Major ROH Announcement

[Headfirst For Hardcore]

Ring of Honor Announcement
Sunday, October 26, 2008

Ring of Honor is announcing that Gabe Sapolsky will be leaving the company effective immediately. Everybody at ROH would like to thank him for his contributions and wish him well in all future endeavors.

Going forward Ring of Honor will be focusing on the stories and the talent in the ring. The company will have no further comments on this issue or a replacement for Mr. Sapolsky. We would like to thank all of the fans and media who have supported us over the years and look forward to bringing you more great wrestling excitement in the future.

wow, really shocking.

 

[Soulpower]

Hmmm. I have a hard time believing this. Don't know why, though >_>

 

[comicgeekelly]

WTF!?!?!?! This really sucks if it's true.

 

[Montana]

Very Strange. The wording was a little odd in the second paragraph as well.

I'm going to wait and see what ROH has planned. I'd have to assume they have something up their sleeves.

 

[Dylanfsd]

ROH is financed by Cary Silken. Several years ago the decision was made to begin PPVs. The hope was it would grow the company, add fans, and revenue. It has not.

It has been suggested ROH needs TV. They do not unless they are paid to provide their show and at least break even. ROH had TV briefly in Philadelphia on WGTW-TV, payiong for the time slot weekly, and canceled that deal after a few months. The TV was not helping them draw and was cutting nto DVD sales. They had been warned going in that they would lose money, but too many see TV as a holy grail. It usually is not. It's usually just another expense.

ROH house shows are down in attendance, and several planned shows in Florida were cancelled then rescheduled to next year.

Only NYC & Chicago have really been drawing the crowds ROH needs and expects.

After last month's Philadephia show Silkin was close to shutting down ROH altogether. Too much money was being spent, and too little was coming in.

Other ROH Management convinced Silkin to keep the company running, and to let Gabe Saposky go, and in the process make changes beyond the booking alone.

Card budgets need to be cut. Towns need to be booked to run at a profit regardless of draw even if it means reducing pay to some talent or reeducing the number of wrestlers booked p[er show, particularly fly-ins.

Whether PPV will continue is unknown. I'd recommend no. ROH needs to focus on events and DVDs, and story telling, alnost go back to the beginning in some ways. Their press release suggested that direction.

The current booking plan is to use a committee. Exactly who is on the committee has not been announced. For this group, whoever they turn out to be, to be sucessful, they first need to meet with Cary Silkin and find out exacting what he wants. It is his money after all. If they plan to repackage ROH, I'd focus on NE dates and run fewer shows, and go to the mid-west only once every two-three months. I'd cancel any new market unless indications are good for ticket sales, and regardless I'd underbook the cards. I'd try to sell ROH Shows to buildings for a guaranteed fee.

There will be no quick fix, but if the bleeding can be stopped, Cary Silkin & ROH can survive.

 

[Soulpower]

The early word from Meltzer is that Luke Williams (Bushwacker Luke) could replace Gabe as the booker. Luke actually booked in Puerto Rico for a while, so he has experience in that department, and he's also friends with Silkin.

 

[chessarmy]

wow, this is pretty shocking. So is ROH on their last legs financially?

 

[Montana]

Not of all, None of this ROH "going out of business" stuff makes any sense. (to me at least) And if it is true, someone seriously needed to overview the finances. You have the strongest Independent promotion, and theres talk of going out of business?

- If ROH isn't making money, than why are they running new markets and going to japan.

- ROH 2006 they could afford Dragon Gate guys, TNA guys, CZW guys, on and on and on, But now, with a larger fan base, they can't afford much of anything??

- ROH is still selling 2006 products.

- How much is ROH really paying the wrestlers per show, because take a Chicago show for example. Lets say there is 1000 people there. Thats probably a good 25,000$$ made JUST in ticket sales. Not hot dogs, not t shirts, and not the 3 for 1 DVD sale.

- Almost every DVD order, should be near profit for ROH. And there has been no major additional sales, or ANYTHING to indicate desperate times.


I just can't see where all the money is going? ROH isn't paying there stars .5 million a year, and letting fans into their shows for free like some companies. They don't have 100 fans in a gym like some shows.

Look at FIP. How in the world can they be in business. They have the same talent roster, just about. DVDs at FYE, and Best Buy. NO one goes to their shows, OR buys the dvds.

I could be way off, but nothing is adding up to me. (Unless somone is screwing up royally financially)

 

[Montana]

Sapolsky out as ROH booker - members only news PDF Print E-mail

By Dave Meltzer

ROH owner Cary Silkin confirmed this morning that Gabe Sapolsky has been replaced as booker and is no longer with the company.

Silkin categorized it as change the company had decided to make and it wasn't the result of any single incident that took place over the weekend. The parting of the ways took place at some point last night at the ROH house show in Edison, NJ.

At this point Silkin and others in ROH have been closed mouthed about who will be put in charge or what they were unhappy about.

