wrestling / News

UPDATED: More Speculation On Reports That WWE Is In Talks To Buy ROH — WWE Looking to License ROH Content

March 23, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
WWE ROH

UPDATE: Pwinsider reports that this story was making the rounds three weeks ago and that it was a topic of discussion at the ROH 15th Anniversary PPV. The site also adds that both WWE and ROH have denied sale talks and that any sort of deal has been made. A WWE source notes that there have been off and on talks between the companies in recent months but those talks were surrounding the possibility of the WWE Network carrying the Ring of Honor TV show; these are said to be similar to the rumored deals that WWE offered PROGRESS Wrestling and Insane Championship Wrestling to broadcast their content on the WWE Network. If a deal goes through, ROH TV would air on the WWE Network

ROH COO Joe Koff has said in the past he would be open to the right deal where WWE would license ROH to air on the network. WWE has licensed ROH material in the past for DVDs, and there has been talk of doing that for future DVDs; WWE will be releasing DVDs on Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins.

ORIGINAL: It was reported last night that WWE has had discussions with the Sinclair Broadcast Group about a potential buyout of Ring of Honor. The talks reportedly started in January.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, a major key to the deal would include the purchase of the ROH library, which has early matches of many of the current top WWE names including Samoa Joe, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, Austin Aries and many more. The WON also adds that WWE first inquired about purchasing ROH in August and wanted to do so for more than just the tape library.

WWE has also made at least minor inquiries and sent out feelers about purchasing other independent companies, both in the U.S. and the U.K., “for tape libraries and perhaps to limit outside options for talent.” Some in WWE had talked about meetings for such a deal two weeks ago, and the story was being talked about by people on the inside in other companies as well, but nothing is official at this time.

article topics :

Ring of Honor, WWE, Larry Csonka