The TNA workers probably aren't the people to latch the future of the promotion onto however, it will be very useful to have recognisable faces around too.
But hey, he's got 500 competitions lined up so he should be fine
"Global Force Wrestling" (terrible name BTW) needs a national TV deal before it means anything. Talent-wise, AJ or Aries would be a massive coup. Sabin, Kaz and Daniels, as much as I like them, aren't draws.
As you guys know, I'm sceptical whether even a single number two company is viable in the US right now, let alone two (on a national, TV-deal scale). The wrestling audience as a whole shrank drastically after Vince bought WCW and has never recovered. The key would be to get people watching wrestling who never have done so before. Signing ex-TNA talent wont do that. However, I'd love to be proved wrong!
Sabin, Kaz and Daniels are important types of guys to have on a roster. They can be plugged in immediately and give the thing some credibility. They can work, cut promos and run good feuds. They aren't long term top guys by any stretch but they provide a solid foundation and can help newer/less experienced workers get over. If the company is going to build its own stars, they need people to work with them. I think those guys would be important signings.
Sabin, Kaz and Daniels are important types of guys to have on a roster. They can be plugged in immediately and give the thing some credibility. They can work, cut promos and run good feuds. They aren't long term top guys by any stretch but they provide a solid foundation and can help newer/less experienced workers get over. If the company is going to build its own stars, they need people to work with them. I think those guys would be important signings.
Yep, you're right. They're a great foundation, no question.
"You know, I really don't know. I know they've made a lot of cuts. That must mean they're not doing so well. Sting gone, Hogan gone, myself gone, and I'm sure we're going to see more cuts soon. From what I've heard and been told, it's been horribly mismanaged as a company. I don't know if they're going out of business. But they're definitely doing things that make people think they're going out of business. And I hope they don't. I hope TNA doesn't go out of business because I have a lot of good friends that work there and deserve to be in the national spotlight. My hope is that they never go out of business"
On a Possible TNA Return: "I tried to leave the door open. I haven't buried the company. Like I said, I have friends there who do well, so I'm not going to do that. But I don't know if I'll ever go back, and it's definitely not going to be any time soon. And from what one of their higher ups said, it will be "Only if there's space available for AJ Styles." So I guess there might not be room for me, according to him".
He also said he would work for Jarrett's promotion as well.
THE DEFINITIVE UPDATE ON VINCE RUSSO'S STATUS WITH TNA
Is he, or isn't he? That has been the question for a while now with Vince Russo and the TNA creative process. Is he still with the company? Here is the scoop.
Currently, the creative team is headed by John Gaburick. His three team members are David Lagana, Matt Conway and Christy Hemme (to work with the Knockouts). The process is that Gaburick sets the direction and comes up with ideas, with the help of the team. They then put it to paper and write the script.
So is Vince Russo involved? Yes, he is. He is still on the TNA payroll as a consultant and he does offer ideas and do critiques of the televised product. So when you see a segment and say, "That screams Russo", it very well may. Or, it may not. But much like everything in creative goes through Vince McMahon in WWE, that is the same for Gaburick in TNA.
So if you see a Russo idea on Impact, it's one that Gaburick received from Russo and decided to incorporate. But it could also be a Gaburick idea.
I don't understand why it is assumed that Hemme must be working with the knockouts just because she's a woman. I mean, I'm sure she has input in the Samuel Shaw storyline.
I don't understand why it is assumed that Hemme must be working with the knockouts just because she's a woman. I mean, I'm sure she has input in the Samuel Shaw storyline.
The stuff I've read about Hemme was that she was going to have input in the comestic side of things, like wrestlers ring gear etc.
Sabin, Kaz and Daniels are important types of guys to have on a roster. They can be plugged in immediately and give the thing some credibility. They can work, cut promos and run good feuds. They aren't long term top guys by any stretch but they provide a solid foundation and can help newer/less experienced workers get over. If the company is going to build its own stars, they need people to work with them. I think those guys would be important signings.
Problem is that whilst I agree with Kaz should stay, Daniels is 43 years old, he's approaching the end of his career, unless he decides to go Terry Funk/Ric Flair on us.
Problem is that whilst I agree with Kaz should stay, Daniels is 43 years old, he's approaching the end of his career, unless he decides to go Terry Funk/Ric Flair on us.
