ROH Reportedly Dealing With Financial Problems

[Prince Bálor]

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Ring of Honor is currently dealing with a lot of financial issues that basically come from Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns ROH, not getting more behind the company.

COO Joe Koff met with head officials at Sinclair back in December to try and get them to expand the budgets for 2015 and 2016, pushing the idea that ROH could become the #2 wrestling promotion in the country. Koff brought Adam Cole and The Briscoes to the meeting for them to do pro wrestling style promos on how TNA was losing steam moving to Destination America and that ROH could become #2 in the US. The pitch reportedly failed.

ROH's December pay-per-view, their second show on standard PPV, did just 8,000 buys and that didn't help things either. The 8,000 number is said to be under the company projections but not by a large number.

Sinclair officials told Koff to be more disciplined with spending this year. There's a feeling that Sinclair wants ROH for consistent programming on their network but are not interested in investing a lot or taking chances to build them.

These financial issues are the reason why talents like Roderick Strong, Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett aren't under contract. As noted before, TNA, Lucha Underground and New Japan Pro Wrestling all have interest in signing the duo of Kanellis and Bennett.

Source: http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2015/0204/589198/roh-reportedly-dealing-with-financial-problems/

 

[Roadster]

I'm not exactly sure Sinclair really cares about ROH, much. And ROH is obviously growing and for Sinclair not to give them an expanded budget is downright Blue. Stunting ROH's growth in a vital time. smh.

 

[Leo C]

Freaking Sinclair treating ROH like 3AM timeslot filler. smh

 

[Prince Bálor]

Perhaps Obama could get Sinclair to give ROH more money...?

 

[Bort]

It's hilarious that ROH is owned by a wealthy media corporation yet their production values are bollocks.

 

[ShaRpY HaRdY]

Sinclair usually gives their assets a short leash for the first year of a deal, I'm sure once they see results they'll end up slowly flowing more money into ROH's direction.

 

[Pop Tatari]

It's hilarious that ROH is owned by a wealthy media corporation yet their production values are bollocks.

Have not watched Roh for about 7 months, are their production values still that bad? They seemed like they were improving when I last watched.

 

[ShaRpY HaRdY]

Have not watched Roh for about 7 months, are their production values still that bad? They seemed like they were improving when I last watched.

They're improving but they're still not what they should be IMO.

 

[Pop Tatari]

They're improving but they're still not what they should be IMO.

Oh that is slightly alarming, does not bother me that much but taking pride in how u look as a company is important. Still the actual wrestling and story lines is how I judge a company. Not asking for a wwe production syle.

 

[ShaRpY HaRdY]

Oh that is slightly alarming, does not bother me that much but taking pride in how u look as a company is important. Still the actual wrestling and story lines is how I judge a company. Not asking for a wwe production syle.

It's still very much watchable, I mean around my area it's one of the more popular programming in that time slot, I'd say top 3 for males age group 14-49

 

[Pop Tatari]

It was a good product when I stopped watching, it was improving, was kind of bored with having Cole and Elgin pushed down my throat.

 

[Stopspot]

This rumor got sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

ROH COO Joe Koff was on the PWinsider radio show and they asked about this. He addressed the budget rumors saying that Sinclair has continually invested more in ROH each year and that the production is a work in progress, but has been upgraded and invested in. He added that ROH is a business and he's running it like a business...and that the reason Sinclair is successful is because they don't spend unwisely. He reiterated that SBG is very happy with them and supports what they're trying to do.

And as Kevin Kelly pointed out on JR's podcast. ROH started 2014 with one production truck, now they have 3.

In short, ROH doesn't have "financial issues", they operate on a budget because their parent company wants them to not spend money unwisely.

 

[Leo C]

So uh... are we getting those New Japan guys?

 

[Stopspot]

So uh... are we getting those New Japan guys?

Seems like we will be getting them spread out over the year.

 

[Leo C]

Seems like we will be getting them spread out over the year.

Really? Well, sounds alright. Honestly also sounds like better business for ROH.