Big Time Wrestling (Detroit)
| Founded | 1945 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Owner(s) | Harry Light, Jack Britton, and Bert Ruby (1945–1959) Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle (1959–1964) Francis Flesher and Ed "The Sheik" Farhat (1964–1980) |
| Parent | Harry Light Wrestling Office (1945–1959) Barnett-Doyle Corporation (1959–1964) World Wide Sports (1964–1980) |
| Formerly | NWA Detroit |
Big Time Wrestling (also known as NWA Detroit) was a professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Detroit, Michigan in the United States.
Professional wrestling debuted in Detroit in the 1920s when Nick Londos began promoting events in the Detroit Olympia. London was succeeded by Adam Weissmueller, then by Louis Markowitz. By the 1930s, multiple promoters were competing in the territory.
In the aftermath of World War II, Weissmueller's former assistant Harry Light established the Harry Light Wrestling Office as a vehicle for promoting professional wrestling in Detroit and secured the rights to promote events at the Arena Gardens. In 1948, Light founded the National Wrestling Alliance along with Al Haft, Paul George, Orville Brown, Sam Muchnick, and Tony Stretcher. The six promoters agreed to divide the United States into regional territories within which they would not compete with one another and to recognise a single World Heavyweight Champion who would travel the country wrestling in each territory. By the 1950s, Light - along with his business partners Jack Britton and Bert Ruby - controlled professional wrestling in Detroit and Big Time Wrestling on Channel 7 was one of the most popular programs airing in Detroit.
In 1959, Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle (supported by backers such as Frank Tunney) formed a holding company, the Barnett-Doyle Corporation, and began promoting in Detroit, buying-out Light. Barnett and Doyle were originally "outlaw" promoters but the territory later rejoined the National Wrestling Alliance.
In 1964, professional wrestler Ed "The Sheik" Farhat and his father-in-law Francis Fleser acquired the promotion (along with the rights to promote wrestling in the Cobo Arena) from Barnett and Doyle for $50,000, forming "World Wide Sports" as a holding company. Farhat booked himself as the promotion's top wrestler, winning the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version) 12 times. By the 1960s, the promotion was airing two to three television programs per week and staging weekly house shows at the Cobo Arena.
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