Shining a Spotlight 2.21.08: The State of ROH

Now, I’ll say from the start that I’m not as in-depth knowledgeable about ROH as our resident Ari Bernstein, whose Column of Honor may well be the best info site about the company outside of their own website. So while I’m a fan, I’m not as passionate about the company as others so keep that in mind. Then again, maybe a more “outside” view is helpful at a time like this.

There’s no getting around it: ROH’s attempt to break into the Canadian landscape was an absolute failure. It makes Jim Crockett’s early PPV attempts look the model of success. In an entire country whose love of wrestling is well known, the PPV drew only 36 buys.

That merits its own paragraph for emphasis. 36 buys for an entire country.

You just can’t spin that as anything but failure. Okay, yes, there are some mitigating circumstances like lack of support from some PPV companies and lack of promotion (which I’ll get to in a minute) but when your PPV draws less viewers than a late-night infomercial, you’re not going to succeed as well as you hoped. That seems proven as Canadian companies are now unlikely to work with ROH again, not seeing any chance of success with them.

I have to admit to being quite surprised by this. As I’ve mentioned in my columns a few times, Canada has a fan base quite passionate about the classic hard-hitting wrestling which ROH embodies so I thought for sure the company would be able to click over there. I know it may be a bit off to judge the Canadian fanbase by Scott Keith but I did believe a majority of guys up there agreed with his assessments of how great ROH was and the Canadians fans would love to see that for themselves. The numbers show a vastly different story.

I don’t know if you can come up with one specific reason for those numbers being so low. Yes, the PPV companies in Canada are a bit more spread out, not quite as powerful on signals (due to the vast distance between towers in the nation) so you expected the numbers to be a bit low. However, when they’re this low, you have to put some of the blame on the company itself as ROH really didn’t promote the show well to Canadian fans. And I believe that points to a larger problem within the company that needs to be fixed before it gets too big.

Right now, ROH is in a rather unique position. With WWE continuing their usual over-the-top ways and TNA seemingly focused on recreating the dying days of WCW, Ring of Honor offers the best choice for old-school wrestling fans. Yes, they are a “boutique” promotion but that’s what they want to be, the one to watch for quality, not over the top antics. As I’ve noted before, ROH is succeeding where TNA is not because they cater to the audience they have instead of the one they want. They’re not wasting money on getting NASCAR drivers or ex-football coaches, they’re giving fans great wrestling and that’s why they’ve earned so much respect.

But respect only takes you so far as the brutal truth is that wrestling is a business and ROH is realizing that business can be tough. The key reason ROH has succeeded is that unlike TNA, they don’t operate under the delusion that they’re on an equal par with WWE. They know they’re a small promotion with a small fanbase and don’t try to take on the WWE juggernaut in their own markets. However, I do think ROH is learning the hard way that their reputation isn’t quite as long-reaching as they believed it to be. Yes, they do great work and their fan base can be very, very passionate but the fact is, they’re still a blip on the wrestling scene as far as the mainstream fanbase is concerned. Those Pro Wrestling Illustrated awards seemed to prove it with ROH often ignored and the Briscoes, recognized by most everyone else as the best tag team out there now, came in second runners-up in Tag Team of the Year. ROH’s status among the IWC is at the top but as I wrote a few weeks back, the IWC is not the majority of the fanbase and the brutal truth is that there are a lot of fans out there who have no idea ROH even exists.

The problem is their coverage. Whatever else TNA’s problems are, they do have a weekly prime-time showcase for their show to give it some exposure to mainstream fans. Hell, even OVW has a good TV deal in their region to help them out. But ROH just doesn’t have that sort of presence that can really them connect and put themselves out more. They’ve got the Internet shows but as I noted, that caters to a smaller fanbase rather than the one that can really help them grow and thrive.

I recognize the risks in getting TV and I even wrote on them last year. They’d have to adjust match times, be at the whims of either a network or syndication chiefs and of course, run the risk of bringing more “sports entertainment” into things which can drive older fans away. People say that’s what killed ECW’s TNN deal which actually isn’t true. Yeah, that all hurt but the fact was, ECW had pretty much peaked by the time they got a cable deal and it didn’t help they lost so much star talent almost immediately after they started. But a TV deal did help them a bit and it could help ROH. True, the costs of running a weekly show are big but if it gets more fans and support, it might be helpful.

Forgetting TV, ROH has got to advertise better. I’m not just talking with Canada, but their main shows need more build-up as well. It baffles me how a company that seems so well run can’t seem to move any of their budget to the advertising side of things. I’ll see flyers for small independent wrestling shows at a high school posted around town weeks before the show hits. But I won’t know an ROH show has taken place in the Chicago area until after it’s done and I read about it. Even an ad or blurb for the weekend section of one of the Chicago papers can be a good thing to get attention and bring some fans in. Relying simply on the Internet and word of mouth doesn’t help them because it still caters to that specific fanbase, not letting it spread out more. A series of well-produced commercials would be a great way to get attention, mixed in with great action to show fans what they’d see.

By action, I mean, real in-ring stuff, not the wild battles or bloody brawls that make them look like a second ECW like that “mini-doc” that was making the rounds a while back. Showcase the hard-hitting action of McGuiness, Danielson and the others, avoid the bloodbaths and give fans what they’d love to see. That’s one thing ROH has always done right, give fans great action they wouldn’t see normally. If they can showcase that for new fans, it can help the company grow more.

