ROH splits with RF Video

[Guest Jay Z. Hollywood]

Credit: PWinsider.com

 

In a move that will greatly change the future of both companies, professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor, led by majority investor Cary Silkin, split off from parent company RF Video earlier this week.

 

Representatives of both factions declined to comment on the reasons for the split when contacted Wednesday evening. I am told contractual negotiations regarding the split are still ongoing. It appears it is simply a matter of time before the two sides come to terms.

 

According to sources speaking on the condition of anonymity, the two sides split earlier this week with the RF Video office locks changed and ROH merchandise being removed by those who remained with Ring of Honor side of things.

 

ROH is in the process of setting up a new office in Pennsylvania and all scheduled live events will continue as planned without any interuptions.

 

Ring of Honor was formed in early 2002 by RF Video, then owned by Rob Feinstein. Current ROH and RF Video President Doug Gentry took over Feinstein's positions in March 2004 after Feinstein was implicated during a Philadelphia NBC affiliate's sting on online pedophiles and stepped down from his positions. Cary Silkin became majority investor for ROH earlier this year and has been investing in the company since March 2003.

 

We will have more on this breaking situation as it develops on PWInsider.com.

 

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=2902&p=1

Edited June 10, 2004 by Jay Z. Hollywood

[Guest NateRizzle]

WOOO! Bust out the champagne!

 

Maybe it won't take my tapes six fucking weeks to get here anymore.

[Styles 0]

Took them long enough...

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

As long as Takedown Masters keeps putting the shows out (Full shows would be nice, though), I have no problem.

[Guest Choken One]

soo...will they still have ROH tapes/dvds at the show?

[Youth N Asia 0]

Who the hell is Cary Silkin, and why haven't I heard about this person before?

[Garth 0]

I'm pretty sure for a long time he didn't want people knowing who the hell he was or something. What are the possible outcomes of this seperation?

[cynicalprofit 0]

Who the hell is Cary Silkin, and why haven't I heard about this person before?

I believe he was a silent business partner.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Is ROH going to be selling tapes on their site now???

[JoeDirt 0]

The ROH boards are down...never a good sign.

 

I really hope this turns out to be nothing major and ROH can move on from this. I think a lot of people will be much more willing to buy tapes and DVDs knowing their money won't go to RF.

[PsychoDriver 0]

The ROH boards are back up.... and still as closeminded as ever. So you can go back to hearing such gems as "CHRIS HERO SUX DUDE!!!!" and "PWG workers are extremely sloppy and most of them look like 17 year olds that weigh 150 soaking wet" Enjoy!

[Youth N Asia 0]

Frankly I hate RF Video. I hope ROH can get a clean split and leave that bit company in the dust

[EricMM 0]

How the FUCK am I supposed to get my ROH tapes now?

[Youth N Asia 0]

I imagine from ROH directly

[Guest Jimbo]

Okay, who the FUCK will be sending the RoH tapes I ordered last week? *prays they've already been mailed*

[Guest Jay Z. Hollywood]

New development- it's 1wrestling so interpret it any way you want. The constant use of the phrase "our sources" makes this pretty shady.

 

RING OF HONOR UPDATE: FEINSTEIN SAYS "THEY ALL KNEW"

By: 1Wrestling.com

6/11/2004 1:30:47 PM

 

The Ring of Honor situation took a dramatic turn earlier this week when locks were changed on the RF Video offices and word began to leak that Cary Silken, Gabe Sapolsky, and others were planning to split Ring of Honor away from RF Video and run it as a separate company.

 

1Wrestling.com has learned from multiple key sources that Rob Feinstein had never stepped aside from his ownership of either company, despite repeated assurances from Sapolsky, Silken, and others.

 

Shortly after the controversy erupted involving Feinstein being caught in a sting operation, it was announced that Feinstein was no longer involved in any capacity with either RF Video or Ring of Honor. Sapolsky provided paperwork purporting to show that 100% ownership in both companies had been transferred to Doug Gentry. The paperwork was not notarized and was never filed with any governmental agency in Philadelphia.

 

During the early stages of the controversy, 1Wrestling.com reported that our sources told us Feinstein was still involved despite claims to the contrary. Over the last few months our sources have repeatedly verified that fact, despite vehement protests to the contrary from Silken, Sapolsky, and others.

 

1Wrestling's sources tell us that Feinstein has told them that Ring of Honor management, including Silken and Sapolsky, were well aware of his continued involvement and ownership. Feinstein has told our sources that he can back up that claim through email and financial records.

 

Silken filed for trademarks on ROH and Ring of Honor in May, but Feinstein may be preparing a legal challenge that would prevent Silken from using those trademarks. If Feinstein makes such a challenge, he would attempt to show that he is the owner of those marks due to his continued and uninterrupted use since the inception of the company. Feinstein remains the listed owner of record of the corporation with Pennsylvania.

