Chris Jericho & NJPW Seeking PPV Deal For Wrestle Kingdom 12
Is New Japan's WrestleMania coming to PPV?
New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom is the biggest event on the Japanese wrestling calendar, and this year's incarnation could be broadcast live on pay-per-view, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
As per the write-up, several people involved with the event are actively pushing NJPW to make a deal, including Chris Jericho, who'll face Kenny Omega on January 4th. There's resistance, though. Some within the company believe that broadcasting on NJPW World (the company's OTT streaming service) is enough, with the hope being that Jericho's appearance will make a big difference in the subscriber count, drawing viewers who wouldn't normally buy the service.
Wrestle Kingdom 9 was the last to be screened as a US PPV, attracting 14,000 buyers, which is close to the NJPW World's current international subscriber count. That event did, however, have the benefit of being held on a weekend. Unfortunately, WK12 will start at about 2am on a Wednesday morning for EST viewers, which will hinder buyrates.
Regardless, there's a feeling within NJPW that they'd be leaving money on the table by not showing it on PPV, and that securing such a deal would be a great boon for their ongoing United States expansion.