Right now, ROH has taken the very important step of recognizing their financial situation and trying to fix it (a lesson one would hope TNA would learn soon). Cutting down on dates is a bit rough for fans but it does save on travel for their talent. I was a bit surprised to hear ROH spends so much to send most of their roster around. It reminded me of one of the many mistakes WCW made, which was paying to have 75 guys at each Nitro show but only use half of them. It also allows them to avoid risking overexposure of both talent and cities.

I know, it’s a common statement but ROH should look into expanding tours a bit. As much as the fans love them at their favorite spots, doing only those places risks burning out that key crowd. The biggest mistake Fritz Von Erich made was refusing to take World Class on national tours when they were at the height of their fame, costing him tons of cash. Now, ROH does need to be careful and not go to areas not ready for them but I daresay their reputation has grown so shows in some places on each coast can draw in new fans and thus new cash. They’ve been careful about expanding so far but the time may be right to spread things out a bit.

As for PPVs, ROH has been good with them so far as it’s not that vital for the company like it is with TNA. Unlike TNA, ROH earns revenue from their arena shows and merchandise as well so PPV isn’t the bloodlife of the company. The problem with the pre-taping of them is that it’s sort of hard to get excited about seeing a show that’s already happened and will be on DVD soon, especially from a company with a low presence in the mainstream. I’m not saying they should automatically jump to live shows because that has just as many risks, especially in a market packed with PPVs but maybe one big one a year can work for them.

The biggest challenge facing ROH is that, while their quality may be the best out there, their actual fame just isn’t as big. Run down TNA all you want (and most of us have) for grabbing ex-WWE guys but the company does manage to put up big names to get attention from fans, especially WWE ones. Now it’s true that ROH does have what TNA doesn’t, which is a “brand” if you will of homegrown stars. But most fans don’t know any of them and it’s not enough to get them attention. Pretty much the only big ROH guys to get fame are Samoa Joe and CM Punk and that’s only because they jumped to the bigger promotions. Without that national presence, ROH really doesn’t have as big a chance to grow more, which is where TV can be helpful.

I do feel I have to discuss the ROH fanbase. It’s wonderful they have such a passionate fanbase that goes for the hard-hitting style. But there are some ROH guys who take it a bit too far trumpeting the awesomeness of the company which makes them sound a bit…elitist for lack of a better term. One needs only to read the comments left at the 411 Awards by guys who think we go way too far championing ROH to see that there are some who just don’t get into the company as much. For newer fans, there’s also that misconception that ROH is a second ECW, not helped by commercials emphasizing wild brawls rather than good technical matches. Plus, so much of ROH’s presence is for the IWC and again, the IWC is not the majority of the fanbase. It’s good to cater to the fans you have but the company also has to work on getting new ones if they really want to survive. There are so many who complain about how much they dislike WWE and TNA’s directions but don’t seem to know how ROH is a good antidote. As I said before, bigger advertising can help spread that word around.

The decision to release compilation DVDs in retail stores this spring is a good one and one I think is long overdue. The majority of DVD sales for wrestling come from such stores so stocking ROH next to the usual WWE and TNA fare will catch attention from fans and the action inside will lead to more hooking onto the promotion. The problem is that ROH doesn’t go for the usual “sports entertainment” character types like WWE and TNA do. Yes, their workers are great but let’s face it, being the best in the ring does not equal being a big star. Hulk Hogan is just one prime example. Danielson and McGuiness may be two of the best in-ring performers today but ask nine out of ten fans who aren’t hooked on the Internet and they’ll have no idea who they are. Now, by no means should ROH go the TNA route of grabbing ex-WWE guys but that lack of recognition and a guy who really can take charge on a major stage is holding them back from their true potential.

Things aren’t gloomy for ROH but they could be better. They’re in a very unique spot right now and I’ve heard others pretty much sum it up perfectly: They’re too big to be an indy but too small to be a major promotion. They’ve got the ingredients to be great with phenomenal workers, great angles, a brilliant booker in Gabe Sapolsky and, most importantly, an understanding of their place in the wrestling industry. Unlike TNA, they’re not going for a huge audience they can’t grasp and branching out before they’re ready. But caution can be harmful as well as helpful and ROH should understand that counting on the same audience all the time isn’t successful, just surviving. With OVW now cut off from WWE and ready as another independent company with a good TV show, ROH’s chances for getting every fresh indy guy out there are harmed a bit.

It’s always been striking to me that TNA, a company with good financial backing and a healthy roster, keeps making so many mistakes while the far less visible ROH is able to be successful. But TNA does have a national presence for fans that ROH lacks, not to mention the bigger PPV numbers and a regular TV show. It’s great for ROH to be known for their reputation for quality but reputation goes only so far in a business that runs on money. That they recognize their shortcomings and are ready to make changes is a good sign but one hopes they can keep going for a while. Because in a business filled with so much wild antics and “entertainment”, the need for a promotion that puts the focuses dead on actual wrestling isn’t just refreshing, it’s downright vital. Let’s all hope ROH can keep that vital and remain honorable for a long time to come.

Also around 411mania:

Obviously, Column of Honor gives you all you want on ROH.

Seventh Dimension tackles the question of who should beat Flair.

Evolution Schematic looks at wrestling weddings.

The Shimmy continues its look at Cena’s title reign.

Viral Dose of Reality tries to book a better Impact. That shouldn’t be too hard.

Julian counts down the Top 10 Overrated matches. Prepare the bitching on his choices.

Don’t forget Ask 411, The Way I C It, Triple Threat, 3 R’s, Hidden Highlights, Fact or Fiction and the rest.