If TNA goes 52 weeks

[Guest ShooterJay]

The NWA-TNA PPV deal is for 52 weeks, and with new investors, the chances of them lasting that long actually seem fairly strong (seriously, when was the last time we actually worried about buyrates? Week 8?)

 

That said, what happens if they do? Will they renew the deal, shut down, or try for free TV and restructure.

 

Personally, I think the fact that they lasted 52 weeks without free TV would be a VERY impressive statistic to TV networks, it shows they have a built-in, loyal fanbase. However, it seems that the networks will give anything EXCEPT wrestling a TV deal (Remember post-TNN ECW, when USA seemed like a sure thing, and the death of the WCW Fusient deal because Turner wouldn't guarantee TV, and also other "#2s" like MECW and XWF failing to get off the ground), so that's sort of in doubt.

 

What do you think?

[Guest Youth N Asia]

I don't think they can run 52 weeks of ppvs...I just don't think the fans interest will last that long with the product they're running.

 

I think they need to get on tv asap, they could still have big shows on ppvs...but I don't see this lasting another 40 or so weeks like this.

[Guest Mad Dog]

I think they'll have a tv deal by the time the 52 week contract expires.

 

Any company that can survive as long as they have on PPV will interest most networks. Plus Turner's probably just itching to get wrestling back on one of his stations.

[Guest job squad]

something tells me if they get near 45 weeks they will start talking about renewing the deal and they might take the xplosion show that they do to a national network

[Guest Last Warrior]

It really all depends on how well the WWE is doing.

 

If their ratings are up to abouve 4.5 and NWA:TNA is recieving the sort of buyrates they are now, then I think that they should be able to net a TV deal. Tv compsnies will think that if the biggest wrestling company in north america can't get good ratings then there simply isnt interest in wrestling and will not give a show to a glorified indy company. Regardless of the quality of the product. If this wasnt the case then they would need a huge name such as goldberg in order for TV companies to even look at them.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Curry Man Posted: Nov 1 2002, 12:51 PM

It really all depends on how well the WWE is doing.

 

If their ratings are up to abouve 4.5

 

I think it's safe to say WWE might not get up to a 4.5 in the span of 52 weeks.

 

I really don't think TNA is putting on solid entertainment now...the X stuff is still good, but I don't know for how long. Their heavyweight are just dull and boring right now.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

I think they'll have a tv deal by the time the 52 week contract expires.

 

Any company that can survive as long as they have on PPV will interest most networks. Plus Turner's probably just itching to get wrestling back on one of his stations.

It kinda depends on if Turner himself is running things again. If Kellner is still in the Turner Organization and still has some power, I highly doubt that TNA has a chance.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

No one's going to sign them to a TV deal until wrestling proves to be profitable again. Since the death of WCW, the entire notion of pro wrestling has been slowly slipping. Ratings for RAW are the mid 3's most weeks now. In 1999, when Raw was pulling upwards of 6 and 7 every week and Nitro was still getting low 3's, there was enough of a market to have 8 hours of wrestling programming a week. Not anymore.

 

The business end of everything seems to be in a downswing, no matter how cool the X Division is or how compelling Smackdown is lately. No network is going to spend a decent amount of money on a wrestling show if the only other wrestling show in America is doing very, very poorly.

[Guest Tony149]

I don't know shit about getting a TV deal, but do the networks have to pay for getting wrestling on the air? I know TNN pays WWE money to air RAW, but whoever took/takes a chance on TNA wouldn't own the company, and all TV networks care about is ratings. Anything above a 1.0 rating is probably good for any cable network.

 

I think TNA will try for a TV deal. Will they get it? I don't know. But if they did, I'm almost sure they'll set something up for their first big PPV event.

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

Maybe if they can make the weekly ppv profitable they will continue it. Then get a tv deal on saturdays kind of like they do now to attract viewers to the weekly ppvs for the bigger and longer matches.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

If turner does bring them to his network, maybe he will have learned from his previous mistakes.

[Guest Tony149]

Whose in control of the Turner networks? I thought Jamie Keller was, but I started seeing this talk of Turner himself back in charge.

 

If Turner is indeed back in charge, there might not be much trouble, since this time he doesn't own the company. And somebody who has experience running a fed (Jerry) is running TNA. Unless the new owners become too hands-on and screw themselves.