He can still work. I mean, RVD and Jericho are around that age and come back to WWE every few months to work with midcarders and help them get over. They have experience, credibility and name value. Daniels has that too (though on a lower level of course) so he could still do a job.
He can still work. I mean, RVD and Jericho are around that age and come back to WWE every few months to work with midcarders and help them get over. They have experience, credibility and name value. Daniels has that too (though on a lower level of course) so he could still do a job.
They could, but with the way TNA storylines are going at the moment, it'd be very difficult.
They could, but with the way TNA storylines are going at the moment, it'd be very difficult.
I was thinking of him doing that role in Jarrett's promotion tbh. I think he's run his course with TNA. He could still play a role but it doesn't look like they want him to do it.
TNA Impact on 4/17 had a major drop from the week before, doing a 0.86 rating and 1.01 million viewers. That’s down from a 1.05 rating and 1.42 million viewers the week before, or 18% in ratings and 29% in audience. The show did a 0.72 in Males 18-34, which is fine for the show, and 0.68 in Males 35-49, which is a little down. The show did a 0.88 against NXT and an 0.84 unopposed, so NXT isn’t it. There’s no real good explanation for this, considering COPS did above average numbers as the lead-in, and there were no competing sports on television.
In the segment-by-segment, Madison Rayne vs. Velvet Sky lost 164,000 viewers, or one in seven viewers. The MVP/Austin Aries in-ring to lead to a match lost 23,000 viewers. The Bro Mans vs. Wolves lost 35,000 viewers. Willow vs. EC 3 & Spud gained 59,000 viewers, which is below the usual 10 p.m. gain. Seiya Sanada vs. Tigre Uno lost 24,000 viewers. Bobby Roode vs. Gunner lost 12,000 viewers. And Eric Young vs. Abyss in the Monster’s Ball match for the title gained 12,000 viewers and finished at 0.84.
I find these reports of TNA ratings from dirtsheets are always carefully phrased to make TNA ratings sound as bad as possible. The 1.42 number the previous week was a big gain, but of course they didn't describe it as such at the time!
TNA viewership is generally between 1.0 - 1.4 million viewers, but it varies a *lot* week to week. I would say a decline to under 1.0 million or rise to over 1.4 million for a month or two would be news. Anything else is just Impact's normal fluctuation.
Agreed, TNA is at a real downpoint right now. I think they're suffering partly because of their own ineptitude, but also because WWE have upped their game recently. Most people don't have the time to commit to watching 5 hours (or more) of wrestling a week. So if it's a choice between RAW and Impact, the decision - at the minute - is an easy one.
WWE has struck gold with Bryan. The Shield and the Wyatts are both hot properties. There's a lot of emerging talent such as Cesaro and the folks coming up from NXT. And there's enough nostalgic throwbacks to keep more casual fans (such as myself) invested.
What does TNA have? A half-hearted power struggle between MVP and Dixie Carter, which is laughable in itself. A guy who is most famous for doing ridiculous things and appearing on Animal Planet as their heavyweight champ, after defeating Magnus whose reign can only be termed a disaster. They've lost Sting, Hogan, Styles, Daniels, Kazarian and others. Aries is in the doghouse and is unlikely to last in the company, and certainly unlikely to get another monster push. Storm, Roode and Bully Ray are as competent as ever but wasted in their current roles. Angle's body is broken and it is clear he is counting down the days to a retirement match at Wrestlemania. Willow was an intriguing idea for Hardy but has been terribly executed. Spud, EC3 and the rest of the 'new blood' are all OK, but there's nobody there you can build a company around. And that is the problem. They have jettisoned nearly all of their most marketable performers, all at the same time as they rebranded their most marketable performer in Jeff Hardy.
The company is in a terminal decline and it is difficult to see if it can be halted. It will require time and another major rebranding, as well as a focused push of new talent. But are the current creative team up to the job? Is Dixie Carter up to the job? Is the talent there? By and large, the answer has to be no.
And before anybody accuses me of being a WWE fanboy, please look at my post history in the TNA and WWE threads. I have defended TNA to the hilt on inumerable occasions, but they are in a terrible state right now and largely indefensible.
Agreed, TNA is at a real downpoint right now. I think they're suffering partly because of their own ineptitude, but also because WWE have upped their game recently. Most people don't have the time to commit to watching 5 hours (or more) of wrestling a week. So if it's a choice between RAW and Impact, the decision - at the minute - is an easy one.
