PWI

I haven't read Pro Wrestling Illustrated since 1996 or 1997. I made the decision to buy the current issue because of who was on the cover.

Back when I was at school and doing a daily paper-round, I would spend all of my wages on anything to do with professional wrestling. The majority of my cash was spent on magazines.

The family of magazines printed by Pro Wrestling Illustrated would come out on a weekly basis. Every Sunday morning I would make the short walk up my road to the only shop in my area that sold magazines like Inside Wrestling, The Wrestler and Wrestling Superstars. The patriarch of this family of publications - Pro Wrestling Illustrated - was never available in this shop. I had to order it on special reserve at the WHSmith in town.

I religiously read all these issues as it was one of the only way I could educate myself on the sport back then. There was no Internet and the phonelines were even more of a rip-off as they are today.

One funny story I have of my experience reading these magazines was when I wrote a letter to them and it was printed. The only problem with this letter was I was billed from 'Cardiff, England.'

I eventually matured as a fan and realised that PWI and its other publications were worked. The stories were fictitious and the interviews were heavily kayfabed or made-up. The world of professional wrestling was changing and there was an explosion of magazines and newsletters that gave their readers the real stories about the business. I have said it before countless times but it is very true - the backstage politics and rivalries within wrestling are even more intriguing as what we see on the TV shows each and every week.

I had to find this information elsewhere.

I didn't plan on buying another issue of these magazines until I heard that the current issue has a celebration of Ric Flair's career with the top twenty-five covers he has appeared on. It was enough to put my hand in my pocket and shell out for one more issue.

I haven't bothered reading anything else in the issue but I noticed a few changes.

The paper is all glossy now. Back in the day they had a few glossy pages but the rest were in black-and-white.

I also notice the price has more than doubled - this issue came with a free issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated Presents Greats of the Game so I didn't feel that ripped off. In the 1990's the magazine cost me £2.25, nowadays it goes for £5.25.

I just hope the paperboys (and girls) of today are on a better wage than I was on.