New Japan grosses over 50 million dollars

[chrom]

Reported that New Japan Pro Wrestling is having its most successful financial year.

The promotion has grossed over $50 million this year in business compared to last year which was around $47 million.

[eJm]

I’d like to remind people that around a decade ago, Antonio Inoki almost killed this company dead through incompetence.

And now they’re having their most profitable sequence of years for a long time, maybe ever.

[cjh]

So this is their revenue, not how much they made or lost?

[The 1Watcher Experience]

They’re having their most successful year without Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks. It’s nice to see NJPW be stronger than ever.

[Dub H]

Sept 19, 2019 11:20:43 GMT -5 The 1Watcher Experience said:

They’re having their most successful year without Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks. It’s nice to see NJPW be stronger than ever.

Unlike some other companies like to believe, you can build your company on the ground of great storytelling and having your whole card of talent being built up.

And not just "this person is the big star" Even when Kenny and Bucks left they had backup plans,big stars in the making already that the whole elite helped put over. Even if Okada left I'm sure they would be able to push the line along. Ibushi would replace Okada,someone would replace Ibushi and so it goes.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

Hopefully Gedo is paid handsomely.

[Dub H]

Sept 19, 2019 11:45:42 GMT -5 TWERKIN' MAGGLE said:

Hopefully Gedo is paid handsomely.

Aint he already Handsome enough?

[The 1Watcher Experience]

Sept 19, 2019 11:41:24 GMT -5 Dub H said:

Sept 19, 2019 11:20:43 GMT -5 The 1Watcher Experience said:

They’re having their most successful year without Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks. It’s nice to see NJPW be stronger than ever.

Unlike some other companies like to believe, you can build your company on the ground of great storytelling and having your whole card of talent being built up.

And not just "this person is the big star" Even when Kenny and Bucks left they had backup plans,big stars in the making already that the whole elite helped put over. Even if Okada left I'm sure they would be able to push the line along. Ibushi would replace Okada,someone would replace Ibushi and so it goes.

Oh sure. They started pushing Jay White to the title as soon as Omega was out of there. The biggest boom periods in the USA had anchors like Hogan, Piper and Savage in the 80s and Austin, Rock and the NWO in the 90s. NJPW is definitely fantastic at building their stars up but I wasn’t sure how things would work out financially for them. Seeing the numbers made me happy for them.

[corndog]

They have been running more tours and shows this year. It shouldn't be a surprise at all. As far as losing Kenny and the Bucks, while they were big draws in the US, they weren't their anchors in Japan. Sure Kenny could draw, but Naito and Okada are much bigger stars over there. The talent roster is so stacked, it has actually opened things up for others to rise and they have done well, along with bringing in Shingo, KENTA, Ibushi full time, Robbie Eagles, and El Phantasmo.

[Fundertaker]

Sept 19, 2019 11:07:39 GMT -5 eJm said:

I’d like to remind people that around a decade ago, Antonio Inoki almost killed this company dead through incompetence.

Fourteen years to be more exact. Which means I've watched and kept up with NJPW for that long as well, as I was "brought in" with the news of Lesnar leaving.

[Cyno]

Sept 19, 2019 11:20:43 GMT -5 The 1Watcher Experience said:

They’re having their most successful year without Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks. It’s nice to see NJPW be stronger than ever.

Fiscal years in Japan run from April 1st to March 31st. So the report is probably about the previous fiscal year, as we're barely through the halfway point of the current one. And that would include the Elite's still being there and Kenny's reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Also gross doesn't tell us a whole lot. In fact the number's pretty meaningless without knowing operating costs and other financial factors.

EDIT: Found a source that quotes WON. Probably the best source you can get outside of a financial journal. 411mania.com/wrestling/njpw-had-most-successful-financial-year-in-history-with-50-million-gross/

Seems the report covers August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019. So you still have about 5 months' worth of the Elite finishing up their run in the company. Operating costs were also up, so profits for Bushiroad's Sports Division as a whole were actually down compared to the previous year. They also lost a lot in overseas merch sales after January (gee I wonder why). But house show revenue is up despite running fewer shows than the previous year. That's due to running shows in bigger arenas. So that means overall attendance is up.

NJPW World subs also broke 100k.

Ultimately what this report says is that NJPW is growing at a steady rate. Yes, profits are down, but that's only because they invested a lot of their revenue back into the company to sustain growth. It also shows that while losing the Elite did hurt them, especially overseas, they bounced back nicely in the domestic market.

[BRAINFADE]

And where, oh where, are the Gedo and Okada haters?


Read it and weep.

[Dub H]

Sept 19, 2019 12:52:34 GMT -5 Cyno said:

Sept 19, 2019 11:20:43 GMT -5 The 1Watcher Experience said:

They’re having their most successful year without Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks. It’s nice to see NJPW be stronger than ever.

Fiscal years in Japan run from April 1st to March 31st. So the report is probably about the previous fiscal year, as we're barely through the halfway point of the current one. And that would include the Elite's still being there and Kenny's reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Also gross doesn't tell us a whole lot. In fact the number's pretty meaningless without knowing operating costs and other financial factors.

