Amanda Brown
Body Slams, Big Hearts,
and the County
Co-Owner & Administrator
Crown of Maine Wrestling
Community Spotlight: Amanda Brown
There is something unexpectedly moving about a wrestling show in Aroostook County. The lights go up, the music hits, and a few hundred people who spend their weeks farming, working, and weathering long northern winters suddenly find themselves on their feet, hollering, laughing, and feeling something together. That, more than any championship belt or finishing move, is what Crown of Maine Wrestling is really about.
Amanda Brown will be the first to tell you she never imagined she would be co-owning a professional wrestling organization from the top of Maine. Originally from Dover, New Hampshire, she and her husband of 20 years Mike made their way north and found something here they weren’t expecting: a community that shows up. Since taking ownership of Crown of Maine Wrestling in 2019, Amanda has handled administration while Mike drives the creative vision behind every show. Together they have built something that is genuinely hard to categorize. It is entertainment, yes, but it is also community service, found family, and a whole lot of heart.
Roots & Beginnings
Crown of Maine Wrestling did not start from scratch. The organization was originally run by a promoter named Von, who was looking for someone to take it over and carry it forward. Mike, who had long dreamed of managing wrestler Ares, saw the opportunity and went for it. The two worked their way into the organization, earned their place, and eventually purchased it outright. What began as a passion project has grown into one of the most distinctive grassroots entertainment ventures in Aroostook County.
The learning curve, Amanda admits, was steep. Running a wrestling show involves far more than the spectacle fans see in the ring. Logistics, venue coordination, sponsorships, social media, storytelling arcs, and community relationships all have to come together on show night, and in the early days that meant figuring it out as they went. “Everyone came to the table to make it work,” she says. And they did.
There was also, it should be said, the small matter of undercover police officers rushing a parking lot in Fort Fairfield last spring, convinced they were witnessing an actual fight. The Crown of Maine crew was filming a promo video. Uniformed officers arrived shortly after. The chief of police and the recreation department manager were both involved in the conversation that followed. The footage, naturally, made for a spectacular promo.
What the Name Means
Ask Amanda what the name Crown of Maine Wrestling means to her, and she doesn’t point to a logo or a championship. She points to the people.
“It is a creative group effort that relies on the talented and creative effort of those involved,” she says. “Without the community, it wouldn’t be anything like it is today.” The skills, the drive, the heart that each person brings, that is what the crown represents to her. It is not worn by one person. It belongs to all of them.
That spirit shows up every single time the crew assembles for a show. People travel from across the county to help set up the ring, arrange the venue, and run through rehearsals before the doors open. Nobody is being paid in fame or fortune. They come because they believe in what they are building together.
A County That Shows Up
There is a reason Crown of Maine Wrestling keeps coming back to Aroostook County, and it has nothing to do with geography. It has to do with character.
“The people of Aroostook County really shine with a sense of community and engagement,” Amanda says, “especially in times of need.” That is not a talking point. It is something the organization has experienced firsthand and actively tried to reflect back.
Crown of Maine Wrestling has raised money for a widow after a member of their organization lost his father-in-law. They raised funds for Homeless Services of Aroostook in Presque Isle. They helped the Fort Fairfield Recreation Center generate revenue through concession sales at their shows. And they are currently working alongside the Aroostook Husky Football program to raise funds for youth athletes in the region.
The audience is a creative partner too. Amanda describes fans as active participants whose energy and response directly shape the characters and story arcs the wrestlers develop. “Our wrestlers are highly receptive,” she says, “and do their best to provide fan engagement.” This is live entertainment built in real time, with and for the people in the seats.
One moment that has stayed with her involves Wendy, a longtime employee of Homeless Services of Aroostook and a lifelong wrestling fan who had never once attended a live show. When Crown of Maine Wrestling came to town, Wendy stepped up alongside the ring to speak about what the organization’s donations had actually meant to the people the shelter serves. She was, by all accounts, absolutely tickled to be there. Seeing a woman who had dedicated her career to helping others get her own little moment inside the world of wrestling, talking about real impact in front of a live crowd, is exactly the kind of thing that reminds the Crown of Maine team why they do what they do.
Behind the Curtain
What does it actually take to put on a show? More than most people would guess.
On event days, the team arrives early to build the ring, set the stage, run rehearsals, work through story scenes, and make adjustments on the fly. King manages social media. Archer and Felicia handle sound. Louis was recently promoted to General Manager, a reflection of how much the organization has grown. A new podcast is also now available on YouTube, adding another dimension to the Crown of Maine universe.
Sponsors are a critical part of the operation, and the team makes a point of recognizing them publicly on flyers, in videos, and across social channels. James Carroll of MorningStar has been a strong supporter and friend of the organization. A promo was even filmed inside his shop, the kind of collaboration that blurs the line between sponsor and cast member in the best possible way.
The Work She Was Built For
Amanda grew up watching wrestling. So did Mike. So did most of the people on their roster. “We have seen all the great stars age with us,” she says. Her hero, both in the ring and in the business, is Triple H, a performer who started as a rookie and worked his way up to running WWE’s creative operations. Collaborating with him someday is not a fantasy she dismisses. It is something she genuinely means.
Her personal philosophy about work was shaped early, watching her parents do jobs they did not love in order to provide for their family. She carries deep respect for that sacrifice, and real resolve not to repeat it. “I obviously want to care for my family,” she says, “but we also need to know what we are doing is making a difference.”
Outside of the organization, Amanda is a mother, a horseback rider, and a practitioner of reiki. She is someone who lives and breathes wrestling, but also someone who understands that the energy you carry into a room matters. In a place where winters are long and community is everything, that turns out to be a pretty useful thing to know.
What Comes Next
The vision for Crown of Maine Wrestling is clear. Amanda and Mike want to own their own building, a permanent home for their shows in northern Maine where they are not dependent on borrowed venues or parking lot permits. Beyond that, they want to open a wrestling school right here in The County, a place where the next generation of local talent can train and develop for real.
Coming up, fans can catch Crown of Maine Wrestling at the American Legion on June 13th and at Comicon on April 18th. If you have never been to one of their shows, Amanda’s pitch is simple: “Expect a lot of hype and excitement, high emotional input and output, and in-person thrills.” Bring your kids. Bring your friends. Leave your expectations at the door.
And if you want to support what they are building, the ask is just as simple: spread the word, show up, and if you are in a position to sponsor, know that it makes a real difference.
Follow Crown of Maine Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X to stay up to date on upcoming shows, the new podcast, and everything happening inside the ring.
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