Thread: ROH sold to broadcast group, coming to syndication
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Old 05-22-2011, 07:19 PM   #55
Mr. Nerfect
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fox View Post
Sorry, but ROH's roster is a list of names that nobody knows or cares about except those who follow the Indy scene. Their biggest name is probably Charlie Haas for christ's sake. At least when TNA hit TV they had names like Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and DDP to back them up. I will be very surprised if this goes anywhere "real."

Sorry to hate on this news - I guess it's good news for the wrestling industry as it means more attention given to performers who aren't working for a company too scared to refer to them as what they are: wrestlers, but still. They have zero drawing power right now.
Interesting point, but I think Fragile X had a pretty good retort - ROH would be wise to market itself on the "Ring of Honor" name and the concept of being the best wrestling on television. "ECW" ended up being a bigger draw than anyone from ECW ever really was, if you know what I mean? No one talent should be put over as being larger than the company. That is where ROH could run into some problems.

You also missed the part where they said that they were going after some names with WWE value. I don't think it would benefit ROH to go after whatever scraps the WWE has dropped off, but I think it would be a good idea if they picked up guys that could work the style. Carlito and MVP have already been mentioned, and while neither is a "mega-star," they have that appeal to casual fans.

Also, ROH has managed to get certain big names to appear for them in the past. Off the top of my head, I believe Mick Foley, Bret Hart, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat have been involved with ROH in the past. Now that they are on TV, some legends wanting to keep up good ties with the WWE might want to distance themselves from that, but if ROH can get Bret Hart appearing on their show - that'd be a huge deal for them.

There's a marketing team behind this, and it'd make no sense that Sinclair wouldn't put some minds into making this appeal to an audience - or else it'd be a complete waste of money. I'm sure the ideal here is that they buy ROH for cheap, and then make money off it by expanding the brand. You know, business stuff. It won't happen overnight, of course, but I wouldn't label this a failure before it actually launches. As Dave Youell pointed out - this is the first time since WCW that a broadcasting group has owned a wrestling promotion - so this is the first time since WCW that it has been in a broadcasting group's interest to really get behind a wrestling promotion on every level.

Also, I'd definitely say that Shelton Benjamin would be a bigger draw than Charlie Haas...
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