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| ROH is coming back to the Arena for Final Battle Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
For the first time since 2005, Final Battle, Ring of Honor's flagship, year-end event, will be leaving New York City, and for the first time since 2004, it will be taking place in Philadelphia. On Friday, December 18, ROH's climactic card will take place at the ECW Arena. The company will occupy the building for television tapings as well.
Last year was the first year in the event's tenure in New York that it wasn't held at the Hammerstein Ballroom/Manhattan Center complex, opting instead for Terminal 5, which is where Best in the World was held this year. However, rumblings are afoot that WWE is putting the squeeze on ROH's chosen venues as part of its ongoing revenge tour against the company for getting on nationwide cable and releasing that Kevin Steen action figure after he became Kevin Owens. Terminal 5 was one of the rumored venues.
However, the overwhelming majority of fans have panned the building, thus making the ECW Arena a far more aesthetically pleasing and accommodating option. Plus, the building has similar historical cache as the Manhattan Center. The loss of market size may end up being a net negative, but Philadelphia is a short drive south from New York and is actually closer to ROH's new home base in Baltimore. It's a reasonable compromise.
Tickets go on sale to the general public this Friday, but if you're a Ringside member, you can cop them tomorrow.