[Oscar_]

Originally Posted by Toffee Guy

Sometimes working within the business, within the bubble, makes a person myopic and agenda-driven.

This is an excellent point and I know it applies also to other branches of media that I am more familiar with than wrestling shows.

I used to enjoy WWF/WWE (and others) but have not seen it now for a good number of years.

I am not really much of a TV watcher so don't want any pay TV but have started watching TNA on Challenge these last few weeks since it started on Freeview and I have to say it lacks some of the gravitas that I recall from the other companies that I used to see. I did wonder if it was just me being older but I don't think so.

I don't consider myself an expert at all, but even as a casual spectator I feel that it would be easy to make TNA better than it is now.

There is some great talent in there though, so respect to them.

[wallace howitt]

Just looking at Dixies Twitter,and she has not updated it since the 2nd of march.Shes usually very active on Twitter,anyone think something is up?

[matty125]

Maybe the rumours of her qutting TNA are true.

[f_196]

Maybe she's not updating it in line with the Hogan/Bischoff takeover storyline.

[decemberboy]

Originally Posted by f_196

Maybe she's not updating it in line with the Hogan/Bischoff takeover storyline.

That's what I thought. although Twitter did suspend the account for a while because she had one of those 'verified' badges on her page without permission which is against Twitter's terms of use.

http://www.tnasylum.com/2011/03/dixi...suspended.html

[wildmovieguy]

Interesting story here.

http://thesportscourier.com/content/...-stepping-down.

One part i do like is:

As for Carter's permanent replacement, many names have been thrown around, but one employee very close to the situation tells us that former World Championship Wrestling figurehead Eric Bischoff taking over as TNA President is a very realistic possibility.

How cool would that be? I've no doubt Bischoff would take Impact on the road and finally sort out their promotions department which he has always been critical of. Maybe then TNA will start being promoted properly and people will know they exist.

[Ebo_Elder]

Desmond Wolfe- Hep C?

[wildmovieguy]

It's unfortunate for Desmond. I guess it's his decision if he still wants to pursue a career in wrestling. I think the way Hulk Hogan spoke about him the door has been left open if he does want to return. Hopefully he will be returning to an Eric Bischoff led TNA.

[matty125]

Originally Posted by wildmovieguy

It's unfortunate for Desmond. I guess it's his decision if he still wants to pursue a career in wrestling. I think the way Hulk Hogan spoke about him the door has been left open if he does want to return. Hopefully he will be returning to an Eric Bischoff led TNA.

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bishoff have ruined TNA. My opinion so dont start going off on one saying how can you say that etc.

[wildmovieguy]

How sweet it would be if Eric Bischoff ended up as a the President of the biggest pro wrestling company in the world. After all the WCW stuff, after his years employed at WWE and then him working as an on air talent at TNA he finally has control of the company, well not full control but enough control so that changes can be made. Easy E does it again.

[f_196]

Well I'm in agreement with matty.

Those few months just before Hogan and Bischoff came in were fantastic. Things we're really looking up.

It went downhill very quickly after 04/01/10.

It's a shame. Hogan was a hero of mine in WCW. He's long ruined that.

[JCR]

Originally Posted by Ebo_Elder

Desmond Wolfe- Hep C?

Wolfe failed a WWE medical then went to TNA. If it was Hep C they wouldn't have hired him, even they're not that dumb and they dropped Xpac when he found out he had it.

I'd guess whatever it is, TNA don't want people to know as presumably they had him wrestling when he already had the problem, and that makes them look bad.

I hope Wolfe can live out the rest of his life pain free, it doesn't look like he's wrestling again.

[matty125]

Originally Posted by f_196

Well I'm in agreement with matty.

Those few months just before Hogan and Bischoff came in were fantastic. Things we're really looking up.

It went downhill very quickly after 04/01/10.

It's a shame. Hogan was a hero of mine in WCW. He's long ruined that.

I totally agree. and I want six sides back because at the moment they are just copying WWE and digging at them. The only good thing about TNA at the minute is the wrestling and that its TV-14.

[Toffee Guy]

There are a million problems with TNA, the main one being that there is no long term plan, and that the company is always in a state of flux, lurching from one quick fix to another.

