How popular is WWE in Japan?

[wildojinx]

How popular is WWE in Japan in relation to Japan-based companies like NJPW?

[Mozenrath]

It does well when they tour there, and it's got enough brand awareness, etc, that it benefits someone's bookings a lot if they've worked WWE. Cody Rhodes, for instance, made significantly more than the Young Bucks when he was brought in, despite them working there longer, since he had the WWE exposure.

I couldn't speak to the ratings, though.

[MolotovMocktail]

I imagine it has a following, but is unlikely to surpass NJPW in terms of popularity. Basically, the mirror image of the situation in the US.

[ANuclearError]

I'd expect WWE to manage a strong gate in the Tokyo Dome.

[Bo Rida]

Popular enough to parody, especially in DDT.
Eg Yoshihiko having Undertaker and Hogan eras, the Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship being based in the old hardcore title and the president of several companies is a Stone Cold Steve Austin tribute act.

[Fundertaker]

Feb 22, 2023 3:09:27 GMT -5 ANuclearError said:

I'd expect WWE to manage a strong gate in the Tokyo Dome.

Don't know if that's necessarily true, unless they put on a really strong card. There's a reason why WWE never ran the Tokyo Dome by themselves, always partnering up with local promotions or as part of a summit, and by themselves the biggest building they ran was the Saitama Super Arena which they never filled. Their last show of note in Japan was the Beast In The East special, which saw them put around 8000 people in a 10k-11k building, so I'd wager at best they would put numbers similar or below what New Japan does nowadays, again, unless they do a strong PPV-like card (which they'll never do).

[EZ: Brainy Bae]

I desperately want them to do another RAW/Smackdown like in 2005. Beast in the East was fun but I want to see more Japanese reactions to tomfoolery.

[Eunös ✈]

I remember seeing WWE items like DVD's and Action Figures up for sale when I was in Tokyo back in 2007.. Granted that was a long time ago now but I'd assume it has an audience out there.

[yokohamacpfc]

There's a weekly pro wrestling magazine that is sold in every convenience store in the country, about 60 pages long, events on Raw and Smackdown get 2 pages each with a small box of text recapping nxt, sometimes slightly more if Asuka or Nakamura have won a title or are in the main event. Don't know about AEW or other US promotions will check.

I've been to the past 2 house shows they did at the sumo hall. 80% full. From merch, Cena was popular with women, Brock and Nakamura with guys. I sat next to a group of middle-aged men who were very invested in the Cass/Enzo breakup.

Seeing wrestling shirts in Tokyo is rare; when I do, it's always an NJPW shirt. None of my Japanese friends, coworkers, or students are fans.

Things to consider are there is a strong north/south divide with regards to soccer/baseball popularity so it might be replicated with wrestling being less mainstream in Tokyo (most of the wrestlers are from small prefectures most westerners won't have heard of. Okada: Aichi, Ibushi: Kagoshima, Takagi: Yamanashi, Tanahashi: Gifu, etc) and it might be more of a small town/rural interest. I also think it's more of a blue-collar hobby as whenever you see Okada or Tanahashi on a billboard selling something it usually is instant noodles, canned coffee, pachinko, or other stuff beloved by truck drivers, students, and construction workers. In contrast, when one of the Japanese national team soccer players does an ad it is for a more affluent audience (credit cards, air tickets, overseas package tours, etc). This can make it difficult for westerners who usually live in the cities to gauge interest.

There's a market for WWE I think as the 'grown up' presentation of Japanese wrestling means few kids in the crowds (kid-friendly characters like Tiger Mask are relics). I've taught ages 6-16 here and never had a student give 'wrestling' as an interest when asked.

[Starshine]

Feb 22, 2023 18:36:18 GMT -5 yokohamacpfc said:

There's a weekly pro wrestling magazine that is sold in every convenience store in the country, about 60 pages long, events on Raw and Smackdown get 2 pages each with a small box of text recapping nxt, sometimes slightly more if Asuka or Nakamura have won a title or are in the main event. Don't know about AEW or other US promotions will check.

I've been to the past 2 house shows they did at the sumo hall. 80% full. From merch, Cena was popular with women, Brock and Nakamura with guys. I sat next to a group of middle-aged men who were very invested in the Cass/Enzo breakup.

