TNABaddboi

Sorry...I slipped an extra zero is there in my "posting from work" rush.

Well your question wasn't directed at me, but I'll take a hand at answering it: they don't. At least not yet anyway. TNA has lost tons of money and was only sustained by a financial backer willing to absorb the losses with the hopes of turning the tide. I don't know what they're looking like now, but all signs are now pointing to them significantly reducing there budget. They went from running shows every week to every other week (they were doing 4 at a time at one point), for the first time in there history they aren't paying to be broadcasted (they were paying FSN something like $300,000 per episode) and they finally are getting their merchandise into stores. That extra $30K a week, along with whatever the DVDs are bringing in (and I have read that they are doing well) should bring them closer to the break even point. What would put them on the other side of it is expanding their PPV audience, which was around 25,000 I believe during the FSN era, and eventually adding a live gate. Hope that helped.

Well said. I think this is the biggest problem with TNA so far. RoH works because they've identified their audience and they cater to them exclusively. It's a niche audience, but it's a devoted one. WWE has always acknowledge that net fans are not their target audience, so they have a defined audience as well. TNA has smartly tried to find the middle ground to create their own audience, one of people who watch a little more ~workrate~ than WWE is willing to regularly provide, but like to laugh or see something dramatic in between their suplexes and backbreakers. As a business plan, that makes sense, but the execution has been horrible because TNA has never found the mixture. Instead, they've spent the last three years going back and forth between the extremes. When one doesn't get the traction they want (i.e everything up to the primetime special), they switch almost immediately to the other (i.e. the angle-laden shows since). They have to find a way to balance the two regularly, and balancing is going to require more than having 4LK dance after a Samoa Joe match. It's something TNA is going to have to figure out if they ever hope to expand their audience, because right now they have pieces of the other companies' audiences who are never satisfied enough to spread the word, IMO anyway.

Credit: PWI

PWI posted this about Monday's replay, and the ratings in genereal:

Although it won't be taped until tonight, TNA has already released the preview for this week's Impact, so I figured I'd get the discussion started. Here's the preview: credit: PWInsider.com My first thought when I saw that main event was didn't we just see that match, but that was Rhino/Sabu. So eh. Clark is gonna die, and I would assume Monty gets Jarrett at Turning Point, unless they make him go through Raven first. I'm most looking forward to what they do this week with Christian. How about you?

I am still adjusting to him playing the face role, but I've always kinda liked Bentley too. I wish they'd develop his character a little more, like half the roster, but I have always enjoyed watching him perform. I could also be in the minority though....

I agree with literally every word of this post....well said!

I thought that too when I listened. It's very distinctive and you'll know right away that Christian is on way when it hits.

I do think Christian's signing could be huge for TNA. I had a convo with a co-worker today about how we both thought he'd skyrocket now that's jumped. BUT, just like WWE didn't put the belt on Austin in 1996 (they spent a year misusing him, then made us want it for a year before pulling the trigger). TNA should take the same approach with Christian, minus the Ringmaster year. But Monty's time is now. They've been building to it for a year, and IMHO, they should do it. I don't think Monty's going to play any worse than any of their other "unknowns" when they do expand, and Monty's the one guy they have right now that commands newcomers attention. Once again, I'm not saying Christian shouldn't get a run with the belt or being a permanent main eventer for TNA. I'm just saying that by establishing Monty now to their already expanded Spike audience, they'll do themselves more good than by knocking Monty down in favor of Christian. Because let's face it, Christian is going to be near the top of the card no matter. If Monty spend another year in the midcard, he could become the next Truth.

Yeah, cuz giving the belt to a guy who'd never had a run on top and had been built to it for a year sure made WWE bush league in 1998 right? Not to compare their workrate, but Monty is one of the few homegrown guys that TNA has that connects with audiences. He's the only guy on the show that people I have had watch an episode or so remember that they didn't know before they watched. And the Hardy match aside (I haven't seen it, so I won't comment on it), but Monty's delivered in the big matches he's been in. Him not being ready for the excuse for not putting the belt on him last year. But after a year of entertaining matches with Abyss and Raven, etc., he's improved leaps and bounds. The guy's got the goods on the mic and he's credible enough in the ring when you have Joe, Daniels and Styles deliver ***** night in and night out. TNA had enough faith in him that they let him cut an in-ring promo on Impact last week, and he did a credible job. Who besides Jarrett, Raven or the Duds (and now Christian) has gotten to cut in-ring promos since March? So why undercut him now for Christian, when Christian is going to bring in viewers regardless because of who he is. I absolutely hate the bush league argument as it is, but I defintely don't see how building up a viable guy who's doesn't have the taint of not being able to cut it elsewhere (like say a Rhino) and putting the belt on him without hotshotting it is bad for business. This isn't me saying that Christian should never run with the belt. In fact, I'd like to Christian turn heel eventually and defeat Monty (if they don't want to use Joe for that role). I just think delaying Monty's push for a year or however long is ridiculous. Especially just because you don't like his gimmick, when he's demonstrably over with TNA's fanbase. When he was cutting his promo Saturday, the fans were chanting "next World Champ." They were doing that at this time last year too. Who's to say they'll still want to see it in a year's time. This is the first true homegrown breakout star chance that TNA has had since they fucked over the Truth, and IMO, they'd benefit more from having Monty established on the same level as Christian, Rhino, Jarrett or whoever than in midcard hell "getting better" which he has clearly done for the past year.

