Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
When one looks back at the history of Ring of Honor, this coming weekend may end up being one of the major cornerstones in their evolution. This Saturday and Sunday, ROH will work with HD Net's production company to film the first six episodes of their first-ever weekly cable series. Announced thus far for the tapings at the ECW Arena are ROH champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Jay Briscoe, Tyler Black vs. Jimmy Jacobs, plus Bryan Danielson, Kevin Steen, Austin Aries, Jerry Lynn, Chris Hero, Eddie Edwards, Kenny King, Rhett Titus, Brent Albright, Brodie Lee, Sara del Rey, Claudio Castagnoli, The Necro Butcher, Larry Sweeney, Sterling James Keenan, Dark City Fight Club, Cheech & Cloudy. For ticket information, visit www.rohwrestling.com. The series will debut on Saturday 3/21 at 8 PM.
Today is the seventh anniversary of the very first live ROH event in Philadelphia.
With the new TV show, I can guarantee that both WWE and TNA are looking at ROH's top talents to strategize whether to swoop in and snatch them so ROH doesn't have them going forward.
Don't expect to see an immediate return of former ROH Tag Team champion Colt Cabana now that he's been released from World Wrestling Entertainment. The word I am getting is that due to their TV outlet, ROH is now considered to be on the same level with TNA in regard to departing talent, so the former Scotty Goldman would have to wait out his 90 day no compete period. That means he couldn't conceivably work for ROH until late May.
The lineup for this Friday's ROH house show in Danbury, CT features
ROH champion Nigel McGuinness vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Tyler Black vs. Jimmy
Jacobs, Kevin Steen & Jay Briscoe vs. Chris Hero & Eddie Edwards,
Bryan Danielson vs. Delirious, Brent Albright vs. Claudio Castagnoli, Necro
Butcher vs. Brodie Lee in a Street Fight, Rhett Titus & Kenny King vs. Erick
Stevens & Bobby Dempsey and Austin Aries vs. Sami Callahan.
In regard to talk of Val Venis coming in, which I have heard from sources outside of the company, ROH officials deny any discussion of bringing him in.
For those wondering about ROH using the recently released TNA talents, I'd place good money on Jimmy Rave coming in down the line.
***
In regard to rumors of unrest in the Ring of Honor locker room, there is something to the story. There have been some grumblings by talent as they are in the process of signing new deals but aren't seeing big raises (if any) and in some cases, I've heard stories of ROH eliminating medical insurance for wrestlers as well. At the same time, the company is signing a TV deal and bringing in names like Ric Flair and D'Lo Brown. So, you are going to get wrestlers who aren't happy and are seeing it as money they feel they deserve is going elsewhere, especially when there's something of a bigger line between office and talent now that Gabe Sapolsky, who was good at motivating and manipulating talents is no longer there to bridge that gap while the new regime is still getting its feet wet.
The reality is that business is down across the board for the company, the same as it is for a lot of other small businesses. I would be stunned if the company's DVD and ticket sales aren't down as they have always been a small company with a niche audience and it's not like PPV brought them a new generation of fans. So, there's a smaller overall financial pool for ROH to work finances from.
In regard to the TV deal, there's nothing that even remotely indicates it will be bringing any immediate revenue to the ROH coffers, but is something that has the potential to help drive ROH's other revenue streams if and when they can cultivate an audience. If they do, it's not going to happen in two weeks or even two months.
Meanwhile, Ric Flair's name will draw an audience that the current ROH roster won't draw, so it's a chance worth taking. If ROH draws 1,500 instead of 750 fans to a Flair appearance, the trickle down effect once Flair's fees are covered goes to the overall health of the company. If the current roster could draw 1,500 a night, there would be no need for Flair, but the reality is, the roster can't. Flair could. I can see the point of view from guys being upset when they are haggling for small raises and seeing mid-level WWE names coming in, but again, Cary Silkin wants to freshen up the roster. You have to play the trial and error game as that is figured out. It's not like ROH is sitting, say, Nigel McGuinness at home and booking Elijah Burke instead.
Still, when you have workers who do that heavy physical style (albeit one that has been toned down in recent months), one can understand the feeling of some who see their piece of the pie shrinking. The reality is that the pie has shrunk for the entire company in today's economic world. It's not the same landscape it was even a year ago at this time for anyone. While it is a case of performers thinking about their now and not the potential for down the line, performers do have to watch out for themselves first. That said, there's also no indication that many of the talents would have a chance for WWE or TNA deals on the horizon either. Some, sure, but nowhere near all of them could hope to get signed elsewhere. There aren't enough slots and some of the talents are guys who do great things that the larger companies wouldn't gravitate towards.
I can truly see both sides of the coin and each side has valid concerns. Similar things went down in the ECW locker room as the company made its way to their first PPV and contracts, to the point Paul Heyman offered anyone who wanted to leave their immediate releases. In the end, none of that crew took him up on that offer. I have written a lot in recent weeks and noted in Elite audio segments that there would be growing pains with the ROH TV deal and now they are here. To get through them, both sides - talent and office - will have to work together to build something they can all hopefully share in down the line for the company, for or else it's just going to eventually fall by the wayside. Everyone needs to think long-term in my opinion.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