EDIT: Found a source that quotes WON. Probably the best source you can get outside of a financial journal. 411mania.com/wrestling/njpw-had-most-successful-financial-year-in-history-with-50-million-gross/

Seems the report covers August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019. So you still have about 5 months' worth of the Elite finishing up their run in the company. Operating costs were also up, so profits for Bushiroad's Sports Division as a whole were actually down compared to the previous year. They also lost a lot in overseas merch sales after January (gee I wonder why). But house show revenue is up despite running fewer shows than the previous year. That's due to running shows in bigger arenas. So that means overall attendance is up.

NJPW World subs also broke 100k.

Ultimately what this report says is that NJPW is growing at a steady rate. Yes, profits are down, but that's only because they invested a lot of their revenue back into the company to sustain growth. It also shows that while losing the Elite did hurt them, especially overseas, they bounced back nicely in the domestic market.

Plays into what I said from NJPW always being ready. And always having something in the back if needed.At this point they would need a REALLY big blow to not be able to recover form something

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2019 13:32:16 GMT -5 BRAINFADE said:

And where, oh where, are the Gedo and Okada haters?


Read it and weep.

I mean, I'm not really opposed to them - wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but nothing against them - but it isn't like someone being financially successful for the company means you have to be a fan of them.

[Deleted]

I think next year is the real test (as in the next financial year). Running the dome twice could massively increase profits, or it could massively raise costs. They won’t have the elite, which will eat into their us market share, especially with them possibly losing tv as a result of the anthem acquisition of axs. How much that actually impacts their bottom line though is questionable, since it’s domestic market that is very much their bread and butter whilst the us is a much smaller experiment (maybe running shows in the us and Europe with decent merch stands would be a start).

In the future, the question will be yes NJPW did well, but would they have done even better striking while the iron was hot with Naito? There’s no way to give a concrete answer to that, but will be the hypothetical.

Either way, this is all stuff that doesn’t matter to me as a fan. I still love the product and I can’t wait for Wrestle Kingdom.

[BRAINFADE]

Sept 19, 2019 13:51:04 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Sept 19, 2019 13:32:16 GMT -5 BRAINFADE said:

And where, oh where, are the Gedo and Okada haters?


Read it and weep.

I mean, I'm not really opposed to them - wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but nothing against them - but it isn't like someone being financially successful for the company means you have to be a fan of them.

Not saying you have to be a fan (and this isn't a dig at you, I know where you stand on New Japan),this is more aimed at the people who I see claiming that Gedo is a terrible booker. Just look at the scoreboard. He isn't.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2019 13:51:04 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

Sept 19, 2019 13:32:16 GMT -5 BRAINFADE said:

And where, oh where, are the Gedo and Okada haters?


Read it and weep.

I mean, I'm not really opposed to them - wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but nothing against them - but it isn't like someone being financially successful for the company means you have to be a fan of them.

I don’t necessarily agree with the sentiment, but I know where they’re coming from. The narrative from a portion of the fan base, especially on twitter, has been that the promotion would have a bigger boom with Naito in the main role and that Gedo is terrible. As I said above, I don’t know if that’s true, its purely hypothetical. However, someone who throughly enjoys Okada on top and the current booking, it is wearying.

But those Naito fans are just talking out of frustration and just want their favourite to get what they feel he deserves and that’s fair. I felt the same about a number of guys.

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2019 13:57:39 GMT -5 BRAINFADE said:

Sept 19, 2019 13:51:04 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

I mean, I'm not really opposed to them - wouldn't say I'm a huge fan, but nothing against them - but it isn't like someone being financially successful for the company means you have to be a fan of them.

Not saying you have to be a fan (and this isn't a dig at you, I know where you stand on New Japan),this is more aimed at the people who I see claiming that Gedo is a terrible booker. Just look at the scoreboard. He isn't.

Ah, yeah, can see what you mean in that regard.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

I’m still rooting for them as an underdog in the US market, especially with this Impact/AXS business and AEW beefing with NXT, but still really happy about this news.

NJPW is probably my favorite promotion right now, because they’re usually very good at making their storylines and major matches feel extremely important. Their booking never feels too overly complicated- there’s rarely any dumb swerves, or time-wasting segments that don’t feel in tune with the show. Mostly it’s structured around contending for titles, faction tag matches and the odd grudge fight. It’s very refreshingly simple, especially because the angles tend to make sense.

[Cyno]

I mean, I wouldn't be a New Japan fan without Bullet Club and the Elite, especially Kenny Omega. But New Japan's done a really good job of moving on from them leaving. And AEW will be there, too. At the very least, NJPW and AEW don't seem like they'll be directly competing with each other, so plenty of room to enjoy both.

The more promotions doing well and being viable options for wrestlers and fans alike, the better it is for the business as a whole. WWE's game of Monopoly it's been running since 2001 is NOT how it should've been and it's taken way too long for that status quo to be broken.