WWE more likely to buy TNA and ROH??

[NegativeFeedback]

I was talking about this with a few other people. A few years ago, if Panda Energy or Sinclair would have called WWE and left them a message asking them to make an offer for TNA or ROH, WWE would have laughed and deleted the voicemail.

But with the WWE Network coming out now, buying a smaller modern company might sound like a better idea. WWE has centuries worth of footage that they can air on the Network, but most of it is mediocre quality old school footage. There is obviously nostalgia value in watching World Class and AWA footage, but TNA and ROH have over 20 years of contemporary footage that looks great on TV, a lot of it being High Definition.

Do you guys think WWE would entertain an offer to buy one of those companies now that they have a Network they would want to fill with modern content, or do you think they are happy filling it with old school stuff only and won't care to purchase the ROH and TNA libraries?

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

For the right price, of course they would. I don't see why WWE would have much use of either since I doubt they are losing money. The only thing I can see is, as you said, their video library. They'd make a killing off Daniel Bryan and CM Punk old stuff. I've always thought that WWE would end up using ROH like they did ECW once ROH dies. Take their old stuff and push the hell out of it.

Maybe work out an agreement (at least ROH and WWE) that they get to share the video library. WWE promoting ROH classic DVDs gets ROH bigger gates and WWE gets to sell a "you hear Cole talk on and on about Punk and Bryan's travels, well here it is" DVD.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

For the right price, of course they would. I don't see why WWE would have much use of either since I doubt they are losing money. The only thing I can see is, as you said, their video library. They'd make a killing off Daniel Bryan and CM Punk old stuff. I've always thought that WWE would end up using ROH like they did ECW once ROH dies. Take their old stuff and push the hell out of it.

Maybe work out an agreement (at least ROH and WWE) that they get to share the video library. WWE promoting ROH classic DVDs gets ROH bigger gates and WWE gets to sell a "you hear Cole talk on and on about Punk and Bryan's travels, well here it is" DVD.

ROH is currently owned by Sinclair so I don't see it "dying", unless Sinclair calls up WWE and offers to sell. ROH comes with (1) over a decade of above-average quality content for the Network, (2) TV contracts with Sinclair affiliates, (3) lots of up-and-coming talent that can be sent to the performance center, and most importantly, (4) tons of content for future DVD releases on CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Evan Bourne, Joey Mercury, Jamie Noble, Matt Hardy and appearances by Ricky Steamboat, Mick Foley, Ric Flair, etc.

TNA is currently owned by Panda Energy and has been operating in the red for years and they still don't sell. But TNA comes with (1) Jeff Hardy, Sting, and Kurt Angle under contract, (2) Part time contracts with Rampage, Pacman and King Mo, (3) television contract for 2 hours of programming on SPIKE, (4) over a decade of content for the Network, (5) a lease of a soundstage in Universal Studios, (6) A Youtube channel with plenty of ad revenue, and (7) lots of content for future releases on Sting, Bischoff, Hogan, Punk, Angle, Dudleys, Hardys, and many many more.

And that doesn't even count all the documentaries and collections they can throw out on these companies. A lot of people would like to know more about these promotions that have joined the WWE family.

I think it would be a great buy. But like you said, for the right price of course.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't think it's very likely that WWE would go for either TNA or ROH unless either company was offered to them dirt cheap. The primary reasons Vince bought WCW were the fact that WCW was a huge brand that was on a similar level, when it came to name recognition, as WWE and because of the wealth of footage that was part of the WCW tape library. Vince not only acquired all video footage of WCW since Ted Turner purchased the company, but all footage of the company throughout it's more than 50 year history. By the time Turner took control, Jim Crockett, Jr. owned the rights & libraries of several major NWA affiliates like Georgia Championship Wrestling, Florida Championship Wrestling, Central States Wrestling and others.

When it comes to brand recognition, however, neither TNA or ROH are anywhere close to the level that WCW was. WWE has made a lot of money from compilation DVDs over the years featuring footage from most of the great wrestling companies in North America over the past 60+ years. But, let's be honest, WWE isn't going to be making all that much money from something like "The Phenomenal Story of AJ Styles" or "The Rise & Fall of Nigel McGuinness." The video libraries of TNA & ROH just aren't remotely as big of a deal or as big of a part of wrestling history as WCW.

If the Carters practically gave TNA away, it's possible that WWE would pick it up just for the sake of owning it, but I doubt that's likely to happen. Going by the financial situation of TNA over the past 6 months, reportedly, the company isn't making much money off its own brand, so that's not exactly an enticement for WWE to buy. As for ROH, it's basically the king of the indie scene with name recognition & value, as a whole, that's only a fraction of TNA. If WWE wanted to fork over a huge sum of money just for the sake of possibly being able to own either or both companies, it's possible they could sell out. Aside from that, however, I don't see any real reason Vince would want either company.

