The History Of Professional Wrestling

By Maryanne Goff


The history of professional wrestling can be traced back to the 1800s where small groups of unorganized wrestlers would wrestle each other for a price. The popularity of this sport soon began to increase with many fanatics wanting to be part of the game. This in turn increased the number of supporters watching the sport. As the wrestlers and their fan base increased, the reward for winners also increased.

Many people considered this sport as a pass time activity and most of them would often participate in order to make some quick money. The competitions were done in carnivals and traveling performances. But even then, there were still many supporters of the game. As time passed by, the sport gained a lot of attention and was even being rated with major sporting events including baseball at the time.

As popularity of the game raised, promoters increased also to support the game. Such individuals would raise the reward to be given to a winner and this made this sport very competitive. Rival promoters then started competing against one another. It is during this time that an organization for handling affairs was established. One example is the world wrestling federation.

Continuous development in this field has brought about financial success for different stakeholders in this sector. Since this game developed from being just an entertainment activity to a profession, many wrestlers have enjoyed great financial gains. The promoters have also risked their wealth and gained a lot in the end. This aspect therefore enhanced this sport throughout the different times.

The invention of television during the 1950s gave this game the much needed attention. This led to an increase in fan base. But there was a concern by critics and even parental associations if this sport was fit to be shown on the television. Many argued that the stunts performed by the fighters were far too dangerous. Parents argued that if the kids emulated what they saw on the television, this would increase the rate of violence.

With this concern, the promoters sought to change the content of matches. There were also other challenges with invention of cable such as a drop in viewership brought about by lack of sportsmanship by some players and even reduced content. As a result, many producers started to reduce the amount of time that the game aired on televisions.

These challenges were however overcome when a group of young talented wrestlers emerged in the 1980s. Such players were able to combine sportsmanship and entertainment by making the event so colorful. Some would portray some child heroes while fighting while others brought about some drama. The viewership for this sport started to rise again with a new crop of supporters.

This information on the history of professional wrestling really shades light on how this sport has developed greatly over time. Gone are the days when the sport was only considered for pass time purposes. Now, people are really gaining from at as a profession. Even though the development of the sport was not without challenge in the end, the sport stood out. The wrestlers have built a name for themselves as they are being considered celebrities both at national and international level.




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