TNA Notes from the 2/23 Observer

[Enigma 0]

InDemand had a listing for the “Bound For Glory” PPV on 4/4/04 and lists Randy Savage and Chynna (new spelling) as the big stars on the show, which speaks volumes about its own belief in its own stars. It is now official that there won’t be a PPV on that date and there is no new date scheduled. This makes the third date they’ve proposed to the cable industry for a major show that they’ve cancelled on, which has to be doing wonders for company credibility. There was concern a few weeks back when they realized it was two days after what was expected to be a strong UFC show, but there’s always going to be something going on. The rumors are that virtually all the stars they were considering using were not coming together. Savage’s people, as noted last week, were claiming he had no deal. Nash started watching the show, because he was wanting to familiarize himself with the product before coming in, and felt most everything about it except Mike Tenay were minor league. Roddy Piper was on Chet Coppock’s radio show on 2/15/04 and never once mentioned TNA, but made multiple references to working for ROH. He was not as negative on WWE as you’d think, and seemed to be hinting about wanting to do Mania.

 

Joanie Laurer is also out of the picture, but I’m not sure the two are related. The company decided on 2/17/04 not to use her on 2/18/04 due to late demands from her side and the decision that since the plan was for a long term program, that they didn’t trust she’d be around long enough. Laurer made it clear in negotiations that she’s not interested in doing anything physical, and didn’t like the idea of feuding with Trinity, which was proposed to her, as their way to make Trinity a star. Things were falling apart all weekend. Laurer is also back together with Sean Waltman, which may surprise a lot of people but I can’t say it was that surprising, since even when things were their worst between them and their problems were making headlines a few months back, Waltman had talked about being back with her.

 

In addition, Fort Campbell officially turned down the 4/4/04 show. Bill Behrens was running around trying to find them a new building, and we have heard the Georgia Mountain Center in Gainesville, GA, was contacted about possibly housing the show.

 

It’s funny, because over the past week, I saw two cable commercials for the Wednesday shows. One was a promo by Hulk Hogan, which at this point by still running it (and they ran during the preview show as late as this past week), they are misleading people into thinking Hogan is still with them. The other was a commercial for the Wednesday shows saying TNA is the only place to see Sting, implying Sting is wrestling on the shows every Wednesday. It’s really sad. Plus, the worst part is that anyone who buys a show based on those commercials is going to be mad, even if the show is good, because they’ll think they’ve been swerved and have a bad taste in their mouths.

 

The plan for a TNA vs. IWA deal on the next taped show look to be dead because IWA signed an exclusive deal with a New York investment firm to promote them in the U.S.

 

Jeff Jarrett has been in the middle of some controversy regarding independent bookings. The first stems from the 1/25/04 Ocala, FL match against Dory Funk. Funk made the deal through Bob Ryder, who he has worked with as a writer on Ryder’s web site for years. The two had an arrangement where Funk would write columns on the site in exchange for Ryder’s 1Wrestling.com site promoting Funk’s wrestling school and promotion. Funk and Ryder reached a deal for Jarrett to defend the NWA Title against Funk for $2,000. Jarrett’s wife was due to deliver that week and wasn’t that hot about leaving her for an independent booking. The Funk side claimed they believed that TNA would promote the event on its web site, television show, and PPVs. I believe there were some mentions on the web site in some of the columns that Jarrett would be going there. There was no mention on the TV or PPV shows ahead of time. There was a plan to air footage of the Jarrett/Funk match in highlight form on the PPV on 1/28/04, however there were problems from the TNA side with the footage they shot. They had asked for footage from the Funks, who taped the show, for 2/4/04, but never got a tape. Funk was said to have wanted a 30-minute match when he got there. Jarrett wanted to go home at 13:00, but they compromised at 18:00 when, as booked, Adam Windsor turned heel on Funk and cost him the title. However, the show only drew 190 fans and $1,800, not even enough to pay Jarrett, let alone the rest of the workers on the card. Funk stopped payment on the check to Jarrett claiming his side didn’t promote the show enough, as well as stopped payment of a check to Ryder for about $550 in travel expenses. Jerry Jarrett, who has a business relationship with Funk dating back 30 years or more, claimed it wasn’t a TNA business deal but a business deal between Ryder, Jeff, and Funk, when asked about the lack of promotion on their end. This led to Ryder dropping Funk from his web site after his bank called about the check, and apparently dropping Funk from some sort of a trading card deal he’d put together with former wrestling legends. The other was from a 2/14/04 show in Anderson, SC where Jarrett was billed as the top star at a Universal Championship Wrestling TV taping. Jarrett wasn’t there, however those close to him say it wasn’t a no-show, but that they had never agreed on a price for the show so no deal had been made.