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

I was talking about this with a few other people. A few years ago, if Panda Energy or Sinclair would have called WWE and left them a message asking them to make an offer for TNA or ROH, WWE would have laughed and deleted the voicemail.

But with the WWE Network coming out now, buying a smaller modern company might sound like a better idea. WWE has centuries worth of footage that they can air on the Network, but most of it is mediocre quality old school footage. There is obviously nostalgia value in watching World Class and AWA footage, but TNA and ROH have over 20 years of contemporary footage that looks great on TV, a lot of it being High Definition.

Do you guys think WWE would entertain an offer to buy one of those companies now that they have a Network they would want to fill with modern content, or do you think they are happy filling it with old school stuff only and won't care to purchase the ROH and TNA libraries?

I could see WWE buying both just to own the footage that contains guys that they need video of for DVD. With ROH, D - Bry and Punk footage from their roh run.

For TNA, Sting, Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle match library would be a great pick up for the WWE and gives them three new sets of potential future WWE dvds that they can produce.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

But, let's be honest, WWE isn't going to be making all that much money from something like "The Phenomenal Story of AJ Styles" or "The Rise & Fall of Nigel McGuinness." The video libraries of TNA & ROH just aren't remotely as big of a deal or as big of a part of wrestling history as WCW.

That's definitely true, but let's be reasonable for a second. Is Memphis, World Class, AWA, USWA, or any of the other libraries WWE own "big deals"? They all have rich histories but I doubt they'll be major hits with the typical WWE fans of today. I just don't see anyone opening up the Network and spending hours watching World Class.

But ROH and TNA are different because they have modern footage with High Definition video and audio. It's footage that fans can relate to, because frankly, the old muffled up audio and blurry video of the old school promotions aren't going to cut it for most.

When it comes to brand recognition, however, neither TNA or ROH are anywhere close to the level that WCW was. WWE has made a lot of money from compilation DVDs over the years featuring footage from most of the great wrestling companies in North America over the past 60+ years.

TNA has plenty of footage of WWE stars for it to be worthwhile purchase. They have footage of current guys like CM Punk, R-Truth, RVD, Booker T, Christian, Fandango, Zeb Coulter, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Tye Dillinger, Hunico, etc.

They also have lots of footage of legends like Mr. Perfect, Kevin Nash, Kurt Angle, Sting, Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, Larry Zbsbyzko, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Hacksaw, The Funks, Bobby Heenan, the Road Warriors, The Dudleys, Razor Ramon, Jim Neidhart, Jimmy Hart, DDP, Kamala, New Age Outlaws, Nikita Koloff, The Nasty Boys, Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper, The Hardys, Lex Luger, Jake Roberts,

ECW guys like Taz, Sabu, Sandman, RVD, Danny Doring, Dreamer, Shane Douglas, Jerry Lynn, Rhino, Balls Mahoney, Justin Credible, 2 Cold Scorpio, New Jack, etc.

They have a LOT. I could go on for ages: Mickie James, Elijah Burke, MVP, Chris Masters, Kid Kash, Serena, Luke Gallows, Chyna, Domino, D'Lo, Tatanka, Viscera, Funaki, David Flair, Disco Inferno, Matt Striker, Vance Archer, Spike Dudley, Brian Kendrick, Paul London, Super Crazy, Psicosis, Grand Master Sexay, Hardcore Holly, Jackie Gayda, Francince, Umaga, Roadkill, Ken Shamrock, Chris Candido, Koko B. Ware, Jimmy Wang Yang, Orlando Jordan, Bobby Lashley, Sylvan, Cody Deaner, Juventud, Jillian, David Flair, Daivari, Kristal, Ariel, Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Vito, Disco Inferno, Trevor Murdoch, Vladimir Kozlov, Kharma, BWO, FBI, Val Venis, Goldust, Tomko, Perry Saturn, George Steele, ETCETERA.

With that huge relevant library, I don't think WWE could pass it up.

 

[tvcolosi]

I'd hate to see either place bought by WWE. Even though I don't watch ROH and I see TNA about half the time their role is still important as an alternative... That being said however I think it would be a tremendous idea for ROH to strike a deal with WWE and license to them all of the matches and promos from CM Punk, Bryan, Cesaro, Rollins and so on. They already had a deal to use highlights in Punks dvd documentary so there is a little bit on dialogue that already exists between the 2 places.

WWE also did this with ECW while they were still in business. There was a Stone Cold VHS release, the name escapes me, that had a few of his matches and promos from ECW that came out in like 1998-99 or so.

