The number 2 Wrestling Promotion

[CDoherty]

So who is actually the number 2 wrestling promotion? The usual answer is always TNA, but I say no.

I just returned from Mexico City from the CMLL 80th Anniversary show that broke an all time attendance record there of over 17,000 people.

It had a match of the year canidate in the main event mask match, and in all the wrestling shows I have seen I have never heard fans cheering so loud that my ears hurt.

TNA has never had a crowd of 17,000 people or even close neither has ROH.

Opinions?

 

[ABMorales787]

First, TNA's 2013 Lockdown PPV had 12,000. Their UK events reach similar numbers. So yes it's close.

Number two, AAA has surpassed CMLL in terms of it's exposure, talent and overall product. So CMLL isn't even the biggest in it's home country.


Number three, TNA broadcasts worldwide while CMLL does not. By exposure alone TNA beats out CMLL, AAA and NJPW. It broadcasts to more countries despite the lower level attendance it gains in the US. It's exposure in these countries is quite big too as it's become typical for TNA's ratings in the UK to rival WWE's. Something no other company can boast about.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

When people discuss the number two wrestling promotion they very rarely take non-mainstream wrestling promotions into consideration. Why? Well its mostly ignorance but it's also a thing of, certain people enjoy the craft and enjoy different styles, others simply enjoy what is easy to find.

If you take every promotion from all over the world into consideration, WWE may not even be the best, or if it is NJPW is a very close second. Its profits are consistently rising, their big events pull in gates around the 20,000 mark, their wrestlers are well respected in mainstream media some even used by advertisers such as Calvin Klien using Prince Devitt to market themselves because in Japan the market for wrestling is much bigger.

Then it's a toss up on who goes where. There's little point of putting effort into finding out where every promotion in the world would fit in a one to ten ranking, because you'll never know. In-terms of audience then it would go something like WWE, NJPW, AAA, CMLL, TNA, Pro Wrestling NOAH, then it could be anyone.

 

[deadfox081]

It depends on what criteria you're looking to measure it against. TNA is the only other company with a weekly, nationally and internationally television program so on that measure alone they have to be considered number 2.

 

[Matty~!]

If you look worldwide right now New Japan is easily the number 2 promotion behind WWE. Although unlike a few years ago when WWE started touring Japan again, supplanting the domestic promotions as the number 1 promotion for drawing houses in Japan, New Japan is back to be a powerhouse in terms of getting people in the arenas.

I would also go as far to say New Japan has the best big wrestling shows in the world right now. The G1 Climax this year was phenomenal in terms of depth and variety of quality matches from a range of workers not just the main eventers.

TNA might draw occasional big numbers to their shows, but have never done it on a consistent level. I don't follow Mexican wrestling closely enough to really comment.