|
|
Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Aug 10, 2013 13:40:07 GMT -5
Anyone else think it could be huge? They did that invasion tour a while back and IIRC it was very successful. They have the talent and all they really need to make it more palatable for an American audience is English commentators and some mouthpieces who speak English. Of course, it could flop, but if marketed right I think it could be huge.
I'm sure the company would NEVER actually move to the USA, but I could see them having a satellite promotion here like DGUSA.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2013 13:48:10 GMT -5
Could be a successful indy but probably not much more than that.
|
|
kidkamikaze10
Dennis Stamp
Trying to think of a new avatar
Posts: 4,338 
|
Post by kidkamikaze10 on Aug 10, 2013 13:51:55 GMT -5
After DGUSA, I'd rather they not.
|
|
|
|
Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Aug 10, 2013 13:56:56 GMT -5
After DGUSA, I'd rather they not. Yeah, I figured some people would be turned off to the idea because of DGUSA. However, I think DGUSA has had problems that could be avoided such as releasing DVDs promptly, having more consistent storylines, etc. |
|
|
|
Post by Andrew is Good on Aug 10, 2013 15:01:22 GMT -5
It would be interesting to see how they do. New Japan is on fire, and from what I've read, maybe I'm wrong, but Jado and Gedo are fans of WWE's way of promoting (and being at one of their shows, you can certainly tell that), so they could certainly put an interesting twist on that formula. I think it could work, where they send some of their young boys to work, maybe some of their American talent they want to use and keep under their umbrella like Trent Barreta and Ricochet. The travel back and forth would be the big issue though. Some guys would do well in the States, namely Nakamura, Okada and Tanahashi and also Yujiro Takahashi seems to be really good. Maybe they could bring in some Japanese American porn stars to be Yujiro's valets, maybe Asa Akira and London Keyes.
|
|
SOR
Unicron
Posts: 2,611
|
Post by SOR on Aug 10, 2013 15:15:03 GMT -5
They did this back in the mid 2000's with the NJPW Dojo in California. It was affiliated with David Marquez's NWA Promotion and helped train a bunch of USA Wrestlers and wrestlers from overseas.
The problem was the shows struggled to draw and sometimes they'd film their web cast and there'd be literally 10 people in the audience.
As for the NJPW USA Tours being successful, how so? They struggled to draw over a thousand everywhere except the ECW Arena if I remember correctly (Happy to admit I'm wrong if I am)
|
|
|
|
Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Aug 10, 2013 16:16:46 GMT -5
They did this back in the mid 2000's with the NJPW Dojo in California. It was affiliated with David Marquez's NWA Promotion and helped train a bunch of USA Wrestlers and wrestlers from overseas. The problem was the shows struggled to draw and sometimes they'd film their web cast and there'd be literally 10 people in the audience. As for the NJPW USA Tours being successful, how so? They struggled to draw over a thousand everywhere except the ECW Arena if I remember correctly (Happy to admit I'm wrong if I am) True, the tours didn't draw well, but they seemed to generate a lot of online buzz. In fact, I think it added a bit of prestige to the promotion since off the top of my head I don't know of really any Japanese promotions that have even been able to have shows in the states independently (other than Dragon Gate of course). I think what really hurt the tour though was how poorly promoted they were. I would have loved to have gone to the show they had in New York, but I had no idea they even had one there until way after it happened. |
|
SOR
Unicron
Posts: 2,611
|
Post by SOR on Aug 10, 2013 16:24:16 GMT -5
They did this back in the mid 2000's with the NJPW Dojo in California. It was affiliated with David Marquez's NWA Promotion and helped train a bunch of USA Wrestlers and wrestlers from overseas. The problem was the shows struggled to draw and sometimes they'd film their web cast and there'd be literally 10 people in the audience. As for the NJPW USA Tours being successful, how so? They struggled to draw over a thousand everywhere except the ECW Arena if I remember correctly (Happy to admit I'm wrong if I am) True, the tours didn't draw well, but they seemed to generate a lot of online buzz. In fact, I think it added a bit of prestige to the promotion since off the top of my head I don't know of really any Japanese promotions that have even been able to have shows in the states independently (other than Dragon Gate of course). I think what really hurt the tour though was how poorly promoted they were. I would have loved to have gone to the show they had in New York, but I had no idea they even had one there until way after it happened. Not to get that off topic but 6 NJPW guys are doing an American Tour soon so we'll be able to see if they're able to draw in the USA. Although it IS an NWA card and they're known for being more marky than anything else.  |
|
|
|
Post by Digital Witness on Aug 10, 2013 16:44:11 GMT -5
What I would honestly like to see, but doubt would happen is if Dixie sold to New Japan, and mixed the two rosters together. This would of course involve getting rid of the toxic environment in TNA and the people that keep the company from moving forward. If not that, then New Japan takes over another existing company to use as a base for their operations.
As far as that show in Texas goes, even though they're not exactly major IWGP championship contenders, I'd still mark hard for TenKoji and go see them live if they were in my area.
Also, is that Jado or Gedo? I always get them confused.
