The Cost of Following Wrestling in 2015



As new technology continues to open up the options for how wrestling promotions distribute content to their customers, wrestling fans find themselves at an intersection where new and old distribution methods meet. It's one thing to be a fan of a wrestling promotion, but to really "follow" a wrestling promotion you'll probably want to watch everything that promotion puts out. In some cases that can be prohibitively expensive to all but the most ardent of fans, while in other cases the cost of watching everything has fallen to such a degree with the advent of new technology that it can put things into perspective when it comes to making a purchase.



Ultimately, while wrestling promotions shouldn't be afraid to price their product at a premium if that's what they think it's worth, they should also be aware of the value offered by their competitors as increasingly that's playing into potential customers purchasing decisions (something I can personally attest to). What's more, there's something to be said for the immediacy and ease-of-access that newer distribution methods can bring to a customer and how those methods can weigh on a potential customer's decision to buy or not to buy. As customers evaluate exactly what their pastime is worth to them, so too must promotions re-evaluate the worth of their product in comparison to the competition.



To that end, I calculated what it would have cost for a fan to truly follow one of six promotions with varied distribution methods for the first 8 months of 2015;

Ring of Honor - $349.17 | £227.46 - 21 shows



Pro-Wresting Guerrilla - $119.92 | £78.12 - 8 shows



World Wrestling Entertainment - $79.92 | £52.09 - 43 shows



New Japan Pro-Wrestling - $65.93 | £42.96 - 63 shows



PROGRESS Wrestling - $59.20 | £38.58 - 9 shows



Insane Championship Wrestling - $47.92 | £31.23 - 28 shows

