NJPW US TV Deal In The Works

Japanese promotion are in talks with Viceland.

NJPW Viceland
Vice/NJPW

New Japan Pro Wrestling could soon find a permanent home on US television.

Up to this point, the King of Sports' English language broadcasts have been restricted to those with access to, um, AXS, and the company's over-the-top streaming service, New Japan World. The former previously offered a package of New Japan content, whilst the latter's live output currently only includes pay-per-views.

According to Dave Meltzer, writing in this week's issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, communication between New Japan and multinational TV channel Viceland have opened over a possible US deal. Viceland have previously produced wrestling documentaries The Wrestlers and Dark Side of the Ring, each to critical acclaim.

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Meltzer writes:

It’s a long process because TV-Asahi owns the footage rights and the AXS/New Japan deal was originally between AXS and TV-Asahi.

NJPW have been making a pointed effort to break into the American market for the past few years, running several tours in the country and even launching an IWGP United States Championship (currently held by Jon Moxley). However, it's believed that a lack of international television presence is seriously affecting their ability to make an impact in the States. The first show of their most recent trip to the USA, in St. Petersburg, FL, sold just 863 tickets. The next, in Nashville, TN drew even worse, attracting only 560 paid.

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Meltzer also writes that WWE's affiliation with CyberAgent - a major Japanese media company looking to take over Pro Wrestling NOAH - could hamper New Japan's dominance at home:

CyberAgent is larger than [New Japan owners] Bushiroad, and everyone also knows that WWE is coming with an NXT brand in Japan. There is the feeling that a WWE/CyberAgent affiliation could be a threat to New Japan’s market domination far more than either could separately.

Theoretically, WWE's association could see NOAH talent working on the other side of the pond as well, further damaging New Japan's chances of making it big across the Pacific.

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Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.