Bob Collins was a newbie to World Wrestling Federation when he worked the March 28, 1988 Wrestlemania IV in Atlantic City, N.J.. One month into the job, he was off to observe and compare the instinctive expertise of two marketing geniuses — Donald Trump, now president of the U.S., and the charismatic Vince McMahon, founder of what is now World Wrestling Entertainment.
It is not uncommon in the venue industry to have a front row seat backstage to assess and learn from talent. Collins has always remembered the lessons he learned from that opportunity 30 years ago.
“We billed Wrestlemania IV as being at Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, hosted by the hotel and Donald Trump. The actual event took place in the Atlantic City Convention Center,” Collins recalled. “But for marketing purposes — advertising and promotion — we would say it was taking place at Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino.”
The year prior, Wrestlemania III had set an attendance record of 93,173 at the now-demolished Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome. Cities were lining up to host the event and the Trump organization expressed an interest, with the intent of bringing a new audience to the hotel, casino and Atlantic City. It was so successful in accomplishing that goal, the Trump organization invited McMahon’s wrestlers back the next year and, therefore, another first was established – the only occasion in which Wrestlemania took place in the same venue two years in a row.
Before working for WWE, Collins worked for Ice Capades. He promoted Capades in that same venue — Atlantic City Convention Hall. Ice Capades would rehearse and present the premier of their West Company there. “I had been in the same venue three years before. We really had to work to sell tickets. And we played to very sparse crowds in that building,” Collins recalled.
“Then I go to Wrestlemania, where all I really had to do was announce when and where and how tickets were going to be available. I don’t remember a lot of hard work selling those tickets,” said an astounded Collins.
It was an incredible comparison between two legends – Ice Capades and WWE – that was another big eye opener. “I loved and miss both organizations, but you saw the difference in their appeal,” Collins said.
And the difference-makers were clearly Donald Trump and Vince McMahon.
Collins was overseeing the live event promotion department at WWE. This was before pay-per-view was as pervasive as it became. “We were promoting it as live on closed circuit at hundreds of venues, from arenas to gyms. My job was to promote Wrestlemania on closed circuit.”
His job took him to pre-promotion and pre-production meetings in Atlantic City, where plans for Wrestlemania Weekend were underway. Both WWE and the Trump organization wanted to create a three-day series of events so people would come early and enjoy themselves for the entire weekend. The NFL Experience already existed and WWE was on a parallel track.
“Everything went smoothly because it was all new and you couldn’t do anything wrong and people had a good time,” Collins recalled of that weekend, including the first Bacon, Bagels and Biceps Brunch, where fans and wrestling talent were able to interact. In fact, every event that weekend featured WWE talent and one of Collins’ jobs was to escort said talent to events.
“These were long days. My immediate boss at the time, Basil DeVito, said, ‘This will be a long, tiring weekend, but there is nothing you can’t do for three days,’” Collins recalls. He was right.
He’ll also never forget the day he was escorting Hacksaw Jim Duggan to Saturday morning’s 5K Race and Fun Run. His job was to both shield the talent and make them comfortable that their needs were being met. A local company was hired to help. It was a big job.
This particular Saturday morning, Collins was the only escort with Hacksaw as they headed for the Boardwalk from the hotel.
“We got into an elevator we thought was express from his room to the lobby, but it stopped at every floor and people got on. We’re crowded in with all these exuberant fans, one giant gentleman who was the Super Star and me trying to protect him. I don’t think I handled it well; I didn’t do anything. He was probably protecting me at that point. But he had a good sense of humor and was very professional.”
Lesson Learned: When escorting talent, double up.“That was the only time I was ever alone with the talent. It was intimidating. It wasn’t a bad thing to learn.”
He also appreciated that WWF fans at the time were passionate about the sport, but not aggressive. “You had to beware of the numbers of fans, but not the demeanor.”
Collins also learned a lot about Wrestelmania’s host, Donald Trump. Trump was not only looking for a strong weekend in Atlantic City. He was seeing beyond that to WWF TV and the exposure Atlantic City would receive throughout North America.
In 1988, Trump was already successful and was obviously an astute marketer. About that time, he published his book, “The Art of the Deal.”
“Donald Trump’s marketing prowess combined with Vince McMahon’s marketing prowess and his bigger than life dreams and accomplishments: this was a marriage made in heaven,” Collins said.
“In retrospect , it provides a good insight into the Donald Trump we see today: the promoter. I see an awful lot of WWE techniques in Donald Trump’s TV appearances and rallies. When watching the campaign and convention, I was thinking Vince McMahon could have produced this – right down to the reaction of the people in the audience, which Trump and McMahon have an uncanny ability to guide, predict and execute,” Collins believes.
Prior to Wrestlemania IV, they held a news conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City, which was owned by Donald Trump. Trump referred to Wrestlemania as an “event of epic proportions.” He was right, Collins said.
As the WWF crew was packing up and leaving Atlantic City the Monday following Wrestlemania IV, Collins got another marketing lesson he will never forget: All Wrestlemania signs were down and Donald Trump already had signs up for the next big event, a boxing match. He didn’t skip a beat.
“A promoter of greater prowess there could not be, other than Vince McMahon himself,” Collins believes. “They are cut of the same mold.” — Based on a true story as told to Linda Deckard
Photo: The WWF crew as seen in the early 90’s at an Event & Arena Marketing Conference, including a curly-headed Bob Collins. From left: Joel Satin, Steve Planamenta, Kurt Block, Lee Barstow, Bob Collins and Kerry Brown. (Photo by Tom Powell of Amusement Business)