''Ring of Honor Wrestling'', often shortened as ''ROH Wrestling TV'' or ''ROH TV'', is an American
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
television series produced by
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor (ROH) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. The promotion was founded by Rob Feinstein on February 23, 2002, and was operated by Cary Silkin from 2004 until 2011, when the promotion was so ...
(ROH). The series featured
professional wrestlers
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
competing in
matches
A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...
and conducting
interviews
An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" r ...
.
Combined, these elements created and further the storylines of the promotion.
The pilot episode was taped on February 28, 2009, and the series premiered on March 21, 2009,
airing weekly on
HDNet
AXS TV is an American cable television channel. Majority-owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it is devoted primarily to music-related programming (such as concert films, documentaries, and reality series involving musicians) and combat sport ...
in the United States. The series' 100th and final HDNet episode aired on April 4, 2011.
The series would return under the same title, airing on television stations owned by the
Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (SBG) is a publicly traded American telecommunications conglomerate that is controlled by the descendants of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Headquartered in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, t ...
on September 24, 2011; such stations being affiliates of
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
and
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
.
[
Following the acquisition of Ring of Honor from Sinclair by ]All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, w ...
president and co-founder Tony Khan
Antony Rafiq Khan (born October 10, 1982) is an American businessman, promoter, and sports executive. He is known for his involvement in American football, professional wrestling and soccer. He is best known as the founder and co-owner of All E ...
in March 2022, the show eventually ceased broadcasting on Sinclair's stations; the final episode aired on April 15, 2022.
Production
Ring of Honor (ROH) first announced its partnership with HDNet in an article posted to its website on January 26, 2009. The article stated that HDNet would air a weekly ROH television series titled ''Ring of Honor Wrestling''. They subsequently announced their first television tapings would take place at The Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' began airing weekly on March 21, 2009, on HDNet
AXS TV is an American cable television channel. Majority-owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it is devoted primarily to music-related programming (such as concert films, documentaries, and reality series involving musicians) and combat sport ...
. On July 1, 2009, it was reported that Ring of Honor had canceled television tapings scheduled for July 17 and 18; it was reported to be a decision made by HDNet, and not Ring of Honor. On July 27, 2009, ROH announced that the show would be moving to Monday nights beginning on August 17, with a repeat airing later that night. On January 11, 2011, Ring of Honor announced the end of its television series, after the completion of the promotion's two–year contract with HDNet. The show's final tapings took place on January 21 and 22, with the final episode airing on April 4, 2011.
On May 21, 2011, the Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (SBG) is a publicly traded American telecommunications conglomerate that is controlled by the descendants of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Headquartered in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, t ...
announced that they had purchased ROH, with Cary Silkin remaining with the company in an executive role. ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' began airing in September 2011 over Sinclair stations, mainly in weekend primetime on their CW and MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
stations.
On September 9, 2014, ROH announced that ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' would begin being syndicated to stations in non-Sinclair markets, with Gannett Company
Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.[WATL
WATL (channel 36) is a television station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside NBC affiliate WXIA-TV (channel 11). Both stations share studios at One Monroe Place on the north ...]
in Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
becoming the first non-Sinclair station to air ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' on September 13, 2014.
On May 27, 2015, ROH announced a 26-week television deal with Destination America
Destination America is an American cable television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. The network carries programming focused on the culture of the United States—including food, lifestyles, a ...
, beginning on June 3. The program originally aired twice on Wednesdays; first at 8pm and then a replay at 11pm. However, after struggling to gain viewers, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' lost their primetime slot in late July and was reduced to a single airing at 11pm. The final episode on Destination America aired on November 25, 2015. Shortly after, on December 2, 2015, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' debuted on the Sinclair-owned Comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
.
On July 9, 2017, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' was moved to Charge!. It was also announced that the show would also be streamed through FITE TV
Fite (stylized as FITE by Triller) is an American digital video streaming service launched on May 20, 2012, that is dedicated to combat sports-related programming (including boxing, mixed martial arts, and professional wrestling). The network dist ...
, a mobile app
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...
that allows streaming through Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wave ...
to a smart TV
A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features, which allows users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a techno ...
or a set-top box
A set-top box (STB), also colloquially known as a cable box and historically television decoder, is an information appliance device that generally contains a TV-tuner input and displays output to a television set and an external source of sign ...
such as Roku
Roku ( ) is a brand of hardware digital media players manufactured by American company Roku, Inc. They offer access to streaming media content from online services.
The first Roku model, developed in collaboration with Netflix, was introduce ...
or Chromecast
Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google. The devices, designed as small dongles, can play Internet-streamed audio-visual content on a high-definition television or home audio system. The user can control playback with ...
. As of October 2017, FITE TV now has a channel directly on digital media players
A digital media player (also sometimes known as a streaming device or streaming box) is a type of consumer electronics device designed for the storage, playback, or viewing of digital media content. They are typically designed to be integr ...
.
The show's final episode on Sinclair stations aired on the weekend of April 15, 2022. In an interview with '' Busted Open Radio'' following his purchase of the company, Tony Khan has announced plans to relaunch the weekly series.
Episode format
An episode typically features 3 to 4 matches
A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...
as well as interviews
An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" r ...
from the wrestlers regarding their upcoming matches or current storylines. The show typically ends after the main event (the final match on an episode) and goes to a closing graphic.
Beginning in August 2019, the show's format was changed to feature highlights of recent events, with Ian Riccaboni
Ian Riccaboni (born January 13, 1987) is an American sportscaster and author, currently signed to Ring of Honor.
