Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE and the streaming service Fite TV had a meeting about the possibility of WWE purchasing the latter.
This streaming service has been fundamental for the growth we’ve seen in the wrestling independent scene in the last couple of years and WWE trying to purchase this service could be a huge hit to the independent scene and their direct competitors.
A direct hit to the competitors
Fite TV is home to several of WWE direct competitors like NJPW and AEW (internationally), as well as other big promotions like IMPACT, NWA, ROH, MLW and others.
WWE purchasing Fite TV could be a way to hurt big time these promotions. AEW would have serious problems streaming outside of the U.S. due to the fact that Bleacher Report Live is not available in all countries. But let’s not forget that AEW works with Warner so they could fix this problem, but it would still be a serious hit for AEW internationally except in the UK.
Promotions like NWA, MLW and GCW have seen a lot of success thanks to Fite TV but WWE purchasing this streaming service would hurt them too. WWE could ask them enormous amounts of money for them to stay in the platform and would basically but this promotions in a terrible position.
The Independent Scene
The Indie scene has used Fite TV as an outlet to grow and gain new fans. The boom of the independent scene has allowed for wrestlers to work and make good money without the need of signing with WWE.
Ever since the boom of the independent scene began WWE slowly tried to end it by signing all the major stars like Sami Zayn (El Generico), Kevin Owens (Kevin Steen), Matt Riddle and others. While wrestlers like The Young Bucks and Joey Ryan rejected all the offers WWE would make to them because they would make more money in the indies and with less dates that the once WWE runs every year.
WWE would be in the perfect position to end this boom and gain more control of the monopoly they have in professional wrestling.
The Future
Dave Meltzer also mentioned that as of right now there’s no mention of what WWE would do if they purchase Fite TV and that this could mean nothing since WWE has meetings like this one every week.
Is hard not to think about how this one purchase could affect the wrestling business such a big way. This reminds me of the Black Saturday. Were WWE in 1984 purchased the time slot on the Superstation WTBS of Georgia Championship Wrestling.
The future of wrestling looks in a way bright with the growth both NJPW and AEW are having right now but in the other side of that coin WWE trying to purchase Fite TV could mean that the monopoly of Vince McMahon over wrestling would be stronger than ever.