The latest is that a new marketing campaign is imminent; that the TNA name is gradually going to be dropped and they're going to focus on 'Impact' being the name of the promotion going forward. The company is still a loss maker, financially. The latest ratings for Impact have dropped down again. The so-called expensive big names that were supposed to make a difference and drive the ratings up have made absolutely zero difference at all, many of them after being under contract for 18 months +, so it begs the question, why waste money on the likes of Hogan, Sting, Anderson, RVD etc, when the homegrown likes of Styles, Joe, Daniels etc could score the exact same ratings without the added expense?

WWE has its' faults and it's not perfect, but to an extent they kind of plan for the future. I mean, we know that 11 months from now, Rock vs Cena will be the pushed match at WM28. There's always a semblance of characters evolving and storylines developing., and overall there's consistency and substance there.

With TNA, nothing ever seems to change; they just seem content with a pat hand on and off screen. It's a bizarre way to develop and run a business, let alone a wrestling promotion. You get the impression Hogan and Bischoff are pulling a massive con job on the Carters.

[matty125]

Originally Posted by Toffee Guy

There are a million problems with TNA, the main one being that there is no long term plan, and that the company is always in a state of flux, lurching from one quick fix to another.

The latest is that a new marketing campaign is imminent; that the TNA name is gradually going to be dropped and they're going to focus on 'Impact' being the name of the promotion going forward. The company is still a loss maker, financially. The latest ratings for Impact have dropped down again. The so-called expensive big names that were supposed to make a difference and drive the ratings up have made absolutely zero difference at all, many of them after being under contract for 18 months +, so it begs the question, why waste money on the likes of Hogan, Sting, Anderson, RVD etc, when the homegrown likes of Styles, Joe, Daniels etc could score the exact same ratings without the added expense?

WWE has its' faults and it's not perfect, but to an extent they kind of plan for the future. I mean, we know that 11 months from now, Rock vs Cena will be the pushed match at WM28. There's always a semblance of characters evolving and storylines developing., and overall there's consistency and substance there.

With TNA, nothing ever seems to change; they just seem content with a pat hand on and off screen. It's a bizarre way to develop and run a business, let alone a wrestling promotion. You get the impression Hogan and Bischoff are pulling a massive con job on the Carter's.

I agree with this 100%.

[jamespondo]

Originally Posted by wildmovieguy

How sweet it would be if Eric Bischoff ended up as a the President of the biggest pro wrestling company in the world. After all the WCW stuff, after his years employed at WWE and then him working as an on air talent at TNA he finally has control of the company, well not full control but enough control so that changes can be made. Easy E does it again.

What about AAA and NJPW?

The Japanese promotions offer a much more tradition wrestling product than TNA, and shows such as Triplemania and the Tokyo Dome show really outsell Lockdown and Bound for Glory. TNA have more exposure in the US and western Europe due to a moderately successful TV show, but I think the above promotions have stronger houseshow circuits in their own countries. AAA has a toy deal and sells a decent amount of merchandise (especially masks).

[f_196]

Originally Posted by Toffee Guy

There are a million problems with TNA, the main one being that there is no long term plan, and that the company is always in a state of flux, lurching from one quick fix to another.


The latest is that a new marketing campaign is imminent; that the TNA name is gradually going to be dropped and they're going to focus on 'Impact' being the name of the promotion going forward. The company is still a loss maker, financially. The latest ratings for Impact have dropped down again. The so-called expensive big names that were supposed to make a difference and drive the ratings up have made absolutely zero difference at all, many of them after being under contract for 18 months +, so it begs the question, why waste money on the likes of Hogan, Sting, Anderson, RVD etc, when the homegrown likes of Styles, Joe, Daniels etc could score the exact same ratings without the added expense?

Yes. There doesn't appear to be any long term plan. Just throw money at useless "big" superstars that just don't draw people.

Speaking personally (and perhaps for others too), TNA was all about six-sides, the massively strong X Division and the fantastic Knockouts Division.

The heavyweights were almost an afterthought.

It was all about the new, developing talent, not the new big names.

I like Anderson, and I still think Sting has some place, but I couldn't give a **** about RVD, Hogan, Bischoff and the ECW lot. They've added nothing but a bit of ageing, rose-tinted happiness to better days.

Jeff Hardy (another hero of mine) was clearly a person that should not have been touched. TNA just don't learn.

You get the impression Hogan and Bischoff are pulling a massive con job on the Carters.

Absolutely. And this being Hogan, who's many times reported to be only out for himself.

[SpideySenses]

You'd have to consider CMLL bigger than TNA too, if only because of longevity.