WWE has struck gold with Bryan. The Shield and the Wyatts are both hot properties. There's a lot of emerging talent such as Cesaro and the folks coming up from NXT. And there's enough nostalgic throwbacks to keep more casual fans (such as myself) invested.
What does TNA have? A half-hearted power struggle between MVP and Dixie Carter, which is laughable in itself. A guy who is most famous for doing ridiculous things and appearing on Animal Planet as their heavyweight champ, after defeating Magnus whose reign can only be termed a disaster. They've lost Sting, Hogan, Styles, Daniels, Kazarian and others. Aries is in the doghouse and is unlikely to last in the company, and certainly unlikely to get another monster push. Storm, Roode and Bully Ray are as competent as ever but wasted in their current roles. Angle's body is broken and it is clear he is counting down the days to a retirement match at Wrestlemania. Willow was an intriguing idea for Hardy but has been terribly executed. Spud, EC3 and the rest of the 'new blood' are all OK, but there's nobody there you can build a company around. And that is the problem. They have jettisoned nearly all of their most marketable performers, all at the same time as they rebranded their most marketable performer in Jeff Hardy.
The company is in a terminal decline and it is difficult to see if it can be halted. It will require time and another major rebranding, as well as a focused push of new talent. But are the current creative team up to the job? Is Dixie Carter up to the job? Is the talent there? By and large, the answer has to be no.
And before anybody accuses me of being a WWE fanboy, please look at my post history in the TNA and WWE threads. I have defended TNA to the hilt on inumerable occasions, but they are in a terrible state right now and largely indefensible.
Well, you guys are entitled to your own personal view of the product, but I disagree with the idea that "there is no doubting" the product is bad or that liking it is "indefensible". Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.
Personally, I've enjoyed Impact a lot more since Hogan left. Storylines make a lot more sense, matches and main events are (finally!) advertised a week in advance, and there's a greater variety of wrestling styles and angles. For example, you've got some pure X-div with Tigre and Sanada, some hardcore with Gunner / Storm, some soap opera with Anderson / Shaw, and plenty of (actually quite good) comedy with Spud / EC3 / Willow and Bromans. The main event scene has definitely suffered from Magnus / Joe failing to deliver, but is likely to improve with a worker like EY at its centre. The show has rarely been better balanced.
The thing they've lost is star power. Personally I don't care about that, and if it was necessary to cut that adrift to keep the company afloat then so be it.
I find these reports of TNA ratings from dirtsheets are always carefully phrased to make TNA ratings sound as bad as possible. The 1.42 number the previous week was a big gain, but of course they didn't describe it as such at the time!
TNA viewership is generally between 1.0 - 1.4 million viewers, but it varies a *lot* week to week. I would say a decline to under 1.0 million or rise to over 1.4 million for a month or two would be news. Anything else is just Impact's normal fluctuation.
From last weeks Observer
Impact on 4/10 did a 1.05 rating and 1.42 million viewers, the best number since 1/30. It was a combination of an increased interest in wrestling from the death of Ultimate Warrior and lack of competition (the only significant sports related show, NBA on TNT, did only 1.60 million viewers).
The show did a 0.70 in Males 18-34 and 0.70 in Males 35-49. The first hour, which went head-to-head with NXT, was strong (1.07 rating) and the second hour was slightly down (1.03) even with the title change.
Viewers per home were up from usual, probably owing to the lack of competition.
In the segment-by-segment, the Gauntlet match for a title shot lost 41,000 viewers. An interview segment where Eric Young wanted to get his title shot right there, that included MVP and Magnus, lost 14,000 viewers, The Angelina Love vs. Gail Kim vs. Brittany vs. ODB match for a Knockouts title shot stayed even. At the 10 p.m. hour, the usual strong growth spot, Dixie Carter’s in-ring with Bully Ray and later Bobby Roode gained 95,000 viewers to a show-high 1.13 quarter. The Jessie Godderz & DJZ vs. Wolves tag title match lost 94,000 viewers. The Christy Hemme/Samuel Shaw/Ken Anderson angle lost 95,000 viewers. And the Eric Young title win over Magnus lost 81,000 viewers and did a show-low 0.93 quarter.
Personally, I've enjoyed Impact a lot more since Hogan left. Storylines make a lot more sense, matches and main events are (finally!) advertised a week in advance, and there's a greater variety of wrestling styles and angles. For example, you've got some pure X-div with Tigre and Sanada, some hardcore with Gunner / Storm, some soap opera with Anderson / Shaw, and plenty of (actually quite good) comedy with Spud / EC3 / Willow and Bromans. The main event scene has definitely suffered from Magnus / Joe failing to deliver, but is likely to improve with a worker like EY at its centre. The show has rarely been better balanced.
I largely agree with what you've said. Those have been the high spots of the show - the X-Division, Gunner/Storm feud and The Wolves/Bro-Mans feud anyway.
But it all means nothing - nothing at all - if your main event scene is in dire straits. And it is. Eric Young is the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, a guy who last year got married in his underpants to ODB and inexplicably was built up over the course of a month tops to be a world title contender. He won the title off Magnus, a guy who up until Hogan heralded him as "the next big thing brother" was just another cog in the wheel, who got an arguably undeserved monster push.
wCw had a good mid-card and great cruiserweight scene up until its dying day. Even the tag-division wasn't bad. But it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things because the main event scene was a total shambles.
Aries, Roode, Storm and Hardy are clearly the top guys to build the company around, and TNA has failed in every regard. Hardy is the logical one due to his massive popularity and the fact he isn't over the hill yet. Roode and Aries both got huge rubs from their program together, and all parties benefited from the extended programs they had with Hardy, but that was over a year ago and the wheels have since fallen off (in regards to Aries though if reports are to be believed he is a total pain to work with). Storm had huge momentum after the BFG match with Roode but, again, it went nowhere, and he has now made an ill-advised heel turn to get Gunner over, which even a forklift truck couldn't manage to do.
The booking of Magnus has been atrocious. When he got the title, he looked like someone who wasn't ready to be champion. Instead of booking him stronger so that he grew into his role, he was booked like someone who didn't deserve to be champion. So why are we meant to buy into him as a main eventer? They should've had him beat AJ, Joe, Hardy and Sting strongly to make him seem like a force. Then have Eric Young fight him and lose barely, maybe with a screwy finish. Then they could build Young as the plucky underdog against the unbeatable heel champ and have a top quality PPV main event storyline. Instead, it was lacklustre the whole way through.
I've seen a few comments about Austin Aries that say he's in the doghouse, or that he's a pain to work with - what's the story here?
He seems to be hugely popular with the audience, he's an incredibly hard worker in the ring, and is certainly one the most watchable wrestlers TNA has. Yet he's been missing for weeks and hasn't been effectively used for ages. Has he upset the management in some way? What's he done?
Comments
But hey, he's got 500 competitions lined up so he should be fine
Sabin, Kaz and Daniels are important types of guys to have on a roster. They can be plugged in immediately and give the thing some credibility. They can work, cut promos and run good feuds. They aren't long term top guys by any stretch but they provide a solid foundation and can help newer/less experienced workers get over. If the company is going to build its own stars, they need people to work with them. I think those guys would be important signings.
Yep, you're right. They're a great foundation, no question.
He also said he would work for Jarrett's promotion as well.
Whedon just exploded....
I don't understand why it is assumed that Hemme must be working with the knockouts just because she's a woman. I mean, I'm sure she has input in the Samuel Shaw storyline.
The stuff I've read about Hemme was that she was going to have input in the comestic side of things, like wrestlers ring gear etc.
Problem is that whilst I agree with Kaz should stay, Daniels is 43 years old, he's approaching the end of his career, unless he decides to go Terry Funk/Ric Flair on us.
He can still work. I mean, RVD and Jericho are around that age and come back to WWE every few months to work with midcarders and help them get over. They have experience, credibility and name value. Daniels has that too (though on a lower level of course) so he could still do a job.
They could, but with the way TNA storylines are going at the moment, it'd be very difficult.
I was thinking of him doing that role in Jarrett's promotion tbh. I think he's run his course with TNA. He could still play a role but it doesn't look like they want him to do it.
So why are the ratings down?
because vince russo isnt the booker and it looks like they dont have much of a budget for lighting.
I find these reports of TNA ratings from dirtsheets are always carefully phrased to make TNA ratings sound as bad as possible. The 1.42 number the previous week was a big gain, but of course they didn't describe it as such at the time!
TNA viewership is generally between 1.0 - 1.4 million viewers, but it varies a *lot* week to week. I would say a decline to under 1.0 million or rise to over 1.4 million for a month or two would be news. Anything else is just Impact's normal fluctuation.
