Will Pro Wrestling ever return to syndication?

[Lucha Libre AAA]

...to update a suggestion I made upthread, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood (seen locally in Los Angeles on KDOC/v56) quit the NWA last month...

http://theprowrestlingnerd.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/indy-wrestling-news-championship-wrestling-from-hollywood-leaves-the-nwa/

It would take a huge financial commitment by KDOC to make national syndication happen. At least $1,000,000 for a nice studio like Impact Zone in Orlando. Without production, nothing would have a chance of being taken seriously.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Or maybe a big sponsor whose funding would allow KDOC to rent (if they don't have one) a network-quality remote truck, and for a nice facility in the L.A. area to be rented for tapings.

 

[Nate Wesley]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

maybe they'll sell some part of ROH to other station groups, what kind of ratings does it get in places where it does air? Does it really have a following or is it just cheap filler? I don't expect it has a following as large as WWE

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Now that I think about it, Smackdown! was considered a syndicated show before it went to SyFy.

I think MyTV lost network status so everything they aired was considered syndicated. Or something like that. But Smackdown! would appear in the Top 25 syndicated at times.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

That's what I can't understand. SBG bought the company, and made no improvements to the production. They're taping in indoor soccer fields. You would think they would improve production to have a shot at clearing the top markets they don't have a presence in. No station manager would look at the current production and take them seriously, even though they supposedly get good ratings.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

maybe they'll sell some part of ROH to other station groups, what kind of ratings does it get in places where it does air? Does it really have a following or is it just cheap filler? I don't expect it has a following as large as WWE

Wrestling Observer said that ROH told talent that they were getting good ratings, often beating TNA in local markets and national CUME.

ROH hired Gary Juster to set up national tours. But they bombed, drawing about 350 paid, so the live tours are on hold.

I can see SBG selling to WWE. It would be worth something if SBG sold the company and it came with the timeslots.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

That's what I can't understand. SBG bought the company, and made no improvements to the production. They're taping in indoor soccer fields. You would think they would improve production to have a shot at clearing the top markets they don't have a presence in. No station manager would look at the current production and take them seriously, even though they supposedly get good ratings.

are they even interested in distributing outside the SBG group or have any other station groups shown interest?

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Ring of Honor is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, so ROH programming is only shown in markets where Sinclair has stations.

I'm betting on this changing sooner than later. The promotion will need some [greatly] increased production values to make ROH more appealing for potential non-SBG affiliates, but that overall cost may the very reason the company has kept ROH's 'frugal' production budget for the time being. I can't imagine a company with SBG's resources buying a wrestling promotion just to keep it that exclusive.

That's what I can't understand. SBG bought the company, and made no improvements to the production. They're taping in indoor soccer fields. You would think they would improve production to have a shot at clearing the top markets they don't have a presence in. No station manager would look at the current production and take them seriously, even though they supposedly get good ratings.

are they even interested in distributing outside the SBG group or have any other station groups shown interest?

They have only said that they want to get NYC, Philly, Chicago and Boston because those are their best markets. Nothing said about national syndication.

 

[Nate Wesley]

Most Sinclair stations program Ring of Honor to air on Saturday nights, often in late night. I could see a day where ROH has a late night presence on either terrestrial stations or even regional sports nets in New York, Chicago, Philly, L.A., etc--perhaps as a paid/brokered program.

I'm curious as to how East Coasters in NYC and Philly might take to ROH compared to the explosion of the original Extreme Championship Wrestling during the 1990s. ROH's low budget look and its roster of atypical talents (not the tall heavyweights Vince McMahon likes) are two parallels it shares with ECW, and not necessarily by accident.

I can see SBG selling to WWE. It would be worth something if SBG sold the company and it came with the timeslots.

WWE doesn't need ROH in the least, and they've already decided to abandon a syndicated TV presence--there's nothing WWE needs from SBG other than advertising for a tour stop.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

@ Nate I don't think SBG will ever pay a penny to broker time. If they can't get a weak station in Philly like WFMZ(Allentown) or TV 55 (NYC) they'll settle for what they have.

The low budget look worked great for ECW because they were on very late at night, even later than ROH, and at the time, WCW and WWE did not have the slick production they have today. When ECW was growing, WWE was still taping at places like Fernwood in PA.