And uh, WWE. But I guess they're not a pro wrestling company any more despite all the pro wrestling they produce.

[DejaVoodoo]

Originally Posted by f_196

Yes. There doesn't appear to be any long term plan. Just throw money at useless "big" superstars that just don't draw people.

Speaking personally (and perhaps for others too), TNA was all about six-sides, the massively strong X Division and the fantastic Knockouts Division.

I like Anderson, and I still think Sting has some place, but I couldn't give a **** about RVD, Hogan, Bischoff and the ECW lot. They've added nothing but a bit of ageing, rose-tinted happiness to better days.

Big stars can draw on ppvs and generate higher ratings, if booked correctly. TNA have never potrayed these guys correctly because their booking is horrible and has huge plotholes.

As for the 6 sided thing, they could wrestle in a cardboard box, it doesn't matter if the product sucks. TNA's has some horrible aspects.

Anderson is a terrible babyface.

[wildmovieguy]

Not sure if this is a first or not but TNA Impact was the number 1 show on Challenge for the week ending 17th of April.

1 TNA IMPACT (TUE 2203) 192

192,000 is impressive. The +1 showing did not rank at all and the lowest was 27,000 so the total watching on+1 was less than 27,000. That means most people are watching TNA Impact as it airs infact it beat all first run WWE programming for that week. The ratings just keep getting better and better and only a little bit more before breaking that 200,000 barrier. Could this be their highest ever UK rating? As always the marks can whine and complain but the TV audience is thriving always and continues to grow each week. They obviously like what their seeing.

[ags_rule]

Sting is utterly, uttery useless. His past two matches (Lockdown and iMPACT) he used three moves in each.

Seriously hope Matt Morgan doesn't get pushed into the main event picture either. Was hilarious on iMPACT this week when the crowd were cheering heel Steiner over him, no doubt partly due to his legend status, but also because he had vastly superior mic skills and an identifiable persona.

TNA does have some good things going for it, but they need to focus on them again, and let these old dinosaurs out.

Having said that though, I still enjoy seeing Hogan on-screen in his current role. I also absolutely do not get the people hating on RVD? He's still one of the most athletic, entertaining in-ring performers in the world. Certainly used a lot better in TNA than he was in WWE.

[Alfie2008]

Originally Posted by wildmovieguy

Not sure if this is a first or not but TNA Impact was the number 1 show on Challenge for the week ending 17th of April.

1 TNA IMPACT (TUE 2203) 192

192,000 is impressive. The +1 showing did not rank at all and the lowest was 27,000 so the total watching on+1 was less than 27,000. That means most people are watching TNA Impact as it airs infact it beat all first run WWE programming for that week. The ratings just keep getting better and better and only a little bit more before breaking that 200,000 barrier. Could this be their highest ever UK rating? As always the marks can whine and complain but the TV audience is thriving always and continues to grow each week. They obviously like what their seeing.

I wonder if TNA will ever tape a couple of episodes of Impact in the UK? They could get a decent crowd in similar to what they had at the tapings in North Carolina in March.

[wildmovieguy]

Depends who sponsors the tour and what they can help them with i think. The tour for this year would have already been organised way back last year and Bravo wouldn't help them out with TV equipment or editing facilities not that they would since everything the channel did was pre recorded. There was no original UK made content on Bravo. Maybe Sky can help them out with equipment for next year.

[JCR]

Rumours abound that TNA told Mick Foley they had no problem with him going on Raw next Monday, but Vince McMahon said no. Boo! Oh and lol TNA, obviously.

[Ebo_Elder]

Originally Posted by jamespondo

What about AAA and NJPW?

Like the majority of fans, they only really think of the WWE and TNA as wrestling companies as they are in the mainstream, being on TV and being discussed worldwide. When questions such as 'best wrestlers' 'best talkers' or 'best wrestling company' come up, the answers will generally be TNA or WWE. ROH were slighly in that group, however with there current TV cancellation problems, there momentum has stopped.

When iamhuman says TNA is the best wrestling company in the world, he is right in his own mind, as he is only judging them against one other competitor, the WWE. If he'd seen NJPW, PWG, ROH, AAA, NOAH, AJPW CHIKARA etc then im sure his answer would be different.

For me, on what is the 'best wrestling company', id go with ProWrestlingNoah. Partly because ive seen their shows live, and they have imo, with Angle, the top pure wrestler alive in KENTA.