 

According to our sources, Feinstein had agreed to "lay low" and keep his involvement secret until the controvery surrounding the sting operation died down. Feinstein had told our sources that the decision to "lay low" was made with the knowledge of Silken, Sapolsky, and other RF Video and Ring of Honor office staff. "They all knew", Feinstein told our sources.

 

Our sources tell us that in recent weeks Feinstein grew frustrated that he was kept out of the loop on decisions, and was contemplating becoming more involved in the company. That is apparently what finally prompted Silken and Sapolsky to begin the process of finally severing ties with RF Video.

 

Shortly after the controversy erupted, Roddy Piper withdrew from an appearance with Ring of Honor. 1Wrestling.com sources tell us that a primary reason for Piper's decision to withdraw is that he had been continuing to deal with Feinstein about the appearance, even after Sapolsky had gone on record on the Ring of Honor website and in comments to various websites that insisted Feinstein was toally gone from the company. Piper, our sources tell us, was concerned that he knew what Ring of Honor was saying publically was at odds with the facts as he knew them and he wanted to distance himself from what he felt could turn into an ugly situation.

 

Another source tells us that Feinstein had contemplated bringing him a big name (Tommy Dreamer was mentioned to us by the source as a possiblity) to run the company while Feinstein took a leave of absence.

Edited June 11, 2004 by Jay Z. Hollywood

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Well, if that's true they won't be getting another dime from me ever again. No wonder they couldn't prove to NWA TNA that RF was indeed gone.

[Guest The Last Free Voice]

Don't buy it. Bob Ryder has allways had an issue with RF. And he works for TNA, so he's most likely trying to fuck RoH up now. Gabe has been making some noise about trying to get the TNA guys back on RoH, and this is just the right time to fuck them over. (With the split going on.)

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

The Observer has some mention of this for the next newsletter though. So it sounds like Meltz might be saying the same exact thing.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Here is what Meltzer wrote...for those too lazy to seek it out:

 

"--1wrestling.com is reporting that Rob Feinstein never stepped aside from owning ROH, despite what was being said, and that both Cary Silken and Gabe Sapolsky were aware of it, despite Sapolsky's public denials. The ROH split with RF Video was scheduled to go down today, and all parties involved were publicly quiet on the story for fear it would screw up the deal. With this breaking, I expect feelings to be far more tense today and time will tell how that threatens the deal. There was talk of a confidentiality clause in the sale agreement of the 45% of the company owned by Rob Feinstein which is said to have been transfered to Doug Gentry, but apparently was never purchased, to Silken, who owns 55%. Exactly the extent of Feinstein's involvement is unclear, but there has been regular contact between Feinstein and at least two company employees. We have a huge article coming out next week in the Observer on this story."

[Guest Jimbo]

lol pretend i said im gone

[Guest TDinDC1112]

So is everyone who said they wouldn't ever support ROH again if RF was involved going to overlook the last 3 months now?

[teke184 0]

So is everyone who said they wouldn't ever support ROH again if RF was involved going to overlook the last 3 months now?

I haven't supported ROH or RF Video in over three months now, so this only reinforces the feelings I already had on the situation.

 

I hope Rob Feinstein dies from an infection caused by getting anally raped by a guy named Bubba.

[thecitythesky 0]

*

 

what i'm really wondering is (provided this is true.).

 

what about all those, like Samoa Joe/Maff/etc. that said that if they ever found out that RF was still a part of RoH they would turn their backs and walk.?

[Placebo Effect 0]

I knew it. I fucking knew it. There was no way Feinstein would just walk away from such a company.

 

I'm VERY glad TNA severed the ties with ROH now.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

Yeah, the exact statements from the boys and many people on this board was:

 

"if he is profiting even 1 cent off of ROH I'm done with ROH."

 

 

 

Well, if he was still making money from RF Video, then he was making money off of ROH, so are the boys going to quit ROH now?

[syxx2001 0]

Like I said on the CrazyMax boards, shouldnt about 40 wrestlers be quitting and 100 fans be burning their ROH merchandise?

[Youth N Asia 0]

The announcement that shocked no one!

 

Rob isn't very good about bullshitting when it comes to what he tries to cover up. That he's a homosexual (and there's nothing wrong with that)...who likes kids (sick fuck)....not to mention his clever message board names he uses to defend RF Video...those are usually figured out in no time.

[Guest Choken One]

I dont know if I even want to go the ROH show tom. now...

 

Good wrestling is good wrestling but I was under the impression RF was completely cut off from the company...

 

Fuck.

 

All right I'll go but i will NOT buy any merch. Hell, I won't even buy a fucking beer or hot dog.

[Nevermortal 0]

Way to fight the system.