PW Sheet: WWE/SBG talks to sell ROH (Meltzer confirms)
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 4:35 pm
http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/buyout-ring-honor-wwe/
Observer:
Observer:
Pro Wrestling Sheet reported on 3/22 that the WWE was in talks with Sinclair Broadcasting regarding purchasing of Ring of Honor.
There had been stories going around wrestling of talks between Sinclair and WWE regarding buying ROH in recent weeks, to the point over the past month, there were people asking questions to those in the company about the story. Those in the company denied the story being accurate at the time to talent that had asked.
Joe Koff had not commented at press time on the story, but others in the company have stated that they weren’t aware of any talks and that nothing has happened that would make things seem any different from business as usual going forward.
A major key to the deal would include the purchase of the ROH library, which has early matches of many of the current top WWE names including Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, A.J. Styles, Austin Aries and many others. We’re told WWE first inquired about purchasing ROH dating back to August, and wanted to do so for more than just the tape library. There have also been at least minor inquiries and feelers about purchasing other independent companies, both in the U.S. and the U.K., for tape libraries and perhaps to limit outside options for talent.
If WWE was to purchase the company, the question becomes would they operate it and honor the contracts or close it down, like was the plan with TNA when there were negotiations to purchase that company a few months ago largely for the videotape rights and intellectual property going forward. WWE has a lot of developmental talent that really needs more ring time in front of fans than they are getting in the current system. It’s also beneficial for the company, as far as being able to keep pay for the top rising stars down by taking away alternatives, to control as much of the full-time U.S. marketplace as there is.
These reports won’t help morale as ROH is set up for what could be its largest attended show in its history on 4/1 in Lakeland, FL. In addition, the company is still scheduled for a series of joint shows in May with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
As noted many times, Sinclair has never gotten fully behind the company, which was ahead of Impact in a lot of facets including overall interest, but never was able to get the television production quality necessary to get the type of overseas money deals and national cable deals that have kept Impact barely afloat over the past year. The production of the television has improved over the past year. Still, both companies lost Destination America at the same time, but Impact was able to get on Pop TV, while ROH got on Comet TV, which was mostly low power broadcast stations that weren’t on most cable systems. Because of being on Sinclair broadcast stations, ROH reached more viewers weekly than Impact, but still lagged behind in production and overseas penetration.
Those in WWE had talked about meetings for such a deal two weeks ago, and for a few days the story was being talked about by people on the inside in other companies, but nothing had materialized. At this point there is nothing concrete as to where this stands or the odds of it actually taking place.
Still, just the idea they are talking will change the dynamic inside the company, as well as within New Japan and CMLL, who have working relationships with ROH. ROH was a place New Japan could send young talent to garner experience, such as Yohei Komatsu, Sho Tanaka and Jay White on the current roster.
It would also leave the leading company in Japan, as well as Mexico, if such a deal goes through, with limited options for an American partner. New Japan and Impact had a deal fall through years ago and Impact always had used the New Japan talent poorly. Similarly, Impact and CMLL had a working agreement at one point with the same end result.
The only other company of significance in the U.S. at this point would be Lucha Underground, and they are in bed with AAA, CMLL’s mortal enemy, and New Japan has always made it clear they wouldn’t work with anyone affiliated with AAA. Plus, Lucha Underground has lost so much money and seemed to really lose its way over the last year creatively. It has strong backers, but its battle plan was more to present television to get characters over with the idea of using those characters in a Sci-Fi movie as opposed to building a full-time wrestling company.
ROH had become, especially over the past year when salaries had been raised and business had increased, become a place where talent could bargain and key talent was offered more money than WWE or TNA were offering, and in other cases, even if they could make more in TNA, the feeling was that TNA wasn’t a place to go to build a name. It was also a way to stay in the business full-time for some who had talent but for whatever reason, WWE didn’t feel they fit into their promotion, as well as an American outpost for those who had deals with New Japan to work in between tours.