I totally agree with you on this. I think SWNY would have had the same success as the original version if they premiered first.
I'm going to politely disagree with this one. The difference between the original and storage wars NY is that NY was created as a clone to LA.
LA was original in that it was created, at least in part, by Dan Dotson using actual auction buyers that he dealt with on a regular basis. All of them, less Barry who was hired by Tom Beers because they are close personal friends, did the grind day in and day out.
NY tried to copy this and rather than go to actual auctions, meet with auctioneers, facility managers ..etc. to get the best possible mix of authentic buyers they hired a casting company, that when all is said and done brought in the wrong people.
I know several people who auditioned and really wanted to be on it but they were told that they were "too normal" ... whatever that means. They wanted characters whereas LA wanted buyers.
Example I think Big Steve would have been a great initial character but when they bring someone like him in late in the game and tell him to ham it up it seems like they are trying to fill a forced stereotype of NY. People, I have to imagine, are sick of that.
They also let Joe P make too many decisions which was a complete mistake. He knows art, antiques, how to sell ...etc. but he does not know anything about being a creative director for a national television show.
He is also creepy and off putting and most people that know him can't stand him. The only reason he was given first shot is because he was on the news and interviewed at one point and thats what Dolph found when doing his initial research.
If it was done right from the beginning it could have survived. LA got picked up, Texas got picked up and NY didn't.