HDNet, Ring of Honor Part Ways

After a two-year run on HDNet, the cable channel has decided to end airing weekly Ring of Honor shows.

The news was first reported by Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com.

The promotion will have its final television tapings in Philadelphia on Jan. 21 and 22. Those shows will air until the final episode on April 4 when the current contract expires.

The report also states that the sides remain on good terms and HDNet is open to carrying a live ROH special later in the year and other projects in the future.

There were high hopes for ROH and its potential growth two years ago when the group signed its television deal with HDNet. Unfortunately, it never drew big numbers and was only seen by diehard wrestling fans on a regular basis who enjoyed the in-ring action that ROH focused on rather than sports entertainment like WWE or TNA.

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Before the deal with HDNet, ROH was a company primarily making money from selling DVDs of its live events. That business has shrunk over the past few years with the company exploring other avenues for making money including online pay-per-views, which it currently does with GoFightLive.tv. While its pay-per-view numbers are increasing, they are not at the level to sustain the company along with its DVD sales and live event business.

ROH is reportedly looking for another television deal, which could prove to be tough considering the weekly show did not draw big numbers.

It is bad news for the wrestling promotion which provides arguably the best in-ring action in the country on a regular basis.