FSN TV Deal Finalized

[Guest CubbyBear]

Jeff Jarrett told UFC officials that the television deal with Fox Sports Network has been finalized. Jarrett met with UFC officials two weeks ago in Las Vegas at the site of the UFC pay-per-view event. Jarrett pitched the idea of doing an inter-promotional angle and some cross-promotional opportunities. UFC’s Dana White passed on both offers, as he said it wouldn’t be a good idea for UFC to get involved with a pro wrestling company. During the meetings, Jarrett told White that the UFC deal had been finalized and spoke of June as the starting date. The latest word on the TV schedule for TNA is that they will tape bi-weekly in Orlando, Fla. for FSN, and will be dropping the weekly pay-per-views in favor of airing monthly events. This means the wrestlers would work the same number of dates they are now. Although most wrestlers believed they would be working four dates per month when they signed their TNA contracts, they have been working three per month ever since TNA started pre-taping the America’s X Cup shows.

 

-PWTorch

[Lightning Flik 0]

So TNA is really going to be on TV now? Interesting.

[Placebo Effect 0]

Well, that's awesome. Let's hope this actually works out.

[Michrome 0]

Wow, 3 dates a month. I wonder if the workers will actually get a raise, or if they're going to continue getting lousy wages. It's a good thing for wrestling fans, and not-so-good a thing for the workers. TNA advertised itself to the workers as a chance at 4 extra dates per month on top of their current dates. Now it will be 3 dates a month, and they can't work the highest paying indy in the country. Great.

[Guest TDinDC1112]

1. This was in the Observer last week.

 

2. Until TNA and Fox announces it, believe nothing. When dealing with wrestling and TV, until it happens, it hasn't happened.

 

3. TNA really needs to step up to the plate and start paying these guys some more money. Did you guys see the item on pwinsider.com about wanting to control all their bookings? Jess McGrath has been reporting on the elite audio section lately that he feels (and it's just his opinon) that the second TNA gets this deal, they are going to start acting as if their shit don't stink and they're the king of the world. I have no problem with what they want to do ---- IF they start paying these guys. They sold themselves in the beginning to the wrestlers as an opportunity to work Wednesday's and that the boys would still have their weekends to pick up bookings. I'm starting to fall off the bandwagon.

[Guest OSIcon]

Wow, 3 dates a month. I wonder if the workers will actually get a raise, or if they're going to continue getting lousy wages. It's a good thing for wrestling fans, and not-so-good a thing for the workers. TNA advertised itself to the workers as a chance at 4 extra dates per month on top of their current dates. Now it will be 3 dates a month, and they can't work the highest paying indy in the country. Great.

 

According to Buck Woodward, they are seriously toying with the idea of giving out weekly salaries. The idea is that TNA would assume full booking control of all the wrestlers and the wrestlers wouldn't mind not working other indies because they would be getting a weekly salary from TNA.

 

The potential problem with that, as Buck says, is that some workers could have to take a pay cut depending on what the weekly salary is. If Raven takes one more date each week in addition to TNA, TNA would have to pay him his weekly TNA pay plus the 1,500 dollars he gets per indy booking in order for him to maintain the same income. I'm not sure if TNA has the money to pay each worker enough to make up for their missed indy bookings, which is what they would have to do in this case in order to keep everyone happy.

 

I'm still not getting how a TV deal is a good thing. Despite what some people have said, there will be virtually NO MONEY for TNA in terms of advertising. First off, advertising money doesn't go striaght to the show. I don't know the exact breakdown or anything, but a lot of advertising money goes to the Network. Not to mention that I would imagine TNA will get a lot of advertisers that are looking to advterise with FSN, rather than TNA specifically. The reality is advertisers are not going to be dumping loads of cash into TNA's driveway in order to advertise during their show. So again, they are left with pretty much only one PPV a month to make up the majority of their revenue.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Oh don't get me wrong. Unless TNA steps up the pay, they'll have a lot of workers leaving in two years. This will definitely be interesting to see what happens as we get closer to June.

Edited April 17, 2004 by Lightning Flik

[Styles 0]

Yeah, this was in last week's Observer. Again, until TNA and FSN publish a press release, its not official but all signs point to it happening, which will be awesome. Again I hope Comcast Sportsnet picks it up, since that's the regional sports channel both in the DC/Baltimore and Philly areas where I split my time and they pick up some shows from FSN, so I hope they do for TNA.

Anyway this will be only good news! I would think there would be a pay hike since they'll have extra revenues from the ad time they can sell. Anyway they're only working 3 dates a month now anyway since they started taping the X cup shows...

[Lightning Flik 0]

Actually signs point to it sticking as WWE aren't letting any of their wrestlers get pinned by TNA wrestlers.

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Actually signs point to it sticking as WWE aren't letting any of their wrestlers get pinned by TNA wrestlers.

He won't let anyone WRESTLE them, let alone job to them.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

It makes sense that Vince doesn't want footage he doesn't own of Truth facing Snow.

 

TNA could just buy the footage and air it.