First off, you're making the European market seem way smaller than it is. The european market as a whole is bigger than the market in Mexico.
Wrong. Many CMLL shows are drawing huge, and business in Mexico has been the best it has been in years. Plus the market for Mexican wrestling also transends into many American markets. Several promotions with top Mexican stars can draw anywhere near 1,000-9,000 people in places around the States.
The European market is very significant, check out 1PW sometime and see how they bring in all of the American indy stars they do. They fly them in over the Atlantic and put them up in nice hotels. There is alot of money there, because they draw well.
1PW is a small promotion. I've seen their shows and there is no way they draw more than 2,000 people. That's hardly bigger than a lot of promotions currently running in Mexico. Plus 1PW doesn't run as much as many of Mexico's top promotions(or several other promotions around the world at the moment).
I also think you underestimate how many people buy ROH DVD's and follow ROH. Just look at their message board. It's crazy. People from all over the world.
ROH is not a giant. Anyone can claim to be from "X" country, but chances are they really aren't. And just because they might have one of two fans from a country that isn't American, Canada, or in Europe doesn't mean there are a lot of fans in one of those countries. I think you're overestimating the size of ROH.
They are touring all over the east coast into the midwest, performing in the Chicago and Detroit markets.
Many of the cities they're touring are very close to eachother, so chances are 75-90% of the fans who go to those shows go to other shows in the areas that surround their hometown. If PWG toured all around California, it'd be just the same as the places ROH tours.
Danielson also is Heavyweight champion in Full Impact Pro, the biggest indy in Florida.
If FIP is the biggest indy in Florida, Florida must have a lot of small time indy promotions.
I'm not counting TNA as an indy, but what really has Puma/Perkins done in TNA lately? He was in the World X Cup, but casual wrestling fans probably don't even remember he was there.
I agree with this.
I just think that some of you west coast people don't realize that there is wrestling beyond the coasts. It's starting to thrive in the midwest.
If anything, I think people on the west coast(BTW, not everyone here is from the west coast) are being more rational than you are. You don't seem to get the reality about the size of promotions and territories.