 

[Harthan]

I'll admit up front I don't really know a lot about the WWE's business model, where they get most of their money, or what's most profitable for them, but based on a combination of history and speculation I don't think it's particularly likely the WWE would purchase either company at this time. The historical perspective is that the WWE has only ever bought out its major competitors (WCW, ECW) when they were on the verge of financial collapse. From a speculative perspective, I think this is because the WWE has only limited gains to make off the acquisition of such a company.

When you look at it, what does the WWE get for buying another promotion wholesale? They get the wrestlers under contract to that company - potentially, anyway, as the WCW/ECW purchases were complicated - which is probably a wash because barring a can't miss superstar, they're just another set of guys you have to pay to fill roles you're already supplying. You get a tape library - fine, but TNA and ROH have already put so much of their stuff out on DVD that it's not clear how much the WWE could even turn a profit off of that. So then you're just left with eliminating a competitor, really, and that's only got marginal gains at best because really, no one is actually competing with the WWE. It has been said before and I'll say again that the WWE is targeting an entirely different audience than is being targeted by TNA or ROH (perhaps less so TNA with their aspirations of greatness, but that's really a delusion in the end).

It just doesn't appear to me that the WWE has much to gain from buying either one out. Also consider in ROH's case that the WWE gains a lot from the existence of indy feds where guys can cut their teeth for a bit before coming to NXT. In this way, they don't have to test and train every single prospect who'll ever exist, nor do they have to start with a completely green rookie every time. As we look at a WWE main event where two former ROH stars are two of the WWE's biggest main event talents, it's obvious this is valuable to the WWE.

That is less so the case for TNA, and perhaps if TNA were more aggressively snapping up prospects that the WWE was interested in, they'd be more concerned. Fortunately for the WWE, TNA contents themselves with mediocre talent and WWE cast offs, so there's little concern on that front. All in all I sort of feel like TNA has very little effect on WWE, and as such, the WWE is probably pretty happy to let them be.

 

[fenderjapan]

WWE has no good reason to buy TNA.

The talent contracts are not a good enough reason. Why? You can't ultimately force someone to work for a company they don't want to work for. If there are wrestlers who don't want to work for Vince, they'll retire. Anyone who wants their release bad enough can find a way to get it. Anyone Vince wants, Vince can have, provided the talent is willing to work for him.

As far as the programming goes, compared to the libraries WWE has from ECW, WCW/Crockett, AWA, World Class, Georgia, Stampede, Maple Leaf...TNA is a blip on the radar. They might like to have it just in case they need to do a "Rise and Fall of TNA" DVD but its hardly worth spending any kind of serious cash on.

So WWE's only real reason to buy TNA or ROH would be to squash the only competition. An ego move. And at this point, they basically don't acknowledge their existence anyway... they are a fraction of what WCW was...so there is no good reason to bother. Those two companies are worth more to WWE to stay separate. They function fine essentially as unaffiliated developmental territories.

 

[mlp420]

WWE can't buy something that's not for sale for one. And nobody really knows enough about TNA or business in general to know what it would take to purchase them. All people are doing is projecting their feelings about TNA into some type of point that they hope will sound semi-intelligent. ^

As far as ROH goes, why? They are solely in existence to be a traditional counter to mainstream wrestling. You can't call yourself a wrestling fan if you sit around wondering how great it would be if WWE bought up all the companies. WTF happened to wrestling fans?

 

[NegativeFeedback]

WWE can't buy something that's not for sale for one. And nobody really knows enough about TNA or business in general to know what it would take to purchase them. All people are doing is projecting their feelings about TNA into some type of point that they hope will sound semi-intelligent. ^

No one is arguing against TNA or ROH. If anything, my point that TNA could be a huge asset to WWE is a compliment, not an insult.

You're right about WWE not being able to buy something that's not for sale. I'm just saying that I think they would be more inclined to accept an offer to buy TNA or ROH in 2014 than ever before.

(And both TNA and ROH have been sold before. It isn't completely preposterous that Panda and Sinclair would want to leave the wrestling business at some point in the future.)

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The more likely scenario for ROH is that in a year or so Punk and perhaps Bryan leave WWE and "buy in". I can't see Punk wanting to hang around WWE for long at the current rate but I can see him being top man/the Triple H role of ROH. Sinclair would have to pay well, but he could probably get some good "steals" and signings and perhaps tempt JR into being involved and making it an actual competitor..

TNA is more likely to be bought from the WWE perspective, but most of the footage they'd be buying is crap. They wouldn't want to pay much for it.

If WWE needs more for the network, they'd be better branching off a new company or rebuilding WCW to work in "semi-competition", seperate finances, rosters etc but airing on the network. NXT could develop into that without too much in the way of major investment. We're not talking massive competiton. Just enough to make the WWE want to be seen to be the better show again.