 

Regarding Don Callis leaving the promotion, as noted last week, Callis got a job in international trade and the offer was too strong to justify turning it down. Callis had decided in 2001 (I think he and maybe Jim Mitchell were the only ones who learned a lesson that year) that he wanted to make sure he was never dependent upon wrestling for his living, so he went back to school and got an MBA. Callis offered to put over Erik Watts on the way out, but Jarrett nixed it, because they had already booked the idea of Vince Russo shocking everyone as the babyface DOA, and Callis losing would ruin the planned storyline.

 

Spanky and Kanyon have both been talked with, but WWE is forcing both to wait out the 90-day non-compete time period in their contracts before they can start here. WWE allows guys to do independents and international shows, so really it is only TNA affected by the non-compete.

 

Jonny Fairplay did get a brief mention of TNA during the CBS Early Show on 2/12/04. Fairplay mainly cut a promo on Rupert from Survivor. While Rupert has not agreed to anything, nor negotiated anything, Fairplay has told the company he thinks he can get a match with Rupert. It couldn’t be for several months as Rupert isn’t allowed to do any TV until Survivor All-Stars is over.

 

Teddy Hart and Harry Smith are headed in on 2/25/04.

 

CREDIT: Dave Meltzer & the Wrestling Observer Newsletter

[geniusMoment 0]

I cannot wait for the day when TNA dies. Hopefully in a couple of months when this promotion goes under someone will sign their talent and produce a good show. This promotion is pathetic. Congratulations to Callis for getting out of that rat infested hell-hole of a company. Die TNA Die!!!

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I cannot wait for the day when TNA dies.  Hopefully in a couple of months when this promotion goes under someone will sign their talent and produce a good show.  This promotion is pathetic.  Congratulations to Callis for getting out of that rat infested hell-hole of a company.  Die TNA Die!!!

The only people you are hurting are the workers themselves.

 

NO ONE ELSE RUNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.

 

If WWE wanted these guys, they'd already have been there.

 

So all you are doing is costing them 4 paychecks a month that they can not make up anywhere else.

 

Why does TNA hurt you? You don't have to watch it...

[Michrome 0]

PLus, if TNA dies, Japan will swallow up Daniels, Punk, and Styles, and we wouldn't get to see them in RoH.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

I cannot wait for the day when TNA dies. Hopefully in a couple of months when this promotion goes under someone will sign their talent and produce a good show. This promotion is pathetic. Congratulations to Callis for getting out of that rat infested hell-hole of a company. Die TNA Die!!!

You cannot wait for the day? Why, what do you win when that happens? Is someone forcing you to pay $10 a week right now to watch it, and when they "die," you'll be saving money. "Die TNA Die" is so constructive. Way to bring some intelligent dialogue to the message board buddy. If TNA dies, like Michrome said, you will not see these guys.

 

Do you realize that ROH benefits by TNA existing? When guys signed TNA contracts, they couldn't go to WWE anymore. Also, they are getting 4 more paychecks a month that THEY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE ELSE.

 

And why is it rat-infested and a hell hole?

 

 

Mediocre wrestling > No wrestling

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I cannot wait for the day when TNA dies. Hopefully in a couple of months when this promotion goes under someone will sign their talent and produce a good show. This promotion is pathetic. Congratulations to Callis for getting out of that rat infested hell-hole of a company. Die TNA Die!!!

So 80some weeks later you're starting to sound like a broken record there kid. At this point the indy market needs TNA to give a spotlight to some of their guys. Can you really say a federation like Ring of Honor hasn't benefitted from TNA turning AJ Styles and various others into bigger names?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I wouldn't say that's why RoH benefits. RoH benefits because Styles is ALWAYS in the US and can be booked easily. That wouldn't be the case if it weren't for TNA. Same thing goes for everyone else under contract.

 

Smaller indys benefit too...they can run with Chris Sabin as a main eventer instead of having to pay the big money to a Raven or Styles.

[geniusMoment 0]

Do I need to explain everything to you guys? The way it works is simple. As long as TNA is around most of those guys are locked into contracts of some form, thereby making it impossible to sign all of them to exclusive deals. If TNA would go out of business talent would flood the market and it would become much more likely that a new start up promotion would begin. One with a shot of actually producing a good show. By the way I do not buy the show, I have a black box and still do not watch the show because TNA sucks balls.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Didn't you ever learn from Dave O Neill Asshole how much of a fool you look like when you say dumb shit about a promotion you admit to not watching? TNA is the first big startup since WCW to be a success. Remember how big MECW, XWF and the WWA were supposed to be. They had similar talent pools and all failed. TNA has something no other small fed will get for a long time, a coperate backer that gets tax breaks while they lose money and then get to reap the benefits if they start making money.

