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Jim Kettner, the longtime promoter and creative mind behind the Delaware-based East Coast Wrestling Association quietly announced his retirement from the promotion he founded today.
Known as one of the smartest minds on the independent level in the modern era, Kettner was behind the creation of the annual ECWA Super 8 Tournament, which took on a life of its own over the last 14 years as an event where talents could make their name and springboard to the next level of their career. The tournament became the most copied concept on the independent level with dozens upon dozens of similar shows. While they may have featured great wrestling, they all lacked one common denominator - the mind of Jim Kettner.
Under Kettner, the ECWA was something of a throwback to the days of your local promotion featuring good vs. evil. Long before WWE marketed the virtues of their PG brand, Kettner was doing that style, distilled for fans of any age but without coming down as insulting to anyone. To say this is going to leave a huge void on the independent scene and the future of a number of up and coming stars, is a gross understatement.
I have been extremely lucky to have attended a number of ECWA events promoted by Kettner over the years and I always walked away wishing every promotion ran the way Kettner did. The shows were professional, they were fun, and everyone involved in every aspect of the group - from the wrestlers to the staff - always went out of their way. Jim ran a tight ship and ran a great company. He loved telling stories and he loved creating characters. He is going to be missed as there has never been another promoter quite like him that I've ever come across.
Kettner had been involved in local promotions for WWE events in Delaware. I am not sure if he will be continuing those responsibilities. For the longest time, the fact Kettner wasn't tapped for a national promotion has been one of the great mysteries of pro wrestling for me.
source: pwinsider
Known as one of the smartest minds on the independent level in the modern era, Kettner was behind the creation of the annual ECWA Super 8 Tournament, which took on a life of its own over the last 14 years as an event where talents could make their name and springboard to the next level of their career. The tournament became the most copied concept on the independent level with dozens upon dozens of similar shows. While they may have featured great wrestling, they all lacked one common denominator - the mind of Jim Kettner.
Under Kettner, the ECWA was something of a throwback to the days of your local promotion featuring good vs. evil. Long before WWE marketed the virtues of their PG brand, Kettner was doing that style, distilled for fans of any age but without coming down as insulting to anyone. To say this is going to leave a huge void on the independent scene and the future of a number of up and coming stars, is a gross understatement.
I have been extremely lucky to have attended a number of ECWA events promoted by Kettner over the years and I always walked away wishing every promotion ran the way Kettner did. The shows were professional, they were fun, and everyone involved in every aspect of the group - from the wrestlers to the staff - always went out of their way. Jim ran a tight ship and ran a great company. He loved telling stories and he loved creating characters. He is going to be missed as there has never been another promoter quite like him that I've ever come across.
Kettner had been involved in local promotions for WWE events in Delaware. I am not sure if he will be continuing those responsibilities. For the longest time, the fact Kettner wasn't tapped for a national promotion has been one of the great mysteries of pro wrestling for me.
source: pwinsider