Realistically, this Monty title shot has been building since before March. The story is that he got the shots before he was ready, Dusty (the authority figure at the time) wouldn't give him a rematch, so he helped Jarrett fend off DDP in exchange for a title shot he's never gotten. In theory, we've been waiting 9 months for Monty to get his shot at Jarrett. Add another year to that and they'll risk missing the boat with Monty as badly as they missed the boat with Raven. IMO, Brown should've won the belt at Final Resolution or even Against All Odds. The build was there, the fans wanted it and a decent (i.e nothing like AJ's) run at the top would have cemented as a top tier guy for TNA. They've managed to make sense of Dusty's nonsensical turn by using as a way to build sympathy for Monty. He was focused on his goal, but was so frustrated that he turned to the enemy. He made it clear all along that he was no friend of Jarrett, and just wanted the shot. Now, he's having to make Jarrett upend his end of the deal, probably eventually with the help of Larry. Even though he hasn't officially turned yet, Monty's got the fans on his side (it remains to be seen if feuding with Christian helps that). When he does, everything will be in place for a money match with Jarrett. If they replace Monty with Christian, then by the time they get back to Monty's title win, it'll be anticlimatic like Raven's Slammiversary win. People were happy he won "in a hey, Raven's got the belt finally" kinda way, but there was no vested interest in him fufilling his destiny like there was when he took on Jarrett for the first time. So as much as I mark for Christian, I don't think they should throw away that long term plan just because he showed up. Christian doesn't need the belt to be over and the Christian/Monty feud will be money for TNA later when they are in their natural face/heel roles.

This was pretty much my initial reaction too, but now, I don't think it's such a bad idea. This will be Monty's highest profile match to date (even moreso than his previous title matches with Jarrett) and I have a feeling we'll see Bobby Roode costing Christian the match. Brown can claim he beat wrestling's hottest free agent, and Christian has a legitimate claim to a rematch once Brown wins the title and he disposes of Team Canada. It makes Brown look good for not being intimidated by the hype being Christian, and makes the world title look like a big deal since the only reason these two are feuding is because they both want the next shot. Tthe mic work here should be great, and Christian is the perfect guy to get Monty over enough to claim the title, kinda like Mick Foley said he viewed his role during the feud with the Rock b4 WM15 (for anyone who read his book).

And it puts Sabu over in the long run because although Abyss' one fear will be common knowledge, he'd be the only one crazy/hardcore enough to use it to his advantage. It's subtleties like that, which have come out with no promo time whatsoever, that make this feud so much better than Abyss/Hardy, which was really just "I like to jump from high places vs I like to put people through tables."

Hitman, when I clicked on the link, I got a German webpage. Am I doing something wrong?

Well I wouldn't say he did nothing. He had memorable feuds with AJ Styles and Sonny Siaki of all people, and a series of damn good matched with AJ as both a partner and opponent. After that, though, TNA dropped the ball with him and he got caught up in the revolving door.

I'd love to see that match too, but I have a feeling that we'll be seeing Christian take on Bobby Roode at Turning Point based on him being the one in Christian's face during the promo.

The show's a couple of hours away and no one had started one of these, so I figured I'd go ahead and get the discussion going. Here's the official TNA preview, ~SPOILER FREE~ of course. credit: TNAWrestling.com Looks like a good line-up. I have a feeling AJ/Petey are headed for schmooz ending, but the six man should be a fun little match and Joe killing Aries should be exciting as well. Thoughts?

Well I guess Midway announced the deal, but the point is that it's official, so sayeth PWI: Thoughts?

I was going to say that as well. Also, I'm surprised they haven't got a ceast and desist on the rip-off music (Duds, Kip James) since WWE is so lawsuit happy nowadays. But the guys they've put effort into over the years, there music works for me. I love Abyss, AJ and Jarrett's music...it's instantly recognizable to anyone who's been watching TNA for more than 3 minutes (of course, new viewers will take a while to recognize who's coming out, but even if they used real songs the same would be true. The pop would be for the song, not the worker). I like Primetime's music, loved the old XXX theme, and still get chills watching Raven's entrance at Destiny. I have always thought Monty and AMW's music could use a little work. Just my two cents though....

I was going to say that as well. Also, I'm surprised they haven't got a ceast and desist on the rip-off music (Duds, Kip James) since WWE is so lawsuit happy nowadays. But the guys they've put effort into over the years, there music works for me. I love Abyss, AJ and Jarrett's music...it's instantly recognizable to anyone who's been watching TNA for more than 3 minutes (of course, new viewers will take a while to recognize who's coming out, but even if they used real songs the same would be true. The pop would be for the song, not the worker). I like Primetime's music, loved the old XXX theme, and still get chills watching Raven's entrance at Destiny. I have always thought Monty and AMW's music could use a little work. Just my two cents though....

Saw this on PWI:

Mike Johnson wrote this about Christian's jump: Thoughts?

Meltz posted this today: Looks that's what they're going with. I gotta say that I like it. It's close enough to be recognizable (like Brother Ray and Brother D-Von), but doesn't require as much explaination. Marks will just think that was his last name that WWE never mentioned.

here's some more info on the rating from the torch: