Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald recently spoke with WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross.
Among the topics included his thoughts on WrestleMania 31, his one man show and how announcing has changed in his lifetime. Below are some highlights.
On his improvements as an announcer:
“I’d like to think my work improved over the years as the styles changed and parameters for announcing changed,” he said. “I was able to morph my style a little bit and still remain relevant. That’s what I tried to do because the product certainly changed. The wrestlers provide the music and the announcers are providing the lyrics to that music. So over the years the music has changed. So the good broadcasters are able to adapt to what they are hearing. Then put a story with it. I know I have a long way to go with these one-man shows, but I do have a lot of fun and feel like I’m getting better. We are planning more of them this year. So the WrestleMania show is one we are really looking forward to. I’ve already started planning for next year’s WrestleMania in Dallas.”
On how he was successful:
“It’s about creating promotional opportunities, understanding value of impressions and how many people are experiencing your product,” Ross said. “I really got my masters degree and maybe doctorate from Vince McMahon on how to market…Being a student in college led to my career in the wrestling business because I was a good promoter and good marketer, or at least that is what Bill Watts and Leroy McGuirk thought when they hired me in 1974,” Ross said.
“I think the business in general I would like to see more momentum at this point in time,” he said. “However, I think our expectations sometimes get out of balance. I think before we get to March 29 there will be plenty of anticipation for the event. The momentum is going to continue to grow as time goes on. It’s still WrestleMania. It’s like emotionally investing in watching the Super Bowl and the team you support is not in the game. It’s still the Super Bowl. If you are a fan of football, you know that is the game, the last game. Now this is not WWE’s last pay-per-view or big show, but nothing else they do all year is going to approach the significance of WrestleMania. That’s the way it is, SummerSlam included. WrestleMania is its own unique entity. Any of us who have been in the game at a WrestleMania know the importance and significance of it, as it’s hard to factor that out of your system.”
