North Carolina introduces new bill to create Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

[Chris]

Wooooo! NC lawmakers name-check famous pro wrestler Ric Flair in new bill

A bipartisan bill filed in the North Carolina Senate Monday would earmark $500,000 to study the creation of a wrestling hall of fame museum in the state. They're calling it the "RIC FLAIR" Act.

www.wral.com

A bipartisan bill filed in the North Carolina Senate Monday would earmark $500,000 to study the feasibility of creating a professional wrestling hall of fame museum in the state. They're calling it the "RIC FLAIR" Act.

Flair, also known as "Nature Boy," has had a 50-year career in professional wrestling, including bouts at WRAL when the station hosted live wrestling matches in the 1970s. Flair claimed the world title multiple times over the years as he moved between wrestling organizations.

With his trademark shock of blond hair, his big gold belt and his signature "Wooooo!," Flair became a local celebrity in North Carolina. He lived in Charlotte for many years.

Senate Bill 404, the "RIC FLAIR" Act, is titled, "An Act to Remember Iconic Combatants through Fostering Learning Awareness and Interest In Rassling. " It directs $500,000 to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to study the matter. The agency would be expected to deliver a report to state lawmakers by the summer of 2026.

The sponsors of the bill are Sens. Jay Chaudhuri, D-Wake, Danny Britt, R-Robeson, and Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell.

Chaudhuri said the bill "celebrates professional wrestling's cultural and historic ties to North Carolina." He said he grew up watching professional wrestling broadcast on WRAL in Raleigh.

"Our shared cultured heritage in this state is college basketball, NASCAR and professional wrestling," Chaudhuri told WRAL. "Professional wrestling still hasn’t gotten the recognition it deserves."

At least two other professional wrestling museums are in operation in Iowa and New York.

 

[Dubb]

For some reason I thought of this after reading that:

 

[Dubb]

Also glad to see my state tackling the issues that truly matter in this world.