WWE attracting Japanese fans
The Japan Times reports today about the growing popularity of American pro-wrestling in Japan:
The WWE’s big push to market itself in Japan is nowhere clearer than at events like Sunday’s SummerSlam Festival, a raucous party that charges fans a ¥3,500 admission fee to watch recorded WWE pay-per-view events on giant video screens.
The videos can also be watched at home, but going to events gives fans things they can’t find in their living rooms — such as guest wrestlers flown in from the U.S., booths selling WWE T-shirts and key chains as well as plenty of camaraderie with a niche but seriously dedicated crowd.
The U.S. firm, based in Stamford, Conn., racks up annual global pay-per-view sales of $100 million. It won’t disclose regional breakdowns, but it sees Japan as one of its most important overseas markets.
Some are afraid that the WWE might hurt the domestic pro-wrestling business, while others speculate that a rise in the popularity of the WWE will help raise the overall popularity of pro-wrestling in Japan.
