It looks like the U.S. expansion efforts being attempted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is not going as well as the longtime top Japanese-based pro wrestling promotion had hoped.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the recent NJPW “New Beginning” tour of the U.S. was considered to be a “huge disappointment” from a business perspective.
While the promotion announced the building totals as the reported attendance for the aforementioned shows, they were actually even smaller than what was announced as paid attendance figures were even lower.
The recent NJPW event in Nashville, Tennessee was said to be closer to 400 paid, which is one of the lowest paid crowds in recent NJPW history. The stop in Atlanta, Georgia on February 1 had 855 fans in the building.
Numbers weren’t too hot for the shows NJPW promoted in their home territory of Japan either.
On February 4 at Korakeun Hall, 1,123 fans were in attendance, another one of the lowest paid figures in years for the arena. It was included as part of seven shows in the month and three straight in one week in the Japanese-based venue.
The February 5th show had 1,260 fans in attendance, another smaller than usual crowd, while the show on February 6 had 1,408 fans in the building.
The tour as a whole is said to be the single most unsuccessful tour NJPW has ever promoted.