Sapolsky was fired from the company last night and sources close to the situation say it was not a falling out last night, but that he also had no idea it was coming.

Silkin, who said he didn't want to comment on the change right now, said it would be business as usual with the 11/7 and 11/8 shows in Toronto (Markham, ONT) and Montreal going on as scheduled with the current crew of talent.

Last night's show featured CHIKARA Pro talent including Brodie Lee, Cheech & Cloudy and the Osiran Portal, who had never been featured on ROH shows in the past.

Sapolsky has been booker of ROH since its inception six years ago. The company has had its financial ups and downs during that period, but for the most part, as been the third largest pro wrestling company in North America, largely relying on sales of DVDs as its primary source of income.

Sapolsky had won the Booker of the Year award the past four years in Observer balloting and ROH was known for producing the best in-ring product.

The live crowds have been steady in recent months, but DVD sales had declined. Economic problems in North America would have likely affected ROH more than TNA or WWE because they don't have the kind of economic backing to get through rough times.

Silkin said it was too early to discuss what would happen next. He said there wouldn't be significant changes, but that over the next several weeks the new direction would be evident. He wouldn't comment on who would take over as booker.

Silkin is close friends with Luke Williams of the Bushwhackers, who has extensive booking experience, particularly in Puerto Rico and has appeared a few times at ROH events.

 

[THE Brian Kendrick's Biceps]

It looks like ROH wants to go national, and gabe didn't want it. The financial stuff looks like bs, as you pointed out very well Monty.

This is honestly one of the worst decisions that could have been made. ROH's product is great, and if this leads to a drastic change I won't be happy in the least.

 

[Soulpower]

Former NWA champ Adam Pearce is officially the new booker for Ring of Honor. Pearce sent emails out to the ROH crew yesterday stating he would be booking going forward but asked that it be kayfabed since he was also wrestling for the company.

ROH officials declined comment when contacted today, but I can confirm Pearce is the booker. I believe one of the reasons ROH is being so quiet about the change is that going forward they want all the focus among online fans to be towards the product they produce, not backstage personalities.

From PWinsider

 

[THE Brian Kendrick's Biceps]

Of all people .... why Adam Pearce?

I hope he books himself to job, because he's one of my least favourites in ROH.

 

[Montana]

It will be interesting to see what they mean by old school. I started watching ROH, and the first thing i noticed about ROH, was how balanced the shows were. You had your old school wrestling matches, but you also had high flyers, hardcore, strong style and comedy matches. I believe that was a sucessful formula for ROH over the years, and would really hate to see go away with what the fans are used to.

If i wanted to watching "old school" wrestling, i'd go watch NWA. And seriously, how many people follow NWA?

So with that being said, good luck Mr. Pearce. ALL of your work will be under a microscope, and to be honest the first Newswire wasn't so bad.


This has me wondering what "old school" wrestlers are out there, that people actually care about. I think Cade/Murdoch are throwbacks, but then again how much can ROH afford.

(ON a side note: ROH is getting funds from the ROH school as well, PLUS they can afford Joe to come back)

 

[Headfirst For Hardcore]

I don't really know what to say about this. It seems like Gabe was screwed over, and the financial situation is nothing but a bailout. Some serious shit had to have gone on for having the company's lifetime booker released without notice. I know the product's been stale, but it's just weird seeing how quickly something can end.

So now, I'm thinking ROH will go more in the "entertainment" direction with Pearce in, and wanting to bring in more veteran/ticket drawing guys. They already started it with the Chikara guys, who are more like cartoon characters than real people.

I find these articles pretty interesting. I don't want to post them in full, I'll just leave the ones I find most interesting.

Open Letter From Current ROH Wrestler

DOI Note: The following was set to us by a current ROH wrestler who wanted to remain anonymous but wanted his points out there.

All good things come to a end. ROH was created in 2002 and we know all the history of the company. Rob Feinstein had a dream and put his heart and soul into the company. Along with Doug Gentry and Gabe Sapolsky they created something speical. They knew their niche and started their own brand of strong style in the states that resembled New Japan pro wrestling's jr division with a blend of All Japan wrestling and a added twist of ECW.

In the last 24 hours ROH looks doomed. There has been so many behind the scene problems in the last 6 months that its own booker went looking to work for the WWE and that was not by choice. I know Gabe very well and he has always been outspoken on his problems with the office staff who just did not understand the wrestling business. He was given the keys to the car, but often told me that Cary always wanted him to drive the wrong highways. Gabe was not a easy person to get along with. He was a very paranoid person from day one in the company. In IL there were many fights in hotels between the office staff that if any of the other boys would have heard we would have all been looking for work else where. I always remained with the company knowing my spot.

Two months ago I told Gabe that he is going to be cut in due time. The writing was all over the wall. I was hearing all types of negative comments from Syd and Ross and there were many secret meetings in towns with Adam. I also knew that Cary was getting more involved and really breaking Gabe's balls by always questioning him. Just last week there was a major blow up which at this time does not matter.

