Ratings for the two BDSSP shows and VR

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

The ratings for the TNA episodes of the Best Damn Sport Show Period were 0.31 on 11/10 and 0.35 on 11/11. The show is said to average 0.14 or 0.15 on a usual Wednesday or Thursday, so they did double the ratings. It was still lower than boxing and UFC specials have done on that show, and far lower than the recent UFC Sunday special in a non-prime time slot with far less pub did (0.47). TNA officials were disappointed, as it is beleived they had predicted a 0.5 to 0.6. FSN officials had told them if they could average a 0.35 for the two dates, they would earmark Monday nights on BDSSP to a weekly "Best Damn Wrestling Event" show from 8-9:30 pm, or getting the one hour jump on Raw and going head-to-head for 30 minutes, with Tom Arnold, John Salley, Chris Rose and Bryan Cox involved in the promotion. With the numbers coming close to that, it's still a possibility.

 

The first cable industry estimates on Victory Road on 11/7 were just over 30,000 buys, which would make it the most successfull PPV the company had done.

 

Credit - 22/11 WON

[bob_barron 0]

Hey HTQ-

 

Can you post anything Dave wrote about ROH and other indies? Thanks

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

No wonder Fox Sports is such a crappy network. You'd think if they doubled the ratings for their flagship show that Fox would maybe think that it was TNA drawing in the crowd and not the awful Best Damned cast.

 

I won't watch if they mix the shows together.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Hey HTQ-

 

Can you post anything Dave wrote about ROH and other indies? Thanks

ROH stuff will be up shortly. He wrote a long piece on the second Samoa Joe v CM Punk 60-minute match.

[Stephen 0]

Looks like TNA is headed in the right direction.

 

Are they really read to run head to head with raw, even though it would only be for 30 minutes. Although i wouldn't mind seeing Jarrett, Hall & Nash "invading" the best damn sports show.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I'd be more for Nash accidently dropping each of them on their necks before every show especially Tom Arnold.

[RHR 0]

What about a FSN timeslot of 11pm-12pm....after RAW...that way the die-hards who want more of a fix will have a place to go...

[Guest MikeSC]

No wonder Fox Sports is such a crappy network. You'd think if they doubled the ratings for their flagship show that Fox would maybe think that it was TNA drawing in the crowd and not the awful Best Damned cast.

 

I won't watch if they mix the shows together.

If they went with ratings, TNA would be shelved for UFC and boxing.

-=Mike

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Not really, if you take off I,Max and the millions of Best Damned repeats you could easily fit TNA, UFC and boxing on the channel in good slots with more time and the whole channels ratings would be a lot better.

 

And then increase the List to an hour.

[Guest MikeSC]

Not really, if you take off I,Max and the millions of Best Damned repeats you could easily fit TNA, UFC and boxing on the channel in good slots with more time and the whole channels ratings would be a lot better.

 

And then increase the List to an hour.

I'll all but guarantee that BDSSP makes considerably more money than TNA Impact. It isn't easy getting sponsors.

-=Mike

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I would doubt it with Tom Arnold and Co.'s salaries. If TNA, UFC and boxing all pull better ratings they'll get better ads and Fox won't have to pay out any salaries.

 

I mean it takes a special level of bad to make me long to see the ESPN crew on my tv.

[Guest MikeSC]

I would doubt it with Tom Arnold and Co.'s salaries. If TNA, UFC and boxing all pull better ratings they'll get better ads and Fox won't have to pay out any salaries.

 

I mean it takes a special level of bad to make me long to see the ESPN crew on my tv.

Boxing and UFC have problems, but wrestling has a huge problem getting advertisers (I remember Nitro selling their ad slots for A LOT less than the going rate for their ratings).

-=Mike

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I wonder how much Tom Arnold makes for doing that shit. I'd probably kill myself if I found out.

[geniusMoment 0]

Mike I usually agree with your negative sentiments toward TNA, but in this case I disagree. I think despite UFC, and boxing, getting better short term ratings, TNA has a better shot at doing better long-term numbers, as wrestling is a bigger draw than UFC. With boxing, the best fights go to ppv, therefore what you see is basically the highest rating you will get.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Wrestling has a huge stigma within advertising. It doesn't matter what kind of numbers TNA get, if advertisiers see wrestling fans as idiots not worth going after.

[Guest MikeSC]

Wrestling has a huge stigma within advertising. It doesn't matter what kind of numbers TNA get, if advertisiers see wrestling fans as idiots not worth going after.

And, sadly, we don't tend to be wealthy --- thus making us less than a desirable demographic.

-=Mike

[geniusMoment 0]

That stigma is attached even more to UFC. Hell, UFC has a hard time even being allowed in most states. That eliminates that option.

 

FSN already has had a featured boxing show. I watched Sunday Night Fights all summer, it had Max Kellerman as a co-host. Boxing's demographics are not exactly great either. The show never picked up momentum, much like ESPN's tuesday and friday night fights. This is because they can only get mediocre fights on cable, therefore you are pretty much stuck at a certain rating. TNA, however slim the chance, has the possibility of taking off. Sometimes a network must look past some initial ad rates in order to see the big picture. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying TNA is the answer, and it will make it big. But, out of the three options mentioned earlier TNA has the best chance for long-term success. Besides, FSN has nothing to lose. Its not like they get great ad revenue from their current programming in that slot (BDSS). Take a chance, if it fails after a year, scrap it. You are just back where you were before, out very little money.

[Astro101 0]

I'm hoping TNA will get that weekly show. Numbers were close to that .35 FSN was looking for.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Wrestling has a huge stigma within advertising. It doesn't matter what kind of numbers TNA get, if advertisiers see wrestling fans as idiots not worth going after.

Actually, advertisers don't see the demographic as the problem. Most wrestling fans will fall into the desired 18-34 demographic. The problem is the stigma attached to the programming. Whereas it was once considered bad because it was fake, it's now considered bad because wrestling is associated with crude humor, sexuality and other non-family friendly elements. Therefore anyone who advertises wrestling risks getting attacked by "family friendly" advocates like L. Brent Bozell or James Dobson.

 

Thank you, Vince Russo.

[Guest Heppyhack]

Actually, advertisers don't see the demographic as the problem. Most wrestling fans will fall into the desired 18-34 demographic. The problem is the stigma attached to the programming. Whereas it was once considered bad because it was fake, it's now considered bad because wrestling is associated with crude humor, sexuality and other non-family friendly elements. Therefore anyone who advertises wrestling risks getting attacked by "family friendly" advocates like L. Brent Bozell or James Dobson.

Presumably this is part of the thinking behind TNA's press releases etc trying to position them as the alternative, family oriented product to the WWE. Realistically, it's a good approach and the sports presentation helps them as a whole - if it has a similar look and feel to the rest of FSN's sports output, and is a ratings draw even in its duff time slot, then it's a more valuable product for advertisers etc than WWE.