TNA Meeting with Spike about Promoting Impact

[TNABaddboi 0]

Jeff Jarrett, Dixie Carter and Dave Sahadi are in New York City today meeting with Spike TV executives regarding the marketing, production, and promotion of Impact! when it debuts on Spike this fall.

 

Speaking of Sahadi, his old right hand man during their respective run in WWE, Kevin Sullivan (not the wrestler) is said to have taken a position with TNA and will be heading up the production team. Sullivan is expected by some to start with the company on 8/29 and relocate to Nashville. The two worked together during the Attitude era.

 

Some of the names in TNA's "Internet Dream Match" poll will be Jay Lethal, Roderick Strong, and Austin Aries. All three were contacted over the weekend by Jeremy Borash. The plan is to announce the poll winner later this week, not the night of the Sacrifice PPV, so TNA will advertise who faces X-Division Christopher Daniels this Sunday at the Sacrifice PPV in advance. The poll is expected to appear on TNA's website this afternoon.

 

St. Louis, Missouri and Asbury Park, New Jersey have both been discussed about potential new markets for TNA to run PPV events down the line.

 

Sonjay Dutt is scheduled to do a promotional tour of India this September to help promote TNA on ESPN Star Sports, where it debuted on 8/2. A tour

 

TNA announced that Wal-Mart will be carrying an Anthology box set featuring the Victory Road, Turning Point, and Lockdown PPV events

 

TNA seems to finally be getting it's business in order. I'd assume that promotion for Impact will start around Labor Day, which would give them a month to get a good build. And the DVDs being in Wal-Mart is fantastic news as well. I do have to say though that it seems like they are always throwing out cities they are looking at running, but never any venues or projected start dates. It's just "down the line." Hopefully they'll be running PPVs in other places by the beginning of next year.

[gWIL 0]

Why VR, TP and LD? Why have it be the first 3 PPVS? I see this ending up in the bargain bin sonner rather than later.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Why VR, TP and LD? Why have it be the first 3 PPVS?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shouldn't that be obvious? If they start from the beginning, they won't wind up showing clips and stuff from PPV's that the WalMart crowd won't have been able to see. It's best to start from the beginning, because then they won't be starting stories from the second chapter.

[Astro101 0]

The third ppv was Final Resolution, and wasn't that followed by Destination X?

[Coolclint 0]

Here's my theory...

 

Victory Road: First monthly PPV, headlined by Jeff Hardy, with appearances by Hall and Nash (and Savage, but only for a few seconds).

Turning Point: More Hardy, more Hall, more Nash, more Savage, AND the tag cage match.

Lockdown: Not the third PPV...it's here for the all cage gimmick. I don't even remember Jarrett's opponent here.

[gWIL 0]

What I meant to say was why not the first 3 PPVs. Jarrett was in Lethal Lottery. Final Resolution was my favorite of their monthly PPVS so that kinda sucks.

[RedJed 0]

Regarding the Wal-Mart DVDs, they are going to be priced at $30 for all 3 - a HELL of a deal. I saw that on TNA's website the other day. So any nitpicking about what ppvs they should have done in the 3 pak, IMO, is needless bitching when you consider how affortable these are.

[RedJed 0]

Also the WON reported in the issue I got today that WWE is making them dub over the DVD Wal Mart releases of Kip James and Matt Bentley's "former names". They must be taking notice.

[syxx2001 0]

WTF is Matt Bentley?

[RedJed 0]

WTF is Matt Bentley?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Michael Shane's real name, which is now also his ring name in TNA.

[daileyxplanet 0]

Great news for TNA, looking forward to getting that Anthology.

[zyn081 0]

Sonjay Dutt is scheduled to do a promotional tour of India this September to help promote TNA on ESPN Star Sports, where it debuted on 8/2. A tour

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ive just re-read this and have noticed that a sentence is cut off. Whats this about a tour in the same paragraph of Sonjay promoting TNA in India? Is it continuing talking about him or something more?

 

Why VR, TP and LD? Why have it be the first 3 PPVS? I see this ending up in the bargain bin sonner rather than later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think they should do it the 1st PPVs. I dont know why LD is on here and not FR. Doesnt make sense.

 

Here's my theory...

 

Victory Road: First monthly PPV, headlined by Jeff Hardy, with appearances by Hall and Nash (and Savage, but only for a few seconds).

Turning Point: More Hardy, more Hall, more Nash, more Savage, AND the tag cage match.