WWE actually would like a strong OTA presence. Why? They like the ability to advertise locally on their own programming. Can't do that on RAW because you miss all the satellite subs. WWE left syndication is stages. First they announced in 1996 that they would not broker time anymore. Then wrestling exploded with Steve Austin and Rock and stations wanted wrestling again, and WWE was back in syndication with wrap-up shows mentioned in this thread. Wrestling faded again and WWE was out of syndication again.

 

[Nate Wesley]

WWE actually would like a strong OTA presence. Why? They like the ability to advertise locally on their own programming. Can't do that on RAW because you miss all the satellite subs. WWE left syndication is stages. First they announced in 1996 that they would not broker time anymore. Then wrestling exploded with Steve Austin and Rock and stations wanted wrestling again, and WWE was back in syndication with wrap-up shows mentioned in this thread. Wrestling faded again and WWE was out of syndication again.

I just don't think that's the case. When NXT and Superstars (yep, those shows still exist) were pulled from SyFy and WGN America, they both became WWE.com exclusives in the U.S. Now the shows are moving to Hulu Plus as first-run shows alongside replays of Raw, Smackdown, and the new Main Event show on Ion Television.

Dual revenues from being on cable (sub fees & advertising), and now Hulu provides WWE a way to monetize the shows for folks who may have 'cut the [traditional] cord'. Where do you see this triumphant return to syndicated TV? Even Saturday Morning Slam for the kiddies exists as a Saturday morning national show for The CW.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Superstars was created specifically for WGN. When WGN realized the show was never going to be a hit, they cancelled it because they were paying too much money. It was kept around to fulfill international agreements.

Same with NXT. It's now taped in Orlando as part of a project between Full Sail University and WWE. The show is produced by students so they can get real experience.

Vince thinks he's going to start his own channel and will need content.

 

[TVCOOL]

I wonder how much ROH's TV ratings are on their time slots

 

[Nate Wesley]

Superstars was created specifically for WGN. When WGN realized the show was never going to be a hit, they cancelled it because they were paying too much money. It was kept around to fulfill international agreements.

Same with NXT. It's now taped in Orlando as part of a project between Full Sail University and WWE. The show is produced by students so they can get real experience.

Vince thinks he's going to start his own channel and will need content.

Yes! Another cable/satellite venture!
And precisely why a return to local TV syndication Isn't. Gonna. Happen.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Superstars was created specifically for WGN. When WGN realized the show was never going to be a hit, they cancelled it because they were paying too much money. It was kept around to fulfill international agreements.

Same with NXT. It's now taped in Orlando as part of a project between Full Sail University and WWE. The show is produced by students so they can get real experience.

Vince thinks he's going to start his own channel and will need content.

Yes! Another cable/satellite venture!
And precisely why a return to local TV syndication Isn't. Gonna. Happen.

What do you think of the ION deal WWE just signed?

 

[nomadcowatbk]

I wonder how much ROH's TV ratings are on their time slots

Their competition is infomercials

 

[Nate Wesley]

Superstars was created specifically for WGN. When WGN realized the show was never going to be a hit, they cancelled it because they were paying too much money. It was kept around to fulfill international agreements.

Same with NXT. It's now taped in Orlando as part of a project between Full Sail University and WWE. The show is produced by students so they can get real experience.

Vince thinks he's going to start his own channel and will need content.

Yes! Another cable/satellite venture!
And precisely why a return to local TV syndication Isn't. Gonna. Happen.

What do you think of the ION deal WWE just signed?

I like it. I don't think they've wanted all of their shows to be solely on NBCUniversal channels, so now they've got small tentpoles they can establish on The CW and Ion Television. Little risk from the Ion TV side: They've got success being the 'hit rerun' channel, and they can certainly take that hour back if the show isn't profitable enough.

 

[Nate Wesley]

I wonder how much ROH's TV ratings are on their time slots

Their competition is infomercials

Or Saturday Night Live or a random syndicated movie, depending on where a Sinclair station places it.

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

Main Event did great with the Male demo. I have to find the press release.

That's what the wrestling business needs more than anything right now. A cool one-hour must-see show every week. These two and three hour formats are killing it. It was great during the Monday Night Wars. You had guys jumping. Cutting edge promos. Competitive matches. It's time to move on. Fans are tired of the long formats.