According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the launch of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s new online streaming service – New Japan World – went very well, and company owner Takaaki Kidani was “blown away” with how many customers came from outside of Japan.
The initial goal for the service was 100,000 subscribers in the first year, and they expect the bulk of them to come from their obviously strong Japanese audience. There is a plan to eventually expand internationally, possibly with English commentary on major events, or with English commentary. Dave Meltzer noted that he expects an English version of the website to be available soon.
Kidani stated at the press conference for New Japan World that their company is #1 in the world as far as the in-ring wrestling product goes, but that they are #2 to WWE in business, and want to try and close that gap. Expanding into a U.S. audience is not easy, with the wrestling product here being saturated by almost 30 hours of new WWE in-ring programming every month, and so many other promotions available on television and through the internet. It will be easier to measure its potential popularity here with the upcoming Tokyo Dome show, which will feature Jim Ross on the first English-language New Japan pay-per-view in history.
That being said, Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling brand, who will be distributing the Tokyo Dome show here and is responsible for bringing Jim Ross on board, might be set back by New Japan World getting any sort of English treatment. In a similar situation to WWE and the launch of the WWE Network, paying the $35 per event on future PPV shows would be ridiculous if there were an accessible alternative for less than $9.99 per month.
Source: http://www.wwe.com/news/531785-new-...ct-on-global-force-wrestling-distributing-ppv