Impact wrestling thread - It's a Don West tribute thread now!

[King Pitcos]

I don't know how people manage a 3-hour Raw each week.

I only manage it by watching after the fact and fast-forwarding through most of the matches.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Its sort of a sad day for wrestling in a way. TNA are the number 2 wrestling promotion in the west and the only deal they could get was this? This is as good as its getting? TNA was generally shite for years, but as long as they had the Spike deal there was always that chance they could get some momentum. Like in 2012. They were knocking out some cracking telly, and they seemed to have a direction what with Bobby Roode, Bully Ray and Austin Aries actually getting elevated to the top bracket. But now? What is there? What the fuck can you do on Destination America? Its like when Men & Motors used to show old comedians doing stand up on cruise ships. Jim Bowen could have done the gig of his life on that channel, but he wasn't selling out the empire three nights in a row again.

[Big Benny HG]

 

 

I don't know how people manage a 3-hour Raw each week.

I only manage it by watching after the fact and fast-forwarding through most of the matches.

This is precisely what I do - watch all the talking segments and closing moments of matches on normal speed, fast-forward through everything else on x12. Usually get through a Raw in just over an hour.

 

I am only really watching to follow what's going on, see the finishes, see who wins and keep up with the storylines and angles so that I can enjoy the PPVs (that I do watch in full) - I'm not actually bothered about seeing the weekly matches themselves.

 

On the TNA TV deal - yeah, that's terrible. Destination America is only available in around half the homes that Spike is, and even in those homes it is on a premium cable tier. They are essentially on the same level as ROH.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Big Benny HG

[Undefeated Steak]

I hope TNA signing with Destination Unknown will be a blessing in disguise. TNA have proven time and time again that they will never be a consistent, legitimate contender to WWE and they've had more than enough chances. It might take or year or two but I think it's time that another promotion steps up to the plate and has a go now. I don't worry for TNA - it's the cockroach promotion that can survive without a brain and will probably outlive WWE.

[Loki]

Yeah, that's my hope too.  Assuming their deal with Challenge continues, it's actual US outlet doesn't matter too much.

 

If they move to 1 hour, hire wrestlers by the show (apart from maybe some sort of contract with the champ) and drop the TNA bit in favour of Impact Wrestling... it could improve the product.  And they could then concentrate on doing something with their PPV business.  Moving to iPPV for example and dong 4 a year.

 

 

Also, reading up about the new channel, it sounds a LOT like TNN (Tennessee National Network) which was a good ol' boys network that was a perfect  home for wrestling back in the day... and evolved into Spike!

Edited November 19, 2014 by Loki

[Daily Buzzard]

Are they at the point now where more people are going to be watching their TV in the UK than in the US? Might as well just move the promotion over here, or at least just do the TV tapings over here, keep the (rare) PPVs in the US.

Are they at the point now where more people are going to be watching their TV in the UK than in the US? Might as well just move the promotion over here, or at least just do the TV tapings over here, keep the (rare) PPVs in the US.

[pgi86]

Here's how things stand in terms of what percentage of U.S. TV households can watch what:

 

USA Network (RAW) - 86.38%

Spike TV (TNA until now) - 85.50%

Syfy (SmackDown) - 85.33%

E! (Total Divas) - 84.48%

Fox Sports 1 (UFC) - 75.13%

UniMas (Lucha Underground) - 57.8%

Destination America (TNA in 2015) - 52.20%

ROH - 38.1%

El Rey (Lucha Underground) - 35%?

 

All the numbers except the final two are for August 2013. The ROH number is from October 2014, but includes future expansion that has not yet come into effect. The El Rey number was their target number that they announced earlier this year, but I don't know if they've reached it. The UniMas number I had to calculate myself by using the total number of U.S. TV households and the number of households UniMas is available in.

 

So yeah, quite the drop-off indeed.

Edited November 19, 2014 by pgi86

[JNLister]

 

 

On the TNA TV deal - yeah, that's terrible. Destination America is only available in around half the homes that Spike is, and even in those homes it is on a premium cable tier.

 

To be anal, it's available in a smaller number of homes *because* it's on premium tiers. Virtually anyone with cable or satellite could get the channel if they chose to.

[Psygnosis]

Looks like Lashley is sticking around too, happy for them.

[Statto]

Also, reading up about the new channel, it sounds a LOT like TNN (Tennessee National Network) which was a good ol' boys network that was a perfect home for wrestling back in the day... and evolved into Spike!

To also be anal, it was initially "The Nashville Network", then became "The National Network" around the time WWE jumped on board [/DeepSouthPedant]

[Buzz Lightyear]

Another magnificent decision from Dixie.

 

What a mess she's made of that company.

[Undefeated Steak]

Mental to think there was a TNA chant going on Raw a few years back.

 

LUCHA! LUCHA!

[UK Kat Von D]

If people can't be bothered to buy the TNA PPVs then they won't upgrade their cable packages for them

[PowerButchi]

 

Also, reading up about the new channel, it sounds a LOT like TNN (Tennessee National Network) which was a good ol' boys network that was a perfect  home for wrestling back in the day... and evolved into Spike!

 

The Nashville Network.

 

It also had a strong built in viewership from years competing with CMT, and an already ingrained viewership who loved their 'Rasslin due to Nascar, Roller Derby and Southern lifstyle programmes going back yeeeeeeeeeeeears. Destination America's more like going onto D-Max or Quest than onto a well watched and well established channel looking to broaden it's key demos.

[ColinBollocks]

Any news/speculation on what they're getting paid for the new deal?