Seeing wrestling shirts in Tokyo is rare; when I do, it's always an NJPW shirt. None of my Japanese friends, coworkers, or students are fans.

Things to consider are there is a strong north/south divide with regards to soccer/baseball popularity so it might be replicated with wrestling being less mainstream in Tokyo (most of the wrestlers are from small prefectures most westerners won't have heard of. Okada: Aichi, Ibushi: Kagoshima, Takagi: Yamanashi, Tanahashi: Gifu, etc) and it might be more of a small town/rural interest. I also think it's more of a blue-collar hobby as whenever you see Okada or Tanahashi on a billboard selling something it usually is instant noodles, canned coffee, pachinko, or stuff beloved by truck drivers, students, and construction workers. In contrast, when one of the Japanese national team soccer players does an ad it is for a more affluent audience (credit cards, air tickets, overseas package tours, etc). This can make it difficult for westerners who usually live in the cities to gauge interest.

There's a market for WWE I think as the 'grown up' presentation of Japanese wrestling means few kids in the crowds (kid-friendly characters like Tiger Mask are relics). I've taught ages 6-16 here and never had a student give 'wrestling' as an interest when asked.

So if Tokyo isn't this big hub for wrestling, what is it that makes Korakuen Hall so important to almost every company across the board?

[Fundertaker]

Feb 22, 2023 18:49:12 GMT -5 Starshine said:

Feb 22, 2023 18:36:18 GMT -5 yokohamacpfc said:

There's a weekly pro wrestling magazine that is sold in every convenience store in the country, about 60 pages long, events on Raw and Smackdown get 2 pages each with a small box of text recapping nxt, sometimes slightly more if Asuka or Nakamura have won a title or are in the main event. Don't know about AEW or other US promotions will check.

I've been to the past 2 house shows they did at the sumo hall. 80% full. From merch, Cena was popular with women, Brock and Nakamura with guys. I sat next to a group of middle-aged men who were very invested in the Cass/Enzo breakup.

Seeing wrestling shirts in Tokyo is rare; when I do, it's always an NJPW shirt. None of my Japanese friends, coworkers, or students are fans.

Things to consider are there is a strong north/south divide with regards to soccer/baseball popularity so it might be replicated with wrestling being less mainstream in Tokyo (most of the wrestlers are from small prefectures most westerners won't have heard of. Okada: Aichi, Ibushi: Kagoshima, Takagi: Yamanashi, Tanahashi: Gifu, etc) and it might be more of a small town/rural interest. I also think it's more of a blue-collar hobby as whenever you see Okada or Tanahashi on a billboard selling something it usually is instant noodles, canned coffee, pachinko, or stuff beloved by truck drivers, students, and construction workers. In contrast, when one of the Japanese national team soccer players does an ad it is for a more affluent audience (credit cards, air tickets, overseas package tours, etc). This can make it difficult for westerners who usually live in the cities to gauge interest.

There's a market for WWE I think as the 'grown up' presentation of Japanese wrestling means few kids in the crowds (kid-friendly characters like Tiger Mask are relics). I've taught ages 6-16 here and never had a student give 'wrestling' as an interest when asked.

So if Tokyo isn't this big hub for wrestling, what is it that makes Korakuen Hall so important to almost every company across the board?

I'd say more "if Tokyo isn't this hotbed, why are almost all the big events and big promotions there?". Answer: it is a hot bed. It's just that Tokyo is SO big (just the city itself is home to about 13 million people, not counting neighboring cities or the entire metropolitan area) that the maybe 100k-200k fans that there may be in the city seem like a niche.

As for Korakuen Hall, it is THE place for fights in Tokyo, from pro wrestling, to boxing, to MMA, kickboxing, etc. From basically it's inception it was a great place for fighting, and being the venue used for the boxing competition in the Olympics cemented its place as where you want to have a show and be successful to make your mark as a promotion.

[EZ: Brainy Bae]

[Jacy Jayne Atomic Dog AMV]

09 ROH is all they watch and Brad Attitude is so popular dudes call him Braddu when he walks down the street.

[johnnyk9]

Maybe WWE should do a ppv there so we can find out