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

[NEWM]

This is why I don't give much credit to TNA's "survival" all these years. I know it's treating it rather broadly, but it's not that unfair to say that if the Carters lost interest then TNA would probably be fucked as nobody else would be arsed. It's success or failure as a product has never been effectively measured by finances because they're just getting bankrolled either way. Only now when people are getting sacked or sent home or whatever is that actually showing itself, but the exact opposite of that happened in 2010 when you had Val Venis and Anderson coming in getting money chucked at them for doing fuck all. It wasn't because the product was suddenly ace and they were reaping the benefits inflating the roster - it was just because they were cash splashing at that time. If Spike elected not to renew Impact whenever that came up, and/or the Carters washed their hands of it, TNA isn't actually anything tangible, is it? It's a name, and a few ropes, big screens etc, and some wrestlers with nowhere to wrestle and nowhere to be watched wrestling. Basically the same as the WCW "company" that Vince bought, but with a HUGELY weaker brand recognition.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Bob Ryder came up with the idea. He said their idea was to ride out the lack of interest until someone wanted wrestling on their network. But really, TNA were dead after a weeks. They always say "they said we wouldn't last 6 weeks". Well they didnt. Panda had to come in and promise them they were willing to lose more money than the company would ever make to keep it alive. Which wasnt their original plan, obviously.

 

There was a few ways people were doing it back then. Jimmy Hart filmed a bunch of TV and shipped it around networks to see if anyone was interested in his XWF. But the shows featured Hogan, Hennig, Lawler and a load of others that WWF had snapped up. They could have broadcast via the internet. They didn't even have TV when Spike picked them up. They were drawing more buys for monthly PPV when they were on the internet than when they were on Spike. There were other ways to establish the promotion while they were looking for TV. But weekly pay-per-views lost so much money.

 

Wrestling has changed so much in the last few years that I doubt even a sale will matter much. I'd like to see someone with money and a bit of an imagination take TNA over, but what do you do when you buy it? I dont think there are enough wrestling fans to support it.

Edited October 28, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[NEWM]

I tell you what the weekly PPV concept could have been great for though - a return to the days where a wrestler could be seen legitimately as a "draw". WWE has long been the draw for itself (mostly) regardless of who's on top, but like with the Raven example, if you have your big territorial stalwart such as Jarrett paired against somebody who gets hot, you could measure exactly who really is a numbers mover by how many people pay for the build up and execution of a big angle. I vividly remember that Jarrett/Raven match feeling like a fucking super big deal for TNA and wrestling as a whole - it was some proper good wrestling-style hype and buzz for something that was actually pretty smalltime. Nothing else sticks out from the weekly PPV era like that, (the introduction of SEX, maybe, but it was still just another Attitude era retread) but you'd have sharp known by the buyrates if somebody came in and made a real difference. It would take maybe a three/four week steady trend of the graphs pointing upwards for them to stop and say "Wow, ever since we've had that Kane knockoff in his Denim clothes and his Mankind mask, more people are buying the show", and then see how long you ride that wave before starting again with the next up-and-comer.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Our Bri bringing the scoopz.

Brian Elliott, editor of the Fighting Spirit Magazine in the UK, has spoken to us about TNA being sold by the Carter family. He explained the following to us about the situation:

 

"The Carter family has been open to receiving offers for TNA for several months. There are a select number of business people on the inside to whom this has been made clear. You have to understand that it's not like the company is going to be listed on eBay; keeping the fact that they are open to selling TNA to a small number of potentially interested parties keeps the price that the Carters can get for it at a much higher level than if they went public that the company was for sale.

 

If someone does make a bid, that information will then be leaked in certain quarters, in the hope of starting a bidding war that would raise the price further. Like with Fusient Media's attempted purchase of WCW, if someone comes in with a bid, we'll soon know about it."

 

Well pissed off the UKFF's own Brian Elliot didn't tell us first. Gutted in fact.

Edited October 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[PunkStep]

Gerweck reckon parties interested are Bischoff, Viacom, WWE and can't remember the fourth one. Aren't they the same parties looking at buying WCW 12+ years ago? Sounds recycled.

 

Edit: Jarrett was the fourth, and it came from Meltzer apparently, so perhaps so then.

Edited October 29, 2013 by PunkStep

[Daaaaaad!]

Jarrett is the other one apparently. Might want to buy it back.

 

Is there any chance that if Viacom fail to buy, they'll just pull TNA from their programming?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

You have to be careful with shit like Gerweck, because they just say "partial source - Observer". As in half Gerweck shite and half nicked from the Observer or PWInsider. All Meltzer said regarding Bischoff was "it wouldnt surprise me" when quizzed if he'd have a go at getting a group together. Didn't say anything about him trying to buy it. He never mentioned WWE (in fact Alvarez said he doesn't see them wanting it). And Viacom is the fairly obvious one everyone is reporting. Fuck knows where the Jarrett stuff came from, because I never heard anyone mention Jarrett trying to buy it. Unless I've missed him saying it. Although I suppose it would make sense. He originally brought the Carters on board, so he must know some Billy Big Shites with a few quid knocking about to fund it.

