wrestling / News

ROH COO Joe Koff Explains How ROH Worked Things Out With MSG, Discusses How All In Changed the Landscape for the Business

July 14, 2018 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
ROH NJPW G1 Supercard MSG

As previously reported earlier this week, Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling are set to co-present a G1 Supercard from Madison Square Garden (MSG) on April 6, 2019. That event appears to have been set after WWE allegedly prevented ROH from taking a date there. Later on, The New York Post spoke to ROH COO Joe Koff on the subject. Below are some highlights.

It should be noted that after ROH and NJPW announced the joint event, WWE issued the following statement: “MSG is, of course, free to work with ROH however they want.”

Joe Koff on how Bullet Club All In changed the landscape for wrestling: “It certainly changed the landscape in the thinking of what is is possible and I think in this world of possibility I think they really clearly illuminated what is a possible. I think if there was ‘All In’ or not, because of the weekend and what it represents, and our involvement always in that weekend, we probably would have thought a little more cautiously about the size of the crowd. [‘All In’] certainly didn’t hurt.”

Koff on how MSG worked things out with ROH: “I think that’s a question better asked of Madison Square Garden because we were very aggressive in wanting that date and we thought we had that date, but we did what we had to do as a business. [MSG] did what they had to do as a business and I guess all of a sudden there was a phone call and we were able to work it out. … That’s probably their story to tell because they made the call [to us] and said let’s get on the phone and see if we can work this out. They wanted us. They knew that we would be good promotion. I think they were just looking for a satisfactory outcome for all parties.”

Koff on why ROH wanted MSG: “It came down to this is where it [WrestleMania] was. This could be a whole different conversation if it were in Boston or Chicago. This is the site that was chosen for that big weekend and then we had to look for buildings to accommodate what we think would be the best opportunity for our business and for our fans.”