Lockdown: Not the third PPV...it's here for the all cage gimmick. I don't even remember Jarrett's opponent here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

A 6-man match, with Brown and Kip James on his team, versus Waltman, BG James and somebody else.

 

This is great news about not paying for TV time and the Wal-Mart deal. They should see if they can get on Sky Sports too, since I know fans in the UK will be interested in watching it. Hell, Ill record it. But TNA have still got a long way to go.

[Dangerous A 0]

In regards to TNA not having to pay Spike for TV time...

 

 

The good news: Obviously, TNA doesn't have to shell out a ton of money every week for an 11pm Saturday night slot. (while it's nice to have TV, the slot still sucks) They were paying FSN 30 G's a week and since Spike is a bigger network, they would probrably end up paying more.

 

The bad news: Something not mentioned is that TNA still has to pay it's production costs and Spike gets the ad revenue for the show. Basically it's free TV, but where is the revenue going to come from? They don't charge admission to their tapings or ppv's and don't do house shows If the DVD's don't sell extremely well and/or there isn't a PPV spike in buys, they are still a money losing company.

 

From what I gather, even with the revelation that TNA doesn't have to pay for the spot, they are still a money pit, just a smaller growing one.

[TNABaddboi 0]

In regards to TNA not having to pay Spike for TV time...

The good news: Obviously, TNA doesn't have to shell out a ton of money every week for an 11pm Saturday night slot. (while it's nice to have TV, the slot still sucks) They were paying FSN 30 G's a week and since Spike is a bigger network, they would probrably end up paying more.

The bad news: Something not mentioned is that TNA still has to pay it's production costs and Spike gets the ad revenue for the show. Basically it's free TV, but where is the revenue going to come from? They don't charge admission to their tapings or ppv's and don't do house shows If the DVD's don't sell extremely well and/or there isn't a PPV spike in buys, they are still a money losing company.

From what I gather, even with the revelation that TNA doesn't have to pay for the spot, they are still a money pit, just a smaller growing one.

 

I don't think anyone is saying this is the final piece to TNA's transition from the red to the black. But I don't think it can be denied that it is a huge step. Saving $30K a week will put any company in better financial step, as will additional revenue streams, which TNA will get by having the DVDs in stores and the action figures, etc. Obviously a big part of them turning the corner will be increasing the buyrates and drawing paid attendance, but I don't think anyone can deny that TNA is in better shape today that they were when they entered the FSN deal. Just like I don't think anyone can argue that will Saturday at 11 is not the ideal timeslot, it's infinitely better than Friday's at 4, especially on a regional network that frequently pre-empted the program. I'd argue that even if Spike doesn't give them the replays FSN did, they will still be viewed by more people in this new slot.

 

TNA Today is not to far off from WCW when they first attempted to challenge WWE. WCW did all their TV, for a Saturday night show, at a soundstage in Atlanta, TNA does all theirs at a soundstage in Atlanta. And while I was far from a WCW fan when the first broke with the NWA, if I remember correctly they went a few years w/o running house shows. So TNA seems to be on at an approriate stage in their growth IMO. The difference without an owner who can sign the biggest names in the business and also owns television networks, they have to take what they can get and show they can draw. I know WCW didn't end up so well, but they made money for a while before being swallowed by guaranteed contracts, a mistake I don't see TNA making.

 

So in summary, I don't think the negativity towards TNA today is anywhere near as justified as it was in the past. IMHO, they are clearly on the right path and have already reached heightened no one but maybe the Jarretts thought they be able to. And that's the end of my rant.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Looks like TNA is only on a 13 week trial run. They are expected to reach the 0.5 rating Velocity was averaging in that timeslot, and THEN build on it. Guess TNA is not exactly home free yet.

[I like Forums 0]

Are they taking over RAW's timeslot?

[Enigma 0]

Are they taking over RAW's timeslot?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nope.

 

Velocity's.

 

11pm on Saturday nights.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Looks like TNA is only on a 13 week trial run. They are expected to reach the 0.5 rating Velocity was averaging in that timeslot, and THEN build on it. Guess TNA is not exactly home free yet.

 

Porter, where did you get this from? I haven't seen it anywhere and I was just wondering. You would think it would have been reported more if it was true. Like when they signed with FSN, eveyone said it was a 6 month trial that could renewed. Just checking.

[Guest Biggles]

Looks like TNA is only on a 13 week trial run. They are expected to reach the 0.5 rating Velocity was averaging in that timeslot, and THEN build on it. Guess TNA is not exactly home free yet.