[geniusMoment 0]

Actually I watched TNA for an extended period of time and eventually got sick of the crap on my screen. From all accounts the show has only gotten worse.

[geniusMoment 0]

Also, just because other promotions with good talent pools failed it means I am supposed to like TNA, and hope they prosper. I do not hope they prosper, hopefully the next promotion will be a success and produce a good product. Unlike who you just mentioned I would have liked nothing more than for TNA to have been a huge success, giving WWE some competition. That just is not happening, and will not happen with the state of their product. My only hope is that the next promotion utilizes its talent in an entertaining fashion, or TNA completely changes, actually producing quality television.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Two examples...

 

XWF

 

WWA

 

 

Two "promotions looking to become the new #2". Where are they now?

 

 

And I'd kill myself the day I see Chris Sabin, A.J. Styles, or Christopher Daniels booked in ANY FORM on WWE Television.

[geniusMoment 0]

Guess what, those two promotions sucked as well. I do not want TNA to close just to open a sucky promotion. I want TNA to close because it gives another promotion a chance to become number 2. One more thing, I realize that nobody wants to hear someone constantly complaining, ruining all of the threads. So I will confine all of my TNA hate to this thread.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Guess what, those two promotions sucked as well. I do not want TNA to close just to open a sucky promotion. I want TNA to close because it gives another promotion a chance to become number 2. One more thing, I realize that nobody wants to hear someone constantly complaining, ruining all of the threads. So I will confine all of my TNA hate to this thread.

I have a somewhat helpful suggestion:

 

A One and Only "Whats Wrong with TNA" thread. You do not want to be the next Dave O'Neill....fake Journalist.

[Guest Devin]

What does TNA being in business have to do with another company starting up? This company you're looking forward to can just as easilly start up now, with TNA in business. TNA is in no way stopping any other promotions from starting, or even from using the same workers as TNA.

[eirejmcmahon 0]

TNA is the first big startup since WCW to be a success.

It's not a success.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

Do I need to explain everything to you guys? The way it works is simple. As long as TNA is around most of those guys are locked into contracts of some form, thereby making it impossible to sign all of them to exclusive deals. If TNA would go out of business talent would flood the market and it would become much more likely that a new start up promotion would begin. One with a shot of actually producing a good show. By the way I do not buy the show, I have a black box and still do not watch the show because TNA sucks balls.

You are just factually wrong buddy. Stop posting and making a fool of yourself.

[syxx2001 0]

TNA isnt a failure either. It been around longer than people expected, 2 weeks - 2 months. And dont give me no shit about their financial backer. The backer is the same as a life support machine or an organ donor. You dont go around saying "Well, if it wasn't for Jim B. getting killed, he wouldn't have that new liver" so why say it now?

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I never understood this mentality GM. Why would you EVER want a wrestling promotion to fail if you are a true wrestling fan??? Give me one good reason. There is NO other organization out there with the money or power to try and be the number two promotion, even if TNA closed it's doors. The fact of the matter is if you don't like a promotion, don't watch it. In your case though, don't bash something if you don't watch it. PERIOD. As you will lose all credibility here.

[Enigma 0]

To geniusMoment's credit, it has gotten progressively worse. TNA has been total garbage since Dutch Mantell started as main booker.

[geniusMoment 0]

Guess what, you guys are factually challenged not me. A lot of TNA guys have signed contracts, that is a fact. This prevents guys from working full time for another potential start up promotion on a full time basis, that is a fact. If TNA goes out of business the talent will be totally free and flood the market making it more likely to entice a money mark to start up a new promotion, that is a fact. I see no hope in TNA ever being any good, that is why I want them to die. They have a lot of talent tied up in contracts, that lets them work dates for other companies but if a major money mark tried to sign all of the good talent full time I am sure TNA would have a problem with it. You guys call me stupid or an idiot when I bring the facts and you have none. I did watch the show for the better part of a year and a couple of months, don't tell me I do not know whether the product is good or not when I read the same things are still wrong now that were wrong when I watched the product.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Guess what, you guys are factually challenged not me. A lot of TNA guys have signed contracts, that is a fact. This prevents guys from working full time for another potential start up promotion on a full time basis, that is a fact. If TNA goes out of business the talent will be totally free and flood the market making it more likely to entice a money mark to start up a new promotion, that is a fact. I see no hope in TNA ever being any good, that is why I want them to die. They have a lot of talent tied up in contracts, that lets them work dates for other companies but if a major money mark tried to sign all of the good talent full time I am sure TNA would have a problem with it. You guys call me stupid or an idiot when I bring the facts and you have none. I did watch the show for the better part of a year and a couple of months, don't tell me I do not know whether the product is good or not when I read the same things are still wrong now that were wrong when I watched the product.

