As PWMania.com previously reported, NJPW’s broadcast contract with AXS TV ended at midnight on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. The Japanese pro wrestling promotion opted not to renew, and there will be no additional episodes of NJPW on the network. AXS TV has since issued a statement to confirm the news.
According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, one reason NJPW opted not to renew its deal with AXS TV is that former TNA President Scott D’Amore, who put the deal together and helped patch up the relationship between TNA and NJPW, was no longer with the company. The report also noted that AXS TV was paying NJPW to air its programming on the network, while Anthem has been cutting back on expenses in certain areas.
NJPW was no longer working with TNA as much as it used to, and while AXS TV’s rights fee for the show was low, it was no longer getting great viewership numbers. One person close to the matter said that NJPW was looking to get on a better station and didn’t want to renew, and another person at NJPW said it was due to finances. There’s no word yet on when NJPW might end up on United States TV again, but both sides essentially let the deal expire.
