Tough Enough/DivaSearch success?

[Lita Maivia]

I've seen a few threads of people asking who to run these and others mentioning what they've done to run them in their games. So my question is, has anyone produced any stars from these?

I ran a Tough Enough and DivaSearch contest in unison. Five men competed against one another and five women competed against one another. Each week I went into the editor and eliminated whoever was at the lowest popularity (often needing to do a random drawing to break ties). At the end, I was left with the most popular (using that term loosely) male and female of the bunch.

Troy Evans is the man that ended up winning Tough Enough. He was attacked by the runner-up at the contest conclusion, and went into a winner vs runner-up feud that didn't bode well at all. It ended up concluding in a dark match just to give it closure before I terminated the runner-up. Since then, I ran an angle where he beat Kenny in a match and sparked a feud with the Spirit Squad (just Kenny and Mikey are on the roster). I even teamed him with London and Kendrick a couple times in hopes of getting him over. It's not gone very well and he's still at an Enhancement Talent level with C- as his highest popularity one or two areas.

April Lynn was the female that won the contest. She lost matches to Jazz, Beth Phoenix, Trish Stratus, and Molly Holly in dark matches for a month or so before I debuted her on Smackdown, coming to Candice Michelle's aid against Christy Hemme and Maria. Since then, she's gone into a singles feud with Christy. She ended up aligned with Kendrick and London while Christy is aligned with the Motor City Machine Guns in their tag title feud. April has actually managed to get over, her popularity up in the Bs with an A in the Great Lakes region.

I'm still undecided about whether I want to run another tournament next year. April turned out good, Troy isn't a disaster but I'm not sure if it's really worth it in the end.

[Beeker]

Well, that's actually pretty accurate for the reality of most Tough Enough performers. All pretty much need at least a year in development after their 'win.' Jackie Gayda won and all I remember about her early days is that horrible intergender tag match. Maven and Nowitski both needed time in development. Matt Cappopelli never made it out of development.

So really, the way you've described it seems pretty much spot on what the E does. I'll not bother to ask WHY you want to do what the E is doing, but commend you on what appears to be a fine representation of their practices.

[mad5226]

speaking of what's Maven up to these days

[panix04]

speaking of what's Maven up to these days

shampoo commercials? :D

[EdgeHeaD]

Matt Cappotelli was getting ready to debut on WWE TV, he was competing in a lot of live events in a tag team with The Miz. And if someone competes in a lot live events, it usually means they're coming to TV, they're just seeing how the crowd react to them. But then he got that brain tumour/cancer thing.

The only real success to come from Tough Enough is Johnny Nitro.

[tiarnantman]

And Josh Matthews...he made Velocity good. :D

I'd like to give this a try. Do you just create new workers and import them in, or do you use workers already in the database?

[brat99]

I'd like to give this a try. Do you just create new workers and import them in, or do you use workers already in the database?


Would probably depend on the database you are using....T-Zone should have enough "unknown" indy talent who are not very over to fill out either competition. With the C-Verse, however, you may need to create some low-level/low-over talent to run either.

[tiarnantman]

Well, I'm using T-Zone, so I'll definitely give this a go. I'll take it like a challenge. :)

[Lita Maivia]

I created 10 workers using the Quick Add feature.

[NordVolf]

Huh. First I've heard/seen of this kind of thing. Sounds cool, though.

Sorry, but since I am living in the stone age with no cable and so can't watch wrestling, I've never heard of this, or seen how it's done. I get the idea, though. But I understand it's basically a popularity contest. To see who the next up-and-coming star(s) is/are before a promotion invests heavily in actually televising them, right?

... Each week I went into the editor and eliminated whoever was at the lowest popularity (often needing to do a random drawing to break ties). At the end, I was left with the most popular (using that term loosely) male and female of the bunch...
Ok, when you say you eliminated someone in the editor, what do you mean exactly? As in completely deleted them?

Sorry I'm behind the ball on this one. I looked around and didn't see the threads on this sort of thig, either. Pointers would be appreciated...

Thanks!

[Lita Maivia]

WWE started by running a reality show where 10 contestants competed for a wrestling contract. The trainers (Al Snow, Tazz, Jacqueline and Tori) eliminated them until it came down to the final four and two were announced as the winners, where they got a 1-year WWE contract. Over time it progressed into the final season taking place actually on WWE Television with them doing weekly in-ring contests like taking body slams or something silly that would get their personalities across so the fans could vote online for who should win. Maven and Nidia won the first season, Jackie Gayda and Shaniqua won the second season, Johnny Nitro and Matt Capotelli won the third season, and Daniel Puder won the final season.

The DivaSearch was similar to the final season of Tough Enough but it was women with absolutely no wrestling ability doing stuff like running a boot-camp drills in bikinis or arm wrestling matches. The fans would vote them down to the final two. Christy Hemme was their first winner, then Ashley, then Layla El, and now Brooke.

When I eliminated them, I just ran an angle where that contestant was revealed as the one eliminated by the fan's votes. And then I would terminate their Pay-per-appearance contract.

[NordVolf]

Nice!

Thanks for the explanation, Lita. I appreciate it.

Sounds like something I may do at some point...

;)

[Beeker]

Actually Jaime Koppe was the first Diva Search Winner.

When I run Tough Enough for the Cube (over on EWB) I was using TEW2004 and I alloted the people who signed up (I think I had around 15 or so) I gave them a certain amount of points to distribute between the various attributes.

Then it was based upon matches (I had Jake Roberts as my head trainer) and a bunch of Lower Midcarders and the like 'battling' on Velocity and Heat. I gave the shows over to Tough Enough completely. Then it based upon in ring improvements AND how the contestants Roleplayed their characters.

Which has little to do with this thread, but I thought I'd share.

Quick adds, limited skills and being put through the ringer on PPAs.
That about sums it up.

[Remianen]

Actually Jaime Koppe was the first Diva Search Winner.

Jaime Koeppe (and her beautiful onion) was the first winner when it was internet only. The Diva Search as we know it today isn't the same thing. It was retooled for television.

I've run Tough Enough, kinda, and had pretty good results with it. But my contest is based on in-ring prowess and personality. The contest itself is a round robin tournament with workers given the opportunity to raise their stock via promos and angles and the winners of the matches determined by the road agent (who usually chooses the most over worker). Just like WWE though, I don't fire everyone instead choosing to relegate the better of the "losers" to my dormant brand where they work house shows to improve their skills. Occasionally they'll get a chance to job to one of my midcarders but generally, it takes about 8-12 months before they can even dream of being an opener. I've got some real talent on my roster (Sarah "Minx" Jones is an Opener, for example) so it's an uphill battle to supplant someone (I don't generally have too much roster turnover, aside from retirements). My first winner was Mizuho Ishikawa, who wound up shooting up the card based on a feud she has going with Yuki Miyazaki (who called her 'eye candy' during one of the tournament segments).

[EdgeHeaD]

The first diva search was basically just a modelling contract/contest. She only ever appeared on TV like once, and that was only in the crowd.