WWE Force Ring Of Honor Out Of MSG?
Company's bow in historic Manhattan venue is off.
Ring Of Honor's proposed 2019 date in New York City's Madison Square Garden has been lost, it has emerged.
Speaking to PWInsider's Mike Johnson at a press conference to promote the Best in the World PPV, ROH's Chief Operating Officer Joe Koff conceded that the proposed event at the legendary arena had been nixed after an alleged intervention from WWE.
"We had a deal with the Garden, and they then told us they were backing out after communications from WWE," said Koff. "We were not able to get any other dates in any kind of discussion. I'm expecting that our lawyers will be contacting all the parties involved and the best we can hope is that we can find a resolution."
Chris Ripley, CEO of ROH's parent group Sinclair Broadcasting, earlier this month revealed that the wrestling promotion had bagged a date for the show at some point in 2019 - widely expected to coincide with WrestleMania weekend. MSG had reportedly been offering to host other wrestling promotions, with WWE favouring Brooklyn's Barclays Center in recent years for filmed events. It's understood the prohibitive cost of recording in the historic Manhattan venue has dissuaded the market leaders from running there regularly, save annual house shows.
The company are returning to Madison Square Garden for one such house show on 7 July. The venue let slip early this month that The Undertaker will be in attendance for a WWE show - his first at the arena in eight years. No details have yet been released on whether the company plans to broadcast the event, either live or at a later date.