Excuse me stupid, EVERYONE was allowed to hold out on contracts incase they wanted to look for work in WWE, the ONLY big company. No one did, they all signed a contract that keeps them OUT of the WWE, but working anywhere else they choose.

 

Even Vince McMahon commented on a few talent, including AMW, who were as I recall "Too vanilla and sounded too southern." Ok I made up the southern part, but if Vince wanted ANY OF THEM so bad, he had about a year to do it.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

Guess what, you guys are factually challenged not me. A lot of TNA guys have signed contracts, that is a fact. This prevents guys from working full time for another potential start up promotion on a full time basis, that is a fact. If TNA goes out of business the talent will be totally free and flood the market making it more likely to entice a money mark to start up a new promotion, that is a fact. I see no hope in TNA ever being any good, that is why I want them to die. They have a lot of talent tied up in contracts, that lets them work dates for other companies but if a major money mark tried to sign all of the good talent full time I am sure TNA would have a problem with it. You guys call me stupid or an idiot when I bring the facts and you have none. I did watch the show for the better part of a year and a couple of months, don't tell me I do not know whether the product is good or not when I read the same things are still wrong now that were wrong when I watched the product.

Why didn't those TNA contracts prevent Chris Daniels, Raven, and CM Punk from appearing weakly on MLW TV nationwide?

 

You honestly think there's someone out there saying, "I have the money and know-how to start a wrestling promtion and I'm all set, but that damn TNA has all the guys I want to use signed up so I can't do it." Get a clue.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

If TNA was to die today it would probably take another year for any other promotion to even get a good television deal. You think it's easy putting together a wrestling promotion from scratch, and then having to secure financial backing and a television deal? Major League Wrestling, although I liked them, tried the lightning-fast approach and failed. World Wrestling All-Stars tried the lightning fast approach and they failed as well. Ring of Honor is probably the smartest promotion by taking it slow and slowly expanding out of the Northeast.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

If TNA was to die today it would probably take another year for any other promotion to even get a good television deal. You think it's easy putting together a wrestling promotion from scratch, and then having to secure financial backing and a television deal? Major League Wrestling, although I liked them, tried the lightning-fast approach and failed. World Wrestling All-Stars tried the lightning fast approach and they failed as well. Ring of Honor is probably the smartest promotion by taking it slow and slowly expanding out of the Northeast.

If RoH had ANY kind of T.V deal so I could watch then I'd be happy.

 

 

Maybe if Ted Turner bought TNA and has his broadcast channels he can make TNA #2 in half a minute. But His last promotion died eventaulyl for buying old farts who had giant egos.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

If TNA was to die today it would probably take another year for any other promotion to even get a good television deal.  You think it's easy putting together a wrestling promotion from scratch, and then having to secure financial backing and a television deal?  Major League Wrestling, although I liked them, tried the lightning-fast approach and failed.  World Wrestling All-Stars tried the lightning fast approach and they failed as well.  Ring of Honor is probably the smartest promotion by taking it slow and slowly expanding out of the Northeast.

If RoH had ANY kind of T.V deal so I could watch then I'd be happy.

 

 

Maybe if Ted Turner bought TNA and has his broadcast channels he can make TNA #2 in half a minute. But His last promotion died eventaulyl for buying old farts who had giant egos.

No, they died because someone named Brad Siegel decided he didn't like wrestling anymore.

[geniusMoment 0]

Those contracts did not prevent wrestlers from appearing on other shows because they were not full time, MLW only ran a couple of shows, ever. The performers who have deals elsewhere, Japan, that prevent them from working TNA are not pushed, and rightfully so. How do you know it would take so long for a new start up promotion to start? I did not say a new company would get a national television deal, they would probably have to begin with a good game plan and a strong syndication network.

[geniusMoment 0]

Agree or disagree with me, thats fine everyone has opinions, but are there any of your points I have not been able to answer?

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Agree or disagree with me, thats fine everyone has opinions, but are there any of your points I have not been able to answer?

No, you have answered everyones points with your own without the childish Dave O'Neill comebacks of...

 

1.) TNA sucks. I haven't seen something this bad since AWA.

2.)( Jeff Jarrett sucks.

3.) Daddys boy is champ all the time

 

But wanting a promotion fighting to survive to keel over is just...I don't know, stupid.

[geniusMoment 0]

Why, the only reason I want TNA to die is because I see no hope of them getting any better. Sure the chance that a new promotion would start and be successful is small, but to me small is better than none. That is honestly how I feel about TNA. If given the choice between TNA putting on great shows week after week or TNA failing, I would pick the great shows option. I want competition for WWE, I have just lost all hope that TNA will ever be it.