A long rant about the state of TNA

[TNABaddboi 0]

Same with the AFL and NFL

 

This is actually the best example of two enties in the same genre NOT competing. While both present football, the NFL and the AFL have very distinct audiences and have never once competed in 18 years, which is why the AFL has survived. Hell, about 5 or 6 AFL teams are now owned by NFL owners, which further proves that they aren't competing. Every other football league that competed with the NFL tanked (USFL, XFL) because they were presenting the exact same product, only with less talented players. This is a trap TNA could easily fall into, but thankly to this point they have not. The AFL on the other hand, is football, but it's an entirely different brand of football. There's a 50 yard field, nets and players play both ways. Some may scoff and say this isn't really football or this is a gimmick (like TNA's 6 sided ring, Ultimate X matches or fondess for spotfests), but the fans that do stick around will do so because its something they can't see anywhere else that still fills their wrestling need. They have enough innovations where it's like, it's wrestling, but it's different, thus having a chance to give the average person a reason to watch something other than what they normally watch.

[Guest TheJewof2001]

You could not be more incorrect. Impact is, when it's all said and done, an infomercial. No different than the exercise machine infomercials you see in the morning. They pay $30,000/week to air the show. The moment the check doesn't clear is the moment they cease to air.

 

TNA sells ad time on their show to try and recoup a little money. That's why FSN doesn't ever replay their show or anything.

-=Mike

Hmm, I remember reading that they signed a one year contract.

 

If you read back through the folder some, you'll find that there are several posters who have been to the park and watched the show. They went through a seperate entrance, and didn't have to buy into the park. If you don't believe it because WON or PWInsider didn't say it, then I'm sorry.

Actually, I thought you read that on another site.

 

If some of the people have been there themself and said that, then my bad.

 

But there are some people who go to Impact that are on vacation. I'd say it is about 50/50.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Hmm, I remember reading that they signed a one year contract.

 

They did sign a one year contract, but in it, they agreed to pay X amount of dollars per week to be broadcasted. I don't know if they paid the lump sum up front or it they pay per week, but it was widely reported that they are paying to be broadcasted.

[Guest TheJewof2001]

Ohhhh okay, I get it now.

[treble 0]

Same with the AFL and NFL

 

This is actually the best example of two enties in the same genre NOT competing. While both present football, the NFL and the AFL have very distinct audiences and have never once competed in 18 years, which is why the AFL has survived. Hell, about 5 or 6 AFL teams are now owned by NFL owners, which further proves that they aren't competing. Every other football league that competed with the NFL tanked (USFL, XFL) because they were presenting the exact same product, only with less talented players. This is a trap TNA could easily fall into, but thankly to this point they have not. The AFL on the other hand, is football, but it's an entirely different brand of football. There's a 50 yard field, nets and players play both ways. Some may scoff and say this isn't really football or this is a gimmick (like TNA's 6 sided ring, Ultimate X matches or fondess for spotfests), but the fans that do stick around will do so because its something they can't see anywhere else that still fills their wrestling need. They have enough innovations where it's like, it's wrestling, but it's different, thus having a chance to give the average person a reason to watch something other than what they normally watch.

I think he meant the old American Football League as opposed to Arena Football.

[Guest Donners]

And why is TNA treating Impact! like a WWE Heat show? After watching this week's show and other Impact shows it seems like TNA isn't trying hard enough to attract viewers. TNA only has one show on National TV and there not taking advantage of it. The differance between Impact and Heat is people already know the wrestlers by watching Raw and they know how to react to them. Impact on the other hand has only one show and it's a paying show so the crowd in Orlando doesn't know who the wrestlers are (besides AJ, Jarrett, D'lo, and Sabu) because TNA doesn't let them cut promos and establish themselves to the audience who haven't ordered the shows. It's sad when the only reasons the Orlando crowd knows who to cheer for is by the heel and face entrances and by Jeremy telling them before the show starts. TNA needs to treat Impact! like they don't have a PPV show. I don't mind if Impact only has 3 matches if it means the wrestlers can come out to cut promos and create their characters. Team Canada doesn't even get the crowd heat it should because they don't come out and cut anti-American promos. The crowd doesn't even know that when Ron Killings wrestle for the PPV crowd that chant "Truth". They don't know that David Young is on a losing streak. If TNA doesn't change the direction of Impact! in the next 2 months (summer ends) I don't see them lasting too long on TV.

There are two problems with this comment, as I see it.

 

1) The bottom line is that TNA does have a weekly PPV, and cannot ignore that. That means they need to find a perfect balance between giving people enough to keep them entertained and interested in the product, yet not enough so that they are satisfied, and thus don't need to buy a PPV when they've already seen enough good wrestling for free. I don't think it's an achievable balance, but I can certainly understand them not turning out outstanding shows on Impact.

 

2) Building a bit of personality for the wrestlers is nice, but remember the whole premise TNA is built on, in their advertising at least. An ad during Raw, for instance, asked, "Are you ready for less talk and more action?" An increased number of promos would cut back on the matches, and remove a key distinction between TNA and WWE - not to mention directly contradict their advertising. I think a better solution would be to have the commentators expand on the wrestlers' background and character during the matches. It may not work so well for the live crowd, but would at least help the viewers.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

2) Building a bit of personality for the wrestlers is nice, but remember the whole premise TNA is built on, in their advertising at least. An ad during Raw, for instance, asked, "Are you ready for less talk and more action?" An increased number of promos would cut back on the matches, and remove a key distinction between TNA and WWE - not to mention directly contradict their advertising. I think a better solution would be to have the commentators expand on the wrestlers' background and character during the matches. It may not work so well for the live crowd, but would at least help the viewers.

The problem is that commentating doesn't do as much as a brief promo does. Especially not for the live crowd. I'm all about not having long HHH/JJ like segments in the show, and not having Tenay and West pimp the weekly PPV for minutes at a time since we see all the damned commercials. Here's my solution:

 

They should tell during the pimp time on the PPV that they need to tune into IMPACT because there are only 2, or 3 matches decided for next weeks PPV. Then, on IMPACT, instead of showing the commercials throughout the show with the whole card, have two or three, and then throughout the show have brief moments that set up matches for Wednesday night.

 

EXAMPLE: During the AMW match a few weeks ago, after the Naturals stole the tag titles, we should have seen them backstagecelebrating the fact that they stole the belts, and then leaving. AMW should then cut a brief promo on them, asking for a special match. Later in the show, when West and Tenay are pimping the PPV, they could announce that the AMW-Naturals match has been announced, and then the double ladder stipulation added to it.

 

Doing more things like this makes IMPACT watchable. If you remove the Jeff Jarrett BlowJob segment, then it's still the same match lengths. Problem solved.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

I read a really good point yesterday that Dave Meltzer said in the last observer. He basically said that they should try and get ONE guy over per show and basically make it seem as if that person is the most important one that week. This way it's a lot easier to get over one roster member at a time compared to trying to get over everyone at once. This now ties in with what Swiggy said above, as if they would cut down how many matches they have everyweek on IMPACT then they could do something like the WWF used to do. Remember back in the 80's/Early 90's when they would always go to the "control room" with Gene Okerlund and basically give you a run down of the PPV coming up and some quick video clips of why it was happening? This could benefit TNA tremendously, as they could present better matches(you know...ones that get more than 10 minutes) and also can get over the stuff they are showing on PPV. Whadda ya think???