Play-by-Play Announcer, Eric Chaney - Chaney is possibly the perfect meshing of knowledgeable play-by-play man and commentator. He tries to stay middle of the road when calling a match, but also feels he must "level the playing field" with Watters' being so blatantly biased against the faces of the company. Chaney has announced in many leagues, including UEW and MCW before his final job in EWA in 2001. Most recently in early 2010, Chaney started an Internet radio show called "Squared Circle Radio" that had him in the public eye. He has slicked back hair and looks very congenial (see Tony Schiavonne as far as looks), always tried to be stylish and will usually wear polo shirts on TV shows....however will usually dress up for PPV's. Color Commentator, Larry "The Crusher" Watters - Larry is a veteran wrestler. He is a total heel even so far as to have given up his very family life for this sport. Larry has a son (Larry Watters, Jr.) and a nephew (Scottie Blackstone) who have both entered the wrestling profession, but neither wants any contact with the wrestling legend. He has burned more bridges than anyone has ever cared to count. However, he is also one of the more gifted heel color announcers wrestling has ever seen. He roots openly for heels to win and how devious those good guys are. Larry will rarely dress up, except to wear an occasional polo shirt. He has a silver beard and still looks to be in shape. He has a rugged face, scarred by years of wrestling wars and always seems to have a scowl on his face with never a smile. Ring Announcer, Aaron "The Buff" Buffington - "The Buff," as many of the wrestlers and announcers will call him, is a steady presence in the ring before and after matches. Backstage Announcer, Steve Blaine - Solid interviewer. Asks the right questions and doesn't play favorites when he interviews. He does tend to get easily annoyed when heels act like heels....but overall a top-tier announcer that always delivers the goods. Backstage Announcer, Tess Wiley - Tess is a alternative/Gothic chick. She couldn't care less about the wrestling industry. She only is around because of the money. She is an attractive lady, but not with fake beauty. She is usually seen wearing pants and T-shirts. In other words, not someone that most wrestlers would be interested in "picking up" like most female reporters. Backstage Announcer, The Informer - At university, he found his real love - he wanted to be an investigative journalist. Moving to a national newspaper, he got his break by working crime before gradually easing his way into more and more undercover work. Thereafter, he founded his own weekly newspaper, mixing tabloid and broadsheet journalism in the form of his online baby, aptly named... The Informer. Backstage Announcer, - Head Referee, Barry Snider - This former Police Officer is very strict and matter of fact when it comes to ruling over the ring. He is tall and large, which makes him more than just a mouth inside the ring. Barry is also very neutral and favors no one, face or heel. Just the kind of guy you want as the head referee. Referee, Shane Staggs - Former Police Officer under Snider, left the force before Snider due to questionable circumstances with gambling debts. Staggs can, at times, be open to influences of such problems and have it affect his match work. Referee, Marshall Noblitt - Very idealistic and apt to argue with wrestlers about his calls. In his mind, he's the one who determines right, wrong and indifferent in the ring and only a moron would second-guess him. At times, it makes him the best referee in the league and other times......well he can just be a dick. Referee, - ==================================== 4- What are the rules? ==================================== This is the same basic set of rules I have always used in leagues....but they seem to work and I know others have borrowed them for their use over the years. THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES TO THESE RULES FROM WHEN I USED THEM IN THE PAST.....SO READ THEM! The rules are fiercely enforced. Breaking them leads to suspension and then firing. They are: 1) No wrestlers over 7'4" tall and over 550 lbs (that is about 110 lbs heavier and two inches taller than WWE's "Big Show"). Also none under 5'4" and 150 lbs. This is supposed to be realistic folks. 2) No extreme language! Other leagues have called this the "Austin rule". IN other words, if Steve Austin could get away with it, then you can to. However remember, the TV shows here are still in this era and will be aired at a prime time slot....so F-bombs, GD and most of the "seven bad words" are not going to be allowed and should be [BLEEP]ed. 3) Stay focused on the point that this is just a GAME! I love wrestling, but dealing with guys that take this too seriously can ruin a league and everyone involved. I want everyone to get involved and wrapped up in what is happening, but if you lose then move on to the next match and try to win! I have been on both sides of this and even been the guy acting like a total jack-hole......so take it from me.....DON'T BE THAT GUY! 4) There will be absolutely no attacking of any member of the staff, Camera Men, or Referees without proper permission from the me. You can write the Board to request this and it should be angle oriented. Random acts of violence will be turned down with 95% certainty. 5) Titles are meant to be a credible guide to the talent of a character and league that they represent. When someone wins the belt, they are expected to lose it to the next worthy Champion. That is the way it should be. Anything else would hurt the credibility of the title and make it worthless to almost everyone. So remember that you beat a good wrestler, and you will eventually lose it to a good wrestler. That is a great wrestler's responsibility in real life and in e-wrestling. 6) No racial or sexist slurs or comments. This has never been much of a problem that I have ever noticed, but there will be absolutely no tolerance for such comments. They have no place in e-wrestling--or anywhere else for that matter. We will warn you once if you get close to making an offending statement in one of your roleplays, but if it happens again after a warning, you will be fired and banned for life. This is a hobby, and being good at it does not hinge on your race or sex period. ####ADDENDUM!!!#### Due to the problems that we had in the last run, I am STRONGLY urging peopel to avoid many of the "Social Justice Warrior" types of storylines...including the "held down black man" and the "flaming homosexual" storylines. I don't think we need to go there....and it usually paints people into corners both in booking and for their characters. 7) Inactivity will not be tolerated. If you are booked for three consecutive shows and fail to do anything, then you will be released. We hope to have a situation here that allows for people to have fun with little workload....so we hope to always have viable handlers ready to jump in if someone flakes out. 8) No whining! Yes I have said this in some ways already....but it really is annoying. So don't do it. Stay calm and have a discussion, but do not cross the line because it can and will affect future title and push opportunities in your region and also potentially in the UPW as a whole. 9) SOCIAL MEDIA - As you can tell, Facebook, twitter, and etc can all play a role in how we play this game and they have greatly enhanced the characters we portray. However, these rules will extend in some way to the social media presence. Language will be tolerated in this medium, but bigotry will not be. You are not required to utilize twitter or facebook for this league....but if you do, be warned that you will be expected not to go too far off the reservation from these normal rules. Other leagues have had racist remarks cause issues in twitter accounts....and I won't have it here. 10) NO BODILY FUNCTIONS ON CAMERA! I really hate adding this rule, but with the furor over what happened last run in UPW, I think it is best to just let it roll and not have any of it again....simulated or not.....it isn't worth the BS that can coem from it. That is all of the rules at this point, but the Board of Directors reserves the right to add any rules at any time. All handlers will be notified of any rules changes via e-mail. IF YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE - I will be happy to make sure your exit is put together in a way that works well for you. However if you ask to leave and are already scheduled....you will lose that last match unless you decide to stay and roleplay for it. IF YOU ARE FIRED for violating any of these rules, you will also lose a match to one of our jobbers before being dropped from the roster.