 

Porter, where did you get this from? I haven't seen it anywhere and I was just wondering. You would think it would have been reported more if it was true. Like when they signed with FSN, eveyone said it was a 6 month trial that could renewed. Just checking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

From Torch:

 

Starting on October 1st when TNA Impact! officially debuts on Spike TV, TNA has 13 weeks to deliver strong ratings on Spike. From what is understood, Spike has been in very strong negotiations with TNA and the network is expecting strong results.

 

The minimum goal Spike is setting for TNA is for the company to at least reach the 0.5 rating WWE Velocity had averaged in the timeslot and then improve on that. Spike has made it very clear that they would like to see steady ratings improvements over the course of that 13 week trial run and are hoping for a strong ratings debut on October 1.

 

Anything above a 0.5.-0.6 rating would be higher than WWE Velocity and would be considered a moderate success. Anything over a 1.0 would be a solid debut for TNA and would give Spike much more incentive to back the product. The key is for TNA to keep consistent ratings as Spike will be watching closely during that 13 week run. If TNA is unable to reach solid ratings or show a significant amount of improvement, Spike will discontinue the run and that would leave TNA without a television deal yet again.

[RedJed 0]

Ugh, 13 weeks really isnt a real long time to try to get a substantial rating like that, I have to say. We're talking only 3 months, so by years end they could be back at square one? That whole deal sounds much more unattractive now after reading the Torch report.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Ugh, 13 weeks really isnt a real long time to try to get a substantial rating like that, I have to say. We're talking only 3 months, so by years end they could be back at square one? That whole deal sounds much more unattractive now after reading the Torch report.

 

I agree. They trial with FSN was 26 weeks. The initial rating has more to do with the promotion of the show than what TNA broadcasts, but growing the ratings from there will depend on both. I hope they have a back-up it doesn't work out. I wonder if the ratings will be reported now. I know they weren't reported as often because it took longer to tabulate the regional viewership (and because TNA didn't with them public).

[Guest Coffey]

Eh, it still doesn't seem that bad to me. I mean, what would Spike show instead of TNA? More shitty kung fu movies? I think TNA will be fine. Just having the national audience and being on the same channel that WWE used to be on will probably get them a .4 or so. Then when people find out that they have Jeff Hardy, etc. that they remember from WWE, it'll bounce up a little higher. Then again, it's a shitty time slot, when nobody is home, so we'll see.

 

Shit, it's worth a shot anyway. It's not like they're paying for the time. At the worst, it's thirteen weeks of, basically, free advertising of their company.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Yeah sorry, I read it from the Torch.

[TNABaddboi 0]

Looks like TNA is only on a 13 week trial run. They are expected to reach the 0.5 rating Velocity was averaging in that timeslot, and THEN build on it. Guess TNA is not exactly home free yet.

 

Well, Bill Banks shot this rumor down in his latest column. Here's what he wrote:

 

In yet another rumor squash – I saw a report this week saying TNA had “15 weeks to prove ourselves” come October. Seriously, I don’t know where they come up with stuff. Completely untrue. Period.

[eirejmcmahon 0]

Yeah, it's 13 weeks

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

It's a 52-week deal.

 

While there is no official trial period when it comes to getting good ratings, I imagine Spike won't be too happy if Impact doesn't get something decent pretty soon after debuting.

[TNABaddboi 0]

  It's a 52-week deal.

While there is no official trial period when it comes to getting good ratings, I imagine Spike won't be too happy if Impact doesn't get something decent pretty soon after debuting.

 

Has that length been confirmed HTQ? It certainly makes more sense than a 13 week deal. I could see them giving them a year to decide if the ratings are in the range they want.

[Guest Coffey]

I'm sure HTQ wouldn't just randomly make up a time frame. So, this is great news. If nothing else, it means that we'll get televised TNA for a year. On a good* channel too, unlike FSN. I'm curious, during the set time frame, would it be possible for them to relocate schedule wise? Like, if they do better-than-expected numbers, could they move to a better slot? Afterall, it's not like a lot of wrestling fans would be home during Saturday nights.

 

*by good, I mean, still bad but better than FSN.

[RedJed 0]

The 52 week confirmation was in this week's Observer. I'm starting to feel like Wade Keller is turning into a guy who maybe isnt checking his sources as much as he should, as not only was his 13 week report untrue, but there is alot out of that whole Hogan-HBK fiasco backstage that also is being contradicted by some reports by Meltzer. But thats a whole other story altogether. Just seems like he (Keller) is turning into more of a gossip columnist or something.