Shane Taylor: Diversity In Wrestling Can’t Just Be The Talent, It Has To Be Throughout The Industry

Shane Taylor wants diversity all througout wrestling. 

Shane Taylor is one of the most respected men in wrestling and has always done his part to shed a spotlight on minority wrestlers and problems in wrestling. Leading Shane Taylor Promotions, Taylor has helped groom the likes of Soldiers of Savagery (Moses & Kaun), putting a new light on them and others in Ring of Honor. 

While diversity in wrestling has increased on-screen, Taylor would like more done behind the scenes. 

“The sport as a whole would be better if we not only had more diversity in ownership, different promotions, but in management as well; in marketing, in talent scouting, every backstage phase of the game. The diversity can’t just be in the talent. It has to be throughout the entire industry. When you have the ability to get different perspectives for marketing, you can understand the culture is not the same everywhere. Just because you’re both black, if one guy is from Atlanta and one guy is from New York, they are going to be different. How are we going to market that? How are we going to capitalize on what this individual is bringing us so we can give it to our fans. There is so much depth and history and tradition that people can learn about and when you have other people backstage who can relate to that talent and bring something special out of them, it’s only going to help the overall product. That goes with marketing, promos, creative. When you can tap into the individual and what makes them special, you can draw out something they didn’t see in themselves. That’s what it’s going to take, the ability from everybody top to bottom to do that because if you don’t have that, it’s hard for someone who doesn’t know the culture, who doesn’t know the details and history, who doesn’t have the experience, to tell you how to be you and market you. It’s never going to work. That’s the most pressing thing. We have the talent right now. This is the time to make sure this era builds the foundation that the next generation is only going to build higher and higher,” Taylor told Candace Cordelia of Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Taylor has previously said that “representation is everything” in wrestling. You can find his full comments by clicking here. 

Taylor is set to take on Kenny King at ROH Final Battle on December 11. 

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