"I could count on one hand" - 51-year-old legendary wrestling promotion was within months of having to shut down forever
WWE is not the only important wrestling promotion in the world, several others have shown their longevity in the business over the years. NJPW, founded in 1972, is perhaps one of the most legendary wrestling promotions in the world, with its rich history. However, all of that almost came to an end recently.
They had to shut down during the pandemic, and that affected how it was working. Due to restrictions in Japan because of the COVID-19 pandemic, crowds were not allowed to gather, along with travel restrictions.
NJPW president Takami Ohbari recently spoke to Proresu-Today about the condition of the company during the pandemic and how close they were to shutting their doors forever.
"It was a long time [that difficult period]. I try to look at sales separately inside and outside the venue. Especially because of the Corona disaster. Inside sales are tickets and merchandise sales, which at one point were down 60 percent due to the decline in attendance. Even in the most recent year, it’s still down about 40 percent… it’s only back up to 60 percent. If we had continued with our existing business portfolio, I think the company would have ceased to exist within a few months, let alone take a major hit."
He said at one point, they were months away from closing down forever. He still had to tell Tanahashi not to worry.
"The majority of our business was dependent on revenues from the venue. One day, Tanahashi asked me, ‘Boss, if this situation continues, how many more months will this company last?’ I could count on one hand. At the time, I could count on one hand. With a smile on my face, I replied, ‘Don’t worry.'"
@cricanadian @WrestLegend @StoneCenter2 Pay them better. as an FYI Bushiroad almost closed down NJPW during the pandemic. So can you really blame the talent for leaving
New Japan Pro-Wrestling is profitable now, but barely
The NJPW president also shared how the wrestling promotion was doing now.
He said that the current fiscal year for June would be the second largest in their history, but when it came to making a profit compared to what they were doing before 2020, the company was still quite behind.
The promotion is set to partner with AEW this summer for Forbidden Door 2 on June 25. It remains to be seen how the event will pan out, as last year's one was a major success.
What are some of your favorite moments in NJPW? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.