Personal life
Riccaboni was born January 13, 1987 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Salisbury High School in Salisbu ...
and Quinn McKay hosting from backstage. The show now features one full-length main event match, with the color commentary during the matches themselves varying as Riccaboni is paired with a variety of partners. It's been speculated that this revamp was done in order to drive growth for Honor Club
Honor Club is an OTT streaming service owned by professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor. Development of a VOD service was announced on November 9, 2017 by ROH COO Joe Koff. Honor Club was formally announced on February 2, 2018 and the ser ...
, where the promotion has begun to stream its television tapings live.
Upon Ring of Honor's return to promoting events following the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, the series format would be revamped beginning on the September 12, 2020 episode.
During the promotion's hiatus after Final Battle
Final Battle is a professional wrestling event, held annually by the Ring of Honor promotion. The event was initially held in 2002, and is traditionally ROH's last show in the calendar year. The 2009 edition of the show was ROH's first internet ...
in December 2021, 2022 saw the show revamped to focus on archival footage, "Best of" specials, and highlights from recent events.
Filming locations
All but six episodes of the HDNet run were taped at The Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Arena is frequently used as a professional wrestling venue, and is known prominently for formerly hosting many Extreme Championship Wrestling
HHG Corporation, doing business as Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was a professional wrestling promotion and media company that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The promotion was founded in 1992 by Tod Gordon as National Wrest ...
events.
In September 2010, ROH announced they would be holding television tapings at the Davis Arena in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
on December 9 and 10. Since then, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' is taped in various locations around the United States and Canada.
Beginning in August 2020, ROH resumed television tapings from the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena (formerly known as the UMBC Event Center) in Maryland.
Special episodes
Roster
The wrestlers featured on Ring of Honor wrestling take part in scripted feuds
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one par ...
and storylines. Wrestlers are portrayed as either villains
A villain (also known as a "black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character a ...
or heroes
Heroes or Héroes may refer to:
* Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good
Film
* ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama
* ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film
Gaming
* ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...
in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match.
Commentators
Broadcast history
On February 11, 2010, it was announced that ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' would be airing in Italy on Dahlia TV
''Dahlia TV'' was an Italian pay-per-view television network available on digital terrestrial television, offering 12 widescreen channels. Telecom Italia Media owns a 9% stake in the company.
Programming Dahlia Calcio
Dahlia Calcio had five chan ...
.
On May 21, 2011, the Sinclair Broadcast Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (SBG) is a publicly traded American telecommunications conglomerate that is controlled by the descendants of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Headquartered in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, t ...
announced that they had purchased ROH, with Cary Silkin remaining with the company. ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' began airing in September 2011 during the weekends as a syndicated program on Sinclair's CW and MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
affiliated stations.
On September 9, 2014, ROH announced that ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' would begin syndication
Syndication may refer to:
* Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system
* Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips
* Web syndication, ...
to stations in non-Sinclair markets, with Gannett Company
Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.[Tegna Inc
Tegna Inc. (stylized in all caps as TEGNA) is an American publicly traded broadcast, digital media and marketing services company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia. It was created on June 29, 2015, when the Gannett Company split into tw ...]
.) WATL
WATL (channel 36) is a television station in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside NBC affiliate WXIA-TV (channel 11). Both stations share studios at One Monroe Place on the north ...
in Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
becoming the first non-Sinclair station to air the series on September 13, 2014.
On May 27, 2015, ROH announced a 26-week television deal with Destination America
Destination America is an American cable television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. The network carries programming focused on the culture of the United States—including food, lifestyles, a ...
, beginning on June 3. The program originally aired twice on Wednesdays; first at 8 pm and then a replay at 11 pm. However, after struggling to gain viewers, ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' lost their prime time slot in late July and was reduced to a single airing at 11 pm. The last episode was shown on November 25, 2015.
On December 2, 2015, reruns of the series began airing nationally on the Sinclair-owned Comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
. On July 9, 2017, the show was moved to sister network Charge!. It was also announced that the show would begin streaming on FITE TV
Fite (stylized as FITE by Triller) is an American digital video streaming service launched on May 20, 2012, that is dedicated to combat sports-related programming (including boxing, mixed martial arts, and professional wrestling). The network dist ...
.
Following Sinclair's purchase of the Fox Sports Networks
Fox Sports Networks (FSN), formerly known as Fox Sports Net, was the collective name for a group of regional sports channels in the United States. Formed in 1996 by News Corporation, the networks were acquired by The Walt Disney Company on Mar ...
(which were divested by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
following its acquisition of key assets from 21st Century Fox
Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc., doing business as 21st Century Fox (21CF), was an American multinational mass media corporation that was based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It was one of the two companies formed on June 28, 2013, f ...
), ''Ring of Honor Wrestling'' began airing on the newly acquired RSN's in November 2019. This brought ROH TV availability in several large markets where Sinclair lacked an over-the-air station.
ROH Wrestling's upcoming pay-per-view events often served as bookends for commercial segments just like WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
's and Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling (stylized as ''IMPACT! Wrestling''), is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Founded by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett in 2002, the promot ...
's.
See also
*List of professional wrestling television series
This is a list of professional wrestling television series.
Territory-era (1950s–1970s)
1980s wrestling boom
1990s wrestling boom
Modern-era (2002–present)
International Broadcasters
See also
*Monday Night Wars
* Wednesday Night ...
References
External links
*
*
*https://www.fite.tv/channel/roh-wrestling/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ring Of Honor Wrestling
American professional wrestling television series
2010s American television series
2020s American television series
2022 American television series endings
2009 in professional wrestling
2009 American television series debuts
Ring of Honor shows
HDNet original programming
Destination America original programming