ROH Executive Comments On Potential Of Working With AEW, Relationship With The Young Bucks
In an interview with Chuck Carroll of CBS Baltimore / CBS Local, Greg Gilleland, ROH's General Manager, provided insight into ROH's current and future plans, in an industry that has experienced much upheaval with talent movement and the launch of All Elite Wrestling.
When asked if ROH would be open to partnering with AEW, Gilleland said that at the moment AEW only has three events scheduled and a rumored TV deal so there is nothing to explore. However things did end well with The Young Bucks and they've talked to the Bucks since they left the company. As he and Joe Koff are business people first and foremost, they would never turn down an opportunity without exploring it. Gilleland explains that the opportunity would have to make sense for ROH's brand.
"I think probably the best answer I can give you is that we'll explore every opportunity, and we'll do what's best for our brand and, more importantly, our fans," Gilleland said.
Gilleland explains that the landscape has changed when asked if there was pressure to sign existing talent.
"It's definitely more challenging than it has been in the past," Gilleland explained. "But as a business guy, I like the challenge".
Gilleland said that the company made "aggressive attempts" to re-sign the guys that went to AEW, with the company being more aggressive than they ever had been before. He does not have any concerns regarding Marty Scurll's future at the moment, despite Scurll's strong connection with The Young Bucks, as Gilleland is focused on what can be done in the present.
Gilleland chalks up the lose of talent to AEW as guys who are chasing their dreams, whether it be to earn a certain dollar figure or work on a new opportunity and he does not think anyone can compete with a dream.
Gilleland said that talent and matchups should be announced "soon" for the Madison Square Garden show. Gilleland makes a point that no talents were advertised that were not expected to appear at the show.
"Obviously, we wanted those guys to be in it, but if you go back and look at all of our marketing materials, we never marketed anybody that we didn't know we had," Gilleland said.
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