Hogan/TNA deal hinging on Hart getting ownership

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

The word is that Hulk Hogan's deal with NWA: TNA is hinging on how big a role TNA gives to Jimmy Hart. Hogan wants Hart to be given a major managerial role or even some ownership in the company. Hart continues to insist that he is working with boxing promoter Murad Muhammad on another wrestling project, but would team with TNA.

 

It is believed that Hart is the one who is putting together talks between TNA and WGN about airing TNA programming once a week on the network. It remains to be seen if TNA will pay WGN's high programming fee. Hart had also gotten the XWF into talks with WGN, but that promotion did not want to pay the high fees.

 

Credit: Pro-Wrestling Torch Newsletter

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Hopefully, TNA will have enough common sense to go "bye bye, Hulk."

[Guest TDinDC1112]

The word is that Hulk Hogan's deal with NWA: TNA is hinging on how big a role TNA gives to Jimmy Hart. Hogan wants Hart to be given a major managerial role or even some ownership in the company. Hart continues to insist that he is working with boxing promoter Murad Muhammad on another wrestling project, but would team with TNA.

 

It is believed that Hart is the one who is putting together talks between TNA and WGN about airing TNA programming once a week on the network. It remains to be seen if TNA will pay WGN's high programming fee. Hart had also gotten the XWF into talks with WGN, but that promotion did not want to pay the high fees.

 

Credit: Pro-Wrestling Torch Newsletter

WGN wanted XWF to pay them $60,000 a week to broadcast. For every PPV sale, TNA gets to keept $4. That means it would take 15,000 buys to pay for that price. Keep in mind that WGN is a regional (Chicago) cable network that is carried on Dish Network and Direct TV, but it's still only a regional cable network.

[geniusMoment 0]

Are you sure? Everywhere I have ever been WGN was available.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

Arent' they a Superstation like TBS? I used to have them on basic cable and have them on dish now.

[Guest Basswitch]

i dont have WGN.

 

I hope they dont get the deal. It would probably bankrupt them.

[1234-5678 0]

Hopefully, TNA will have enough common sense to go "bye bye, Hulk."

Since when does common sense and professional wrestling go together?

[King Cucaracha 0]

Man, Hogan is a genius. Jimmy'll get the job, Hogan won't do the job...and he'll get away with it again. Say what you will about Hogan, but the guy knows how to play the political game.

[Guest Frank_Nabbit]

Ed Leslie = Official TNA Barber

 

Hacksaw Duggan = Official TNA Janitor

 

Brain Nobbs = Official TNA Bouncer

[Michrome 0]

If I am correct, I believe outside of the 1 cent show only the first show and the first Sting appearance at the anniversary got 60,000 buys. However, the idea here is that the TV show would lead to a lot more buys, but I dont know if that will work out. If Panda is willing to take an initial loss, then they could try it.

[tommytomlin 0]

If I am correct, I believe outside of the 1 cent show only the first show and the first Sting appearance at the anniversary got 60,000 buys. However, the idea here is that the TV show would lead to a lot more buys, but I dont know if that will work out. If Panda is willing to take an initial loss, then they could try it.

60,000 buys?

[Michrome 0]

I'm sorry, I misspoke. replace "got 60,000 buys" with "got more than 15,000 buys" Don't know what I was thinking.

[Guest MikeSC]

The word is that Hulk Hogan's deal with NWA: TNA is hinging on how big a role TNA gives to Jimmy Hart. Hogan wants Hart to be given a major managerial role or even some ownership in the company. Hart continues to insist that he is working with boxing promoter Murad Muhammad on another wrestling project, but would team with TNA.

 

It is believed that Hart is the one who is putting together talks between TNA and WGN about airing TNA programming once a week on the network. It remains to be seen if TNA will pay WGN's high programming fee. Hart had also gotten the XWF into talks with WGN, but that promotion did not want to pay the high fees.

 

Credit: Pro-Wrestling Torch Newsletter

WGN wanted XWF to pay them $60,000 a week to broadcast. For every PPV sale, TNA gets to keept $4. That means it would take 15,000 buys to pay for that price. Keep in mind that WGN is a regional (Chicago) cable network that is carried on Dish Network and Direct TV, but it's still only a regional cable network.

Sad thing is, it COULD end up making WGN money if the company makes it big. But, as usual, TV execs are too darned lazy to actually try and grow a program a little.

-=Mike

...Then again, Tribune owns WGN and they haven't made a smart decision, well, ever

[Guest Burning Hammer]

You do realize that the smart decision here would be to tell Hogan and Jimmy Hart to go fuck themselves and spend the money they would have had to spend on them on the WGN tv slot, as long as the slot is a decent prime time slot. Another thought to this is not to show it weekly initially but once every two weeks or once a month as a special attraction. Advertise for that and try to draw in new viewers that way. If it works you have the possibility of some tv station coming in to offer you money to be on their station. If it doesn't work you are done. Which is the exact same position you'd be in with the Hogan situation and the money you'd have to pay towards that. Except with this deal you actually get a shot at drawing new viewers and the Hogan deal doesn't do shit for you except bring in tired old talent that nobody will pay for anymore.

[Cuban Linx 0]

No good will come of Hart & Hogan getting any substantial control/ownership of TNA. No good at all.

[Guest MikeSC]

You do realize that the smart decision here would be to tell Hogan and Jimmy Hart to go fuck themselves and spend the money they would have had to spend on them on the WGN tv slot, as long as the slot is a decent prime time slot. Another thought to this is not to show it weekly initially but once every two weeks or once a month as a special attraction. Advertise for that and try to draw in new viewers that way. If it works you have the possibility of some tv station coming in to offer you money to be on their station. If it doesn't work you are done. Which is the exact same position you'd be in with the Hogan situation and the money you'd have to pay towards that. Except with this deal you actually get a shot at drawing new viewers and the Hogan deal doesn't do shit for you except bring in tired old talent that nobody will pay for anymore.