Don't even know who the two non-KES American guys are.
|
|
|
|
Post by KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!! on Aug 10, 2013 16:57:40 GMT -5
True, the tours didn't draw well, but they seemed to generate a lot of online buzz. In fact, I think it added a bit of prestige to the promotion since off the top of my head I don't know of really any Japanese promotions that have even been able to have shows in the states independently (other than Dragon Gate of course). I think what really hurt the tour though was how poorly promoted they were. I would have loved to have gone to the show they had in New York, but I had no idea they even had one there until way after it happened. Not to get that off topic but 6 NJPW guys are doing an American Tour soon so we'll be able to see if they're able to draw in the USA. Although it IS an NWA card and they're known for being more marky than anything else. Is that a one off show or is it going to be an actually tour? I'd love to go to it if they come anywhere close to me on the East Coast. Otherwise I really can't make the drive down to Texas haha. |
|
SOR
Unicron
Posts: 2,611
|
Post by SOR on Aug 10, 2013 17:03:34 GMT -5
As far as that show in Texas goes, even though they're not exactly major IWGP championship contenders, I'd still mark hard for TenKoji and go see them live if they were in my area. Also, is that Jado or Gedo? I always get them confused. Don't even know who the two non-KES American guys are. It's Gedo. The run down for that card is Kojima, Tenzan, Gedo, Hoyt, Davey Jr and Watanabe. NWA better hope it draws because they will lose their ass if it doesn't. Not to get that off topic but 6 NJPW guys are doing an American Tour soon so we'll be able to see if they're able to draw in the USA. Although it IS an NWA card and they're known for being more marky than anything else. Is that a one off show or is it going to be an actually tour? I'd love to go to it if they come anywhere close to me on the East Coast. Otherwise I really can't make the drive down to Texas haha. It's a 2 day NWA Tour but I assume they are booked somewhere on the third day as well. |
|
EyeofTyr
Hank Scorpio
Strange and Mystical
Posts: 5,744
|
Post by EyeofTyr on Aug 11, 2013 3:44:47 GMT -5
As others have said, yeah, by all accounts from the guys that were around it, that's what the NJPW Dojo in Cali was meant to be setting the ground work for. NJPW-USA for all intents and purposes. When the dojo went south, it got put on hold.
I know when they did that little tour a while back they said at press conferences in Japan that they were considering making a branch of NJPW in the states too. Not sure if the tour didn't do as well as they hoped and they got cold feet, or something set them back, or maybe they saw DGUSA and cringed.
But NJPW for a while now has been considering their means of expanding and getting their foot in the door in America.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 6:44:06 GMT -5
I hope they call the company New America Pro Wrestling.
Just because New Japan Pro Wrestling-United States of America is a long name.
|
|
|
|
Post by rybackrulez on Aug 11, 2013 18:47:40 GMT -5
They tried it, didn't do much. Dojo was expensive, but hey i did get to play pick up basketball against nakamura and yoshi tatsu before they were anybody
|
|
Derk!
Hank Scorpio
Yeah, "looks like."
Posts: 5,087
|
Post by Derk! on Aug 11, 2013 18:55:38 GMT -5
True, the tours didn't draw well, but they seemed to generate a lot of online buzz. In fact, I think it added a bit of prestige to the promotion since off the top of my head I don't know of really any Japanese promotions that have even been able to have shows in the states independently (other than Dragon Gate of course). I think what really hurt the tour though was how poorly promoted they were. I would have loved to have gone to the show they had in New York, but I had no idea they even had one there until way after it happened. Not to get that off topic but 6 NJPW guys are doing an American Tour soon so we'll be able to see if they're able to draw in the USA. Although it IS an NWA card and they're known for being more marky than anything else. I've only been to a few BOW shows(didn't know they were now affiliated with the NWa). From the few times I've been, they draw fairly well. Family friendly organization, too. I believe it's owned or at the very least, booked by Funaki. |
|
|
|
Post by HMARK Center on Aug 11, 2013 20:56:36 GMT -5
Putting aside all the logistics, potential for success, other factors and what have you, I'll say this: if NJPW suddenly had an American operation, it'd probably become the main promotion I follow. I don't get to see a lot of current NJPW, but I've always enjoyed many of the trappings of puro, so I'd probably be all on-board.
I do wonder if the environment today would be more conducive for them succeeding in the States than it was in the early 2000's. Let's not forget: circa 2002, the US wrestling industry was coming off of one of its hottest-ever eras, the Monday Night Wars. Networks and arenas had expectations for what professional wrestling could draw at that time: sell outs, minimum 4.0 cable ratings, big time PPV buys, etc. That's not to say any US network would've had the same expectations for NJPW at that time, but such numbers skewed what could be expected.
However, the reality of 2002 was very different, given the simple fact that both WCW and ECW were dead. One doesn't need to look long to see just how rapidly the US lost general interest in pro wrestling once WCW went under, and that trend was in place just as places like NJPW sought to gain a foothold in the States. It was up to companies like ROH to take advantage of the extra talent that was out there and build something new at a lower cost.
Well, today things are different. TNA routinely draws ratings between 1.0 and 1.2 and Spike TV is completely content and satisfied with it, for example. WWE obviously still draws, but it's routinely pumping up their numbers to unrealistic levels (20 million individual viewers a week? Please), and hasn't been the significant pop culture force it was in the late 90's.
That COULD mean that now is a decent time for a company like NJPW to attempt expansion into the US market. WWE and TNA exist quite apart from one another: not in direct competition, neither drawing a ton of attention in the mainstream. Expectations for pro wrestling are lower now. Obviously NJPW would still have a significant language and cultural barrier to overcome, but there might be more of a market for a bigger, better financed alternative now, without the same high expectations most networks probably had in the wake of the Monday Night Wars.
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Coello on Aug 11, 2013 21:00:54 GMT -5
"NJPW? New Jersey made a wrestling federation?"
|
|
|
|
Post by tigermaskxxxvii on Aug 12, 2013 9:39:48 GMT -5
I hope they call the company New America Pro Wrestling. Just because New Japan Pro Wrestling-United States of America is a long name. A company called New America Pro Wrestling just looks right. Reguardless if they are associated with NJPW or not. It's something fresh (even if it is derived from NJPW's name) and its beauty is its simplicity. |
|
