NWA San Francisco

NWA San Francisco was a Territory pro wrestling promotion operating in the United States, based in San Francisco, California, USA.

The NWA SF promotion was founded on November 19, 1935 by Joe Malcewicz, and it ceased operations on March 6, 1962.

The first major promotion in Northern California (NorCal) wrestling history, the San Francisco Booking Office was founded by Joe Malcewicz shortly after his in-ring retirement, leasing the New Dreamland Auditorium as his premier venue. Malcewicz would form an alliance with the Japanese Wrestling Association, becoming a major source of foreign talent traveling to Japan for brief tours. He would also use crossover talent from other sports for wider appeal.

Despite the promotion’s success, NWA San Francisco would soon find its territorial boundaries tested by Roy Shire, a wrestler-turned-promoter from NWA San Francisco itself who set up an outlaw promotion in competition with Malcewicz. Shire’s new Big Time Wrestling would prevail in this territorial affair, prioritizing televised wrestling over Malcewicz’s tendency to focus only on live events. NWA San Francisco would close in 1962 shortly after, with Malcewicz dying later that year due to a heart attack.

NWA San Francisco: Info