 

I dont even know what would be best for TNA really. I'm hoping its someone new altogether. I think the promotion just needs a completely different front office and head of the group. I might buy it. Butch can be the Michael Hayes to my Vince. We'll ride Harleys and book the TVs by the pool. Get Gladders in the Fit Finlay role, overseeing the women. I want a full review of Brooke Tessmacher and what she can do. I'll put the belt on ShortOrderCook, obviously. He's a big guy. Chilli can film the action. Air_raid I see as a comedy heel who loses a lot but is quite popular. Like Disco Inferno. Woyzeck work on creative naming the wrestlers, after his Bill Diarrhea brain storm.

Edited October 29, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[King Pitcos]

Kurt Angle signed with TNA when the door was open to a WWE return

When?

[PunkStep]

You have to be careful with shit like Gerweck, because they just say "partial source - Observer".

Yeah, weird thing is they never used to put out half-bullshit stories like that, that would be left for Matt Boone and Ryan Clarke to do for whatever website they were working for at the time. I still use them for Raw and ppv results, but their news section is littered with non-news crap, like 'votefor your favourite technical wrestler' and a link to a YouTube video for some match from 15 years ago for no reason. It's like IGN, you have to sift out the shit to get to the sizzle.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Gerweck probably added the Jarrett line as they reported years back he sold his stock in the company to Dixie.

 

Anyway, every company is for sale at the right price and TNA is no different, personally I can't see it happening. Isn't this the regular "getting shit together and planning a new direction" that TNA do every couple of years?

[Ant]

I started reading Gerweck about 7 years ago after a couple of WWE/TNA guys told me they used it, and I know at least one that was sending info to the guy behind the site.

 

Suppose times may change with the site, or it may be a mixture of fantasy and reality.

 

In regards to someone buying the company, Easy E's line in the Monday Night Wars dvd springs to mind - you're buying the TV slot, everything else is pretty much worthless without it.

 

And I wouldn't fancy my chances buying the rest of the package and trying to tout it to a TV or online platform.

[Doctor Whos Next]

I wonder if Kurt Kayfabed them into letting him turn down the TNA HOF cos he sees TNA's days as being numbered.

[garynysmon]

In regards to someone buying the company, Easy E's line in the Monday Night Wars dvd springs to mind - you're buying the TV slot, everything else is pretty much worthless without it.

And I wouldn't fancy my chances buying the rest of the package and trying to tout it to a TV or online platform.

 

The only selling point is that you have a company that can average a 1.0 cable rating over a substantial time period, which some cable TV networks will view favourably. That's better than going in there with a brand new company I suppose.

 

I'm not convinced that in 2013, Eric Bischoff is the guy to run a national wrestling company. He's got a set formula of getting Hulk on board and signing a few established stars, and that's certainly worked in the past. He's also done a fair job as a TV producer.

But in all honestly, who's out there not tied into a WWE contract or even legends deal?

I doubt he'd find a business partner with the resources of a Ted Turner, as that's what it would take to pry away some of the WWE's biggest stars when their contracts expire. But would they even move? I doubt some of them would consider moving even if their salary was doubled as a lot of the guys like CM Punk don't seem like money marks to me, compared to the 80's old-school attitude.

 

Strangely, I enjoyed Impact this week more than I have in quite some time. It seemed pretty 'big time' for a change, which is quite ironic as they're regressing back to the Impact Zone in a matter of weeks.

Edited October 29, 2013 by garynysmon

[Buzz Lightyear]

In regards to someone buying the company, Easy E's line in the Monday Night Wars dvd springs to mind - you're buying the TV slot, everything else is pretty much worthless without it.

And I wouldn't fancy my chances buying the rest of the package and trying to tout it to a TV or online platform.

 

The only selling point is that you have a company that can average a 1.0 cable rating over a substantial time period, which some cable TV networks will view favourably. That's better than going in there with a brand new company I suppose.

 

I'm not convinced that in 2013, Eric Bischoff is the guy to run a national wrestling company. He's got a set formula of getting Hulk on board and signing a few established stars, and that's certainly worked in the past. He's also done a fair job as a TV producer.

But in all honestly, who's out there not tied into a WWE contract or even legends deal?

I doubt he'd find a business partner with the resources of a Ted Turner, as that's what it would take to pry away some of the WWE's biggest stars when their contracts expire. But would they even move? I doubt some of them would consider moving even if their salary was doubled as a lot of the guys like CM Punk don't seem like money marks to me, compared to the 80's old-school attitude.

 

Strangely, I enjoyed Impact this week more than I have in quite some time. It seemed pretty 'big time' for a change, which is quite ironic as they're regressing back to the Impact Zone in a matter of weeks.

 

Summed up nicely. Moving forward on TV yet backwards to the iMPACT Zone.

 

I also have my doubts on Bischoff. Then again i'm not buying any of these reports until PWInsider get onboard.

[pgi86]

AJ Styles is defending the TNA title at this Sunday's AAA TV tapings in Tonal

Edited October 29, 2013 by pgi86