Helping IMPACT

[RedJed 0]

There is some definate issue with Impact......especially after last week (fucking 3 squash matches?!!), and after reading this week's spoilers, I'm at a loss on what they are doing with that show. I understand they pay for the time and the main crutch is to build the ppvs, but there is a fine line there where it becomes just an informercial or it can be a perfect blend of a full hour of "WOW, this was so good I HAVE to get the ppvs" Ya know what I mean? And at this point, Impact isnt giving that latter vibe off to me.

 

Here are some suggestions to turn up the notch to Impact (in no order mind you)

 

10. As I said before, limit the vignettes taking about the next week's ppv lineup. Is there a need to waste Tenay and West doing a seperate rundown when you have 4-5 of the same minute long commerical about the rundown anyway, plus the ticker on the bottom of the show? It's fucking overload.

 

9. One squash match per week MAX. And this should be for a different person each week who they want to get their character and moves over more. I'd have them also have as mandatory, a promo he's cutting on a split screen while he is squashing some jobber. Squash matches can be ok if done in a manner that it isnt overload, as they accomplish a purpose to familiarize people to the character more.

 

8. Heavier on angles that mean something. I'm not talking about a run-in here and there, a really strong storyline (or storylines) that people tune in every week to Impact (and the ppv) to see. TNA writing consistently struggles with this, and the only real decent angle I've seen on Impact was when Rhodes got the guitar shot from Jarrett and then Killings and him had a brawl to end one of the first shows.

 

7. Give 10-15 minutes to a main event, no excuses. It may be hard to do in an hour format, but I think it's necessary to give something to promote a week before, or at least on the ppv a few days before it. On that same point...

 

6. Have the main event mean something. I'd like to see a title defense once in awhile, or contenders match in the least to lead into the next weeks ppv for a title shot. Last weeks main event was an example of a match that was ok, but what was the point there with all of that?

 

5. Opening match should always be X division and competitive. Period. Quick high impact action that gets the crowd glued right away and with so many guys in the X division now, its worth being competitive here. Maybe start a top 10 X division list on Impact that people consistently fight to either get into or keep their spots or work towards getting closer up the list.

 

4. Limit number of matches a week to 3, or AT MOST 4. One X division competitive 5-10 minute bout, a squash that lasts a 2-3 minutes, maybe a competitive tag bout, and a top notch main event at 10-15 minutes. In between that, do your ppv hype and angles. BTW, I love the way they end the shows now, total ECW thing that works, especially in this case to hype the matches for the ppvs.

 

3. Try more cross promotion with other organizations and notables. This can work if done right, but having a guy like Rodman there, for example, did nothing. I think it would be a great idea to work with the UFC in establishing a faction lead by Shamrock that comes into TNA to uproot it. This would help both brands out tremendously. I heard they were going to have a few Olympic wrestlers at Impact this week....another good idea in theory, depending on how they use them.

 

2. Do their damdest to get out of that time slot and into a better day and time! It's so needed its not even funny. And upgrading to 2 hours, or even an hour and a half would make a HUUUUGE difference.

 

1. Generally, go back to a formula that this is episodic TV and it should be treated as such, and this goes with BOTH shows. It needs to be more than just matches, although you use good matches as the main formula for success....but they all around stuff happening, even if you have to revert back to a crash TV formula of sorts (mind you without the stupid characters and Russo-driven, they should do it. WWE does this just fine sometimes even to this day (sporatically). This covers the whole spectrum of more interesting storylines, better character development, and surprising happenings. In other words, better writing!

 

I think the ppvs are decent enough now every week, but this needs to be consistent then with Impact. If Impact sucks ass too much, it loses people from even watching THAT show, which should be the number one focus at this point.....to get people to watch Impact so they get the ppvs (of course without losing focus on the ppv quality, but they are doing just fine with that now in featuring about 5 solid matches that are given time, as well as a few segments for promos/angles). Bottom line - the ppvs could be kick ass to the max but without the proper lead-in to them, nobody will care.

[Guest Coffey]

One of my biggest quirks with Impact right now is the fact that it's a taped show, yet they still run commercials mid-match. That's just stupid and damn annoying.

 

The really need to familiarize the Impact fanbase with the entire roster. Today, if I'm not mistaken, will be the first time that Raven has been on non-PPV TV for TNAW. I don't think Johnny Swinger, Sonny Siaki, Glenn Gilberti and a lot of other guys have been on Impact yet either. Put them on instead of giving Monty a squash match each week. Something different.

[DangerousDamon 0]

One of my biggest quirks with Impact right now is the fact that it's a taped show, yet they still run commercials mid-match. That's just stupid and damn annoying.

 

The really need to familiarize the Impact fanbase with the entire roster. Today, if I'm not mistaken, will be the first time that Raven has been on non-PPV TV for TNAW. I don't think Johnny Swinger, Sonny Siaki, Glenn Gilberti and a lot of other guys have been on Impact yet either. Put them on instead of giving Monty a squash match each week. Something different.

Swinger and Gilberti haven't wrestled on impact, but they were shown backstage in their costumes talking about how they were gonna beat Pat Kenney and Sonny Siaki. Siaki got squashed by Monty Brown.

[Guest The Decadent Slacker]

Make it their RAW flagship show. Further shit, pimp the PPV, & make it important. Put on some kind of title match every week, & get the talent over in addition to the company. If they ever get that FX slot (is that still even possibly happening?), they can't put shit like this on & expect to be an alternative.

 

If i were them, i'd put things like the Brown/Hardy #1 contender match on Impact. But i ain't them, so whatever.

[2GOLD 0]

Right now they are doing the only thing they can do. Impact! has one hour to promote a PPV, get over the ability of the talent on the PPV (squash matches), and debut the talent they do have.

 

It's next to impossible to squeeze all of that into an hour. The only chance they have is to get a second hour. Without a second hour, I don't know what they can do except what they are doing now.

[Guest Coffey]

I don't know about that. A lot can be done in an hour. For starters, they could cut the squash matches completely and get their talent over on their wrestling ability. You don't need six matches in one-hour when you can have three above average matches that make people remember a wrestlers name.

 

The commercials promote the upcoming PPV's, so outside of maybe a mention "not to forget to order," they don't need to really shill it at all.

 

Debut talent? You mean wrestler's Impact debut? like Raven & Jeff Jarrett both had their initial Impact match this week? Yeah, they need to continue to do that...but it can be one of the three matches.

 

What they REALLY need is a storyline that makes people want to tune in week to week instead of getting the channel surfers to stop and say "what's this?" only to forget about the show as soon as it ends. That's why writers get paid!