Absolutely this in a nutshell.
and thats coming from someone who defended TNA for over a decade now.
It's worse then terrible! ... Haven't watched for 3 weeks now!
(Im a big fan of Bobby Roode & Austin Aries but just couldn't stand it anymore! .... Boring & Bland that sums up TNA IMO)
WWE has struck gold with Bryan. The Shield and the Wyatts are both hot properties. There's a lot of emerging talent such as Cesaro and the folks coming up from NXT. And there's enough nostalgic throwbacks to keep more casual fans (such as myself) invested.
What does TNA have? A half-hearted power struggle between MVP and Dixie Carter, which is laughable in itself. A guy who is most famous for doing ridiculous things and appearing on Animal Planet as their heavyweight champ, after defeating Magnus whose reign can only be termed a disaster. They've lost Sting, Hogan, Styles, Daniels, Kazarian and others. Aries is in the doghouse and is unlikely to last in the company, and certainly unlikely to get another monster push. Storm, Roode and Bully Ray are as competent as ever but wasted in their current roles. Angle's body is broken and it is clear he is counting down the days to a retirement match at Wrestlemania. Willow was an intriguing idea for Hardy but has been terribly executed. Spud, EC3 and the rest of the 'new blood' are all OK, but there's nobody there you can build a company around. And that is the problem. They have jettisoned nearly all of their most marketable performers, all at the same time as they rebranded their most marketable performer in Jeff Hardy.
The company is in a terminal decline and it is difficult to see if it can be halted. It will require time and another major rebranding, as well as a focused push of new talent. But are the current creative team up to the job? Is Dixie Carter up to the job? Is the talent there? By and large, the answer has to be no.
And before anybody accuses me of being a WWE fanboy, please look at my post history in the TNA and WWE threads. I have defended TNA to the hilt on inumerable occasions, but they are in a terrible state right now and largely indefensible.
Well, you guys are entitled to your own personal view of the product, but I disagree with the idea that "there is no doubting" the product is bad or that liking it is "indefensible". Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.
Personally, I've enjoyed Impact a lot more since Hogan left. Storylines make a lot more sense, matches and main events are (finally!) advertised a week in advance, and there's a greater variety of wrestling styles and angles. For example, you've got some pure X-div with Tigre and Sanada, some hardcore with Gunner / Storm, some soap opera with Anderson / Shaw, and plenty of (actually quite good) comedy with Spud / EC3 / Willow and Bromans. The main event scene has definitely suffered from Magnus / Joe failing to deliver, but is likely to improve with a worker like EY at its centre. The show has rarely been better balanced.
The thing they've lost is star power. Personally I don't care about that, and if it was necessary to cut that adrift to keep the company afloat then so be it.
From last weeks Observer
Doesn't sound too much like a burial.
I largely agree with what you've said. Those have been the high spots of the show - the X-Division, Gunner/Storm feud and The Wolves/Bro-Mans feud anyway.
But it all means nothing - nothing at all - if your main event scene is in dire straits. And it is. Eric Young is the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, a guy who last year got married in his underpants to ODB and inexplicably was built up over the course of a month tops to be a world title contender. He won the title off Magnus, a guy who up until Hogan heralded him as "the next big thing brother" was just another cog in the wheel, who got an arguably undeserved monster push.
wCw had a good mid-card and great cruiserweight scene up until its dying day. Even the tag-division wasn't bad. But it meant nothing in the grand scheme of things because the main event scene was a total shambles.
Aries, Roode, Storm and Hardy are clearly the top guys to build the company around, and TNA has failed in every regard. Hardy is the logical one due to his massive popularity and the fact he isn't over the hill yet. Roode and Aries both got huge rubs from their program together, and all parties benefited from the extended programs they had with Hardy, but that was over a year ago and the wheels have since fallen off (in regards to Aries though if reports are to be believed he is a total pain to work with). Storm had huge momentum after the BFG match with Roode but, again, it went nowhere, and he has now made an ill-advised heel turn to get Gunner over, which even a forklift truck couldn't manage to do.
He seems to be hugely popular with the audience, he's an incredibly hard worker in the ring, and is certainly one the most watchable wrestlers TNA has. Yet he's been missing for weeks and hasn't been effectively used for ages. Has he upset the management in some way? What's he done?