What matters is Gabe was fired with no warning what so ever. I was backstage and I knew it was coming on Saturday when I saw Cary storm off into Syd's work area. Then the time bomb went off just hours later. Gabe was so in shock that when he was leaving I was scared to even go up to him. In less than 24 hours later the company has a new booker who I might remind you is a worker just like me.

Now this is not 1986 and Adam is not Dusty Rhodes but this is never going to work. ROH is a indy company and nobody in that locker room is going to take orders from another wrestler that has no track record. Why will the boys listen to Adam? What has he done in wrestling other than run a small company in CA. Do you know how many egos are in the ROH locker room. Do you know how many guys think they could now book the company? Adam sent a email out to the entire staff yesterday and asked us to Kfabe he was the booker. I almost spit my water out of my mouth. This thing is doomed to fail. You can't be a booker and than book yourself into the top heel spot. Like I said if this was a Terry Funk or a Dusty Rhodes things would be smooth sailing but Adam can't just come into our locker room and take over the ship. He is just a indy worker, who is a great old time heel. But that heat will never work in ROH.

I re-read his email and how he is going to change the style of the company and to be quite honest I know alot of the boys are not happy about this and we are not happy that Cary stabbed Gabe in the back. Gabe is no angel by any means but now there is a pattern here. I know that after the Feinstein incident that he was led to beleive he would be brought back. Cary and Feinstein met over and over again as Feinstein had a plan and a investor that was going to relieve Cary as the front man but let him remain owning the majority of the company. They were about to get a TV deal as well. Cary along with Syd Eick thought they could make more money without Feinstein by forcing him to sell ROH so they can do a version of RF VIDEO and combine it with ROH as they did early on with their straight shooting series. That system failed miserabally. Cary than promised Doug Gentry a spot for life later to turn on him because he remained loyal to RF VIDEO. Now Gabe after giving 6 years of hard work to the company they just stab him in the back. This man lived and breathed ROH and brought Cary to where he is at now. Yes he might be broke but without Gabe there is no ROH.

As a wrestler, how can you trust ROH? I mentioned Feinstein, Gentry & Sapolsky. Thes are the three men that built Ring of Honor. These are three men who put their livelihoods on the line for ROH. And now? All have been stabbed in the back & fired from Ring of Honor. The wrestling business will eat you up.

I don't know where I stand right now with ROH, but any wrestler is expendable. I am happy that a straight person is booker rather than Luke though. If we had a gay booker it would fuel sites like DOI and message boards because of Cary's orientation. I don't think Pearce is the right guy in the end.

I read Bob Magee's column about ROH and how you can compare this to Vince buying ECW where it's called ROH, but it really isn't ROH. The jury is still out on that and Bob does come off like this is the end of the world but I do agree that the ROH letters are about to go under a major transformation.

The company is going to go under after a few short months. I would have rathered see Cary be honest with his locker room because now we never know what to expect. Nobody trusts anyone after this week because we all thought we were a family. This is no disrespect to Adam, but brother your just one of us. You are throwing your career away on this one. This will hurt you with TNA & WWE. I hope NWA pays your bills because ROH sure won't. I know many of us feel betrayed and I hope that after this weekend some of us learns the true definition of honor.

To Gabe, I know you hate this site but no other site would print this. It was an honor to work for you and shake your hand. The code of honor still lives inside of the ones who believed.

Letter from someone in the know of ROH backstage stuff.

Mic- love the Gabe coverage, can you print this. just withhold my name please for the obvious reasons.

Syd is the greatest manipulator of all time. He is a very evil business man deep down and has had it out for Gabe since day one. He saw him as a threat since Gabe knew the business and Syd didn't so he always knew that Gabe was smarter than him and would always want him gone. When business was good Gabe was great when it sucked, who better to blame than Gabe.

Syd also had Feinstein fire his long time best friend Eric Gargiulo years ago back in 2000 and tried to convince RF that Eric was no good for his company which was the furthest thing from the truth. Syd wanted Eric gone because he was a threat to him and wanted his spot. Syd still to this day knows nothing about wrestling but knows that Luke is new to the mix and wont see thru him and he now will have job security because Gabe is gone too.

Syd was never looking to take Gabes spot but he just did not like him at all in any sense of the word. He is in Cary's ear pulling his strings. When ROH folds which wont be long I wont be surprised to see Syd workingg for Carys ticket agency as he knows how to kiss ass. He was RF's best friend and even until RF fired him he was fake towards him. Even after the incident he acted like a brother to RF but in the mean time he was backstabbing Feinstein planning to take over his company and he stole their mailing list with other important files in the RF VIDEO office.

He is a snake in the grass.

Links galore...

http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/roh1016more.html
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/roh102708.html
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/gabe1026willitend.html
http://www.declarationofindependents.net/doi/pages/roh1026xxx.html

 

[1chiban]

Very intriguing situation. Nice to see loyalty from the wrestlers who spoke out. I don't blame them for remaining anonymous, obviously.