Overview
- Bushiroad announced on Wednesday that it transferred all its shares in New Japan Pro-Wrestling to TV Asahi and CyberAgent, ending 14 years of Bushiroad ownership.
- As a result of the transfer, NJPW is expected to be removed from Bushiroad’s consolidated accounts and to become a consolidated subsidiary of TV Asahi after required procedures are completed.
- NJPW president Hiroshi Tanahashi and Bushiroad founder Takaaki Kidani issued statements thanking fans and stakeholders and said there are no current plans to change events or day-to-day operations.
- CyberAgent already owns CyberFight, which controls Pro Wrestling NOAH, DDT and Tokyo Joshi Pro, while World Wonder Ring Stardom was not part of the deal and will remain with Bushiroad.
- Industry observers say the deal signals a push to extract more value from wrestling video rights and streaming, and they will watch how TV Asahi’s broadcast capacity and CyberAgent’s platforms are used to monetize NJPW content.