Oh, giving Hogan and Hart power would be asinine. It'd be about as bad as JJ having the power he has, honestly.

 

I was referring to WGN, though. You have a shot at a wrestling program. Wrestling, warts and all, tends to draw decent numbers --- almost certainly better than ANYTHING on WGN that doesn't involve pro sports. So, rather than use a small promotion and help to build them up so they can make your network a lot of money (see WWE and TNN), they wish to treat them as paid programming.

 

TNA should NOT go that route. You can't stay viable doing that. Ask ECW.

-=Mike

[Guest Dave O'Neill, Journalist]

Dave's Daily TNA Bitch:

 

Not gonna comment on this WGN deal, since I don't even know what sorta network WGN is, I've never heard of it before.

 

But as for Hogan - Hart. ARE YOU INSANE. God sake, itll be the XWF all over again if TNA gives him a job. Just tell them to fuck off.

 

Of course, this is the same promotion that Sting talked into signing Luger

[Guest TDinDC1112]

You do realize that the smart decision here would be to tell Hogan and Jimmy Hart to go fuck themselves and spend the money they would have had to spend on them on the WGN tv slot, as long as the slot is a decent prime time slot.  Another thought to this is not to show it weekly initially but once every two weeks or once a month as a special attraction.  Advertise for that and try to draw in new viewers that way.  If it works you have the possibility of some tv station coming in to offer you money to be on their station.  If it doesn't work you are done.  Which is the exact same position you'd be in with the Hogan situation and the money you'd have to pay towards that.  Except with this deal you actually get a shot at drawing new viewers and the Hogan deal doesn't do shit for you except bring in tired old talent that nobody will pay for anymore.

Oh, giving Hogan and Hart power would be asinine. It'd be about as bad as JJ having the power he has, honestly.

 

I was referring to WGN, though. You have a shot at a wrestling program. Wrestling, warts and all, tends to draw decent numbers --- almost certainly better than ANYTHING on WGN that doesn't involve pro sports. So, rather than use a small promotion and help to build them up so they can make your network a lot of money (see WWE and TNN), they wish to treat them as paid programming.

 

TNA should NOT go that route. You can't stay viable doing that. Ask ECW.

-=Mike

I've always been curious as to why ESPN2 doesn't air wrestling. Their shows only get around a 0.5 rating. Sportscenter, ESPN's flagship doesn't do Shit in ratings. Even if a promotion pulled a 0.9 like ECW did, they'd bet doing way better than anything else they have.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Because wrestling's **GASP!** fake.

[OldSchoolWrestling 0]

I'm sure AWA, World Class and Global soured them on showing wrestling.

[Guest Burning Hammer]

TNA should NOT go that route. You can't stay viable doing that. Ask ECW

 

The way I see things is that TNA can't stay viable without getting tv if they spend money on Hogan/Hart. If they are going to spend such a large sum of money on Hogan and then spend money on marketing his orange skinned ass they should use that money to buy a slot on WGN and then use the marketing money to market the crap out of their run on WGN. They can attempt to prove on their own that they can draw a solid cable rating (somewhere around a 1.0) and see if there are any takers for that. If there isn't a taker for a now proven cable wrestling show then any competition that rises up against McMahon is fucked until somebody decides that wrestling is right for their network.

 

What I think they should do is to tell Hogan to fuck off and not buy airtime on WGN and spend the money on marketing themselves more aggresively in an attempt to build up their visibility. Exactly how they should market themselves I do not know but I'm sure plenty of people have ideas for that.

[Michrome 0]

From what I've read, if they DO get the slot on WGN, they would just air explosion there and keep the wednesday show as their main. I don't see how this would help anything.

[Guest MikeSC]

From what I've read, if they DO get the slot on WGN, they would just air explosion there and keep the wednesday show as their main. I don't see how this would help anything.

There is a slim chance they could build up the weekly shows with the "free" show.

 

I mean, I DOUBT they will =--- but it is a possibility.

-=Mike

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Fuck Hogan

 

Fuck Hart

 

.....that is all.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

dynamite, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite posters...

 

DIE, MANTEL, DIE!

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

dynamite, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite posters...

 

DIE, MANTEL, DIE!

well, kudos to you my friend. As a favor to me would it be too much to ask that you put Hogan and Jimmy Hart on the FUCK list? And yes, DIE MANTEL DIE!!!!

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

The problem with the FUCK list is that it requires half of my allotted signature space as-is. Once AMW does something noteworthy (like, say, NOT dog it in the ring just because they're jobbing), I'll take 'em out and put in Hogan. Not Hart, though. I like Jimmy, for some reason...

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Alright, it doesn't hurt to ask though does it?

[Guest MikeSC]

The problem with the FUCK list is that it requires half of my allotted signature space as-is. Once AMW does something noteworthy (like, say, NOT dog it in the ring just because they're jobbing), I'll take 'em out and put in Hogan. Not Hart, though. I like Jimmy, for some reason...

I know why you like Jimmy.

 

He came up with Three Count.

 

That makes up for a lot of bad.

 

And, Mantel is crap thus far. I hope he proves me wrong --- but I doubt he will.

-=Mike

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

^3Count, and his awesome ripoff themes in WCW (mostly countless versions of "The Zoo," which is a favorite tune of mine).