New Japan Pro Wrestling’s owner: Takaaki Kidani spoke about WWE’s recent global expansion. WWE announced this week the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament, which will become a weekly show on the WWE Network. Many believe that this could be the start of WWE creating territories in different countries around the globe.
Kidani had some interesting comments about WWE and their business plan:
“WWE strategy 1: raise roughly 2 billion Yen from the network to create a network of global territories and tie up talent. It’s very possible WWE purchase a promotion in Japan. WWE are shoring up their network because of cable cutters and prevalence of streaming, meaning declining TV ratings. The cable TV structure as is will collapse in the US within 3-5 years. There are many reasons for WWE to create local territories. It cuts cost just to send talent on international tours and not the whole infrastructure. WWE are only functionally profitable in the U.S., Canada and U.K. They have TV elsewhere but that’s all. By creating territories, they’re able to actually create products with awareness of cultural differences and characteristics of markets. WWE have had difficulty in creating new stars. By going to local territories and broadcasting them, they can create network stars. WWE are taking big gambles, in IT for one”
He continued, saying that they are getting to the point where they either fight or join WWE:
“This isn’t the platform to discuss NJPW strategy fully but we will announce something soon. We are entering a phase where you are either with WWE or against them. WWE have a lot of weaknesses and time is not on their side”
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Thanks to Chris Charlton (@reasonjp) for the transcription on Twitter.
Certainly sounds to me like NJPW could be gearing up for a war against WWE. Will be interesting to see what he is talking about.
Let us know what you think in the comment section below.
