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

[pgi86]

Large arenas they don't fill are a problem, but the bigger issue is production costs. Doing a quality wrestling show on the road costs a fortune. WWE were even considering doing taped Raws to save some a fortune. If TNA were filling these arenas they'd be fine, but they're clearly not.

 

Does anybody know how many people have to attend for them to break even on these Impact shows?

 

I'm not sure of the exact amount, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that a weekly episode of Raw costs around $200,000 to run, including everything involved such as building hire, production costs, pyrotechnics etc.

 

theres no way that TNA are running shows and profiting/breaking even if the arena are paying them $25,000. Weren't Spike covering some of the costs when Impact went on the road the first time?

Ticket sales are only one of several revenue streams, you know. Ticket sales and VIP packages, merch sales at the venue, Spike TV licensing fee (i.e. being paid a certain amount of money per episode), international TV licensing fees, sponsorship money (e.g. 5 Hour Energy), etc. All of these revenue streams determine whether or not a TNA show on the road breaks even as all of these revenue streams go toward paying the bills for the show. Attendance might be weak but if the other revenue streams are good then a show might break even. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not suggesting TNA breaks even - obviously no one but them knows that. What I'm suggesting is that people need to stop talking like ticket sales are the be all and end all when it comes to an international television taping breaking even on the road. Ticket sales are an important part of the equation, no doubt, but not the whole equation.

Edited July 4, 2013 by pgi86

[IANdrewDiceClay]

What I'm suggesting is that people need to stop talking like ticket sales are the be all

Nobody is. 90% of the discussion has been about these contracts they are paying out the arse for.

[Loki]

Do they pay people's transport costs to each taping? That would be something that's gone through the roof with the move to the road. Especially when you think that guys like Hogan were living down the road from Orlando, now you're jetting them all over.

 

The other thing that's not confirmed - just because they're dropping these guys off downside guarantees, they might still book them for the odd taping or house show. Some of this might be more a restructuring than a WWE-style clean out.

[wrestlingmad]

Apparently Bruce Pritchard is trying his hardest to sign MVP. MVP is trying to start a reality series on prison life, a deal with Spike could offer him the best of both worlds. He's also stated on Twitter that he is open to joining TNA to work with the talent they have such as Joe, Angle, Styles ect.

[Loki]

Apparently Bruce Pritchard is trying his hardest

 

Liar.

[Professor Paul's Bin]

According to Steven Fludder, MVP comes with a pretty high price tag (Pretty sure I saw this on Facebook). Maybe if they were to rid of some more dead weight who are actually costing them money then this would be a good signing for them. Looking at the roster online it is very lackluster. Hopefully they sort this out rather than signing some MMA bloke again.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Twinn

[AshC]

According to Steven Fludder, MVP comes with a pretty high price tag

Living the gimmick.

[wrestlingmad]

According to Steven Fludder, MVP comes with a pretty high price tag (Pretty sure I saw this on Facebook). Maybe if they were to rid of some more dead weight who are actually costing them money then this would be a good signing for them. Looking at the roster online it is very lackluster. Hopefully they sort this out rather than signing some MMA bloke again.

Yeah but maybe MVP saved his money and doesn't want to waste his time working indie shows abroad so charges massive amounts. TNA is a international wrestling company which will provide him with a platform to introduce a new character and a new side of him since coming back from New Japan. TNA might only be drawing between 2,500-4,000 at a push at these tapings but they still get 1million+ viewers a week in America alone.

Edited July 4, 2013 by wrestlingmad

[AshC]

Apparently Bruce Pritchard is trying his hardest to sign MVP.

 

I'd love it if he did a 'Luther Blissett' and got this one.

 

[Sphinx]

I can't see MVP making any difference to be honest. They need to get rid of wrestlers (which they're doing) if only to make it a less diluted show. I don't know what to suggest really. I think putting more money into marketing might work if coupled with getting rid of someone like Sting or Hogan as someone alluded to. I just don't see MVP being a game changer, just like a lot of the other ex-WWE guys weren't.

[TheShowOff]

I think putting more money into marketing might work if coupled with getting rid of someone like Sting or Hogan as someone alluded to.

 

More marketing whilst remove the most marketable asset?

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Nobody in their right mind thinks MVP is a game changer, though. There are no game changers around. TNA's problems go far beyond the talent side of things. MVP would be a fresh face, though and they desperately need one of those. MVP is also a 40 year old ex-WWE wrestlers who wont come cheap, which might add to the problems more than help. But he's way better than Ken Anderson or Devon Dudley or some of the other people knocking about the part of the card MVP will occupy.

 

Bringing in guys at the moment is more about making new matches we haven't seen before. How many times have we seen Bobby Roode vs Jeff Hardy or Ken Anderson vs Samoa Joe? MVP at least creates a fresh series. Which is the only advantage of bringing him in. Same with Masters and Morrison if they came in. They wouldnt do anything for business, but at least they can work and it would get some of the shit like Mike Knox off TV.

 

Thing is, Mike Knox is quite a great big man wrestler and Luke Gallows is even better than him. If they'd have brought them and positioned them as this pair of bad ass singles guys and have them roll over some of the shite on the roster, this pair could have been something decent. A pair you could get behind. What's the point of even having them there if they are just knocking about in their wooly hats. They are Brian Adams and Vincent.

Edited July 4, 2013 by IANdrewDiceClay

[PowerButchi]

You could do all sorts with Gallows as well. Comedy, even. He's probably one of the funniest men in wrestling, and Festus was pretty humourous too.

[zep81]

Yeah, i remember a really great Festus vs Undertaker match on SD in '08.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Yeah, i remember a really great Festus vs Undertaker match on SD in '08.

I love that match. Really strange why WWE fired him to be honest. How many 6'7" wrestlers can dart about like he can? He's in his late 20s as well. He's pretty untapped as well, so I dont get why nobody is using him.