What can TNA realistically do to improve their rating ?

[Loki]

Would you cut Hogan and spend the cash on younger indie talent?

 

- If Hogan's not getting a 2.0, Jay Briscoe isn't either. I'm not saying there's not some decent talent out there, but it's not like there's a Stone Cold nobody's noticed just working NWA Wildside.

 

 

Would you bring in a celeb and try and get national publicity?

 

- They've tried that a few times. Crossovers and whatnot make Spike happy, but don't change TNA's rating

 

Would you spend whatever profit you have on tv advertising?

 

- Possibly, but let's be honest: the best place for them to advertise would be during WWE programming, and I don't think that would be allowed.

 

Would you produce a reality show and hope it stimulates interest ala the first Ultimate Fighter?

 

- Not their strong suit, and Bischoff's been pitching that anyway for a while.

 

Would you try and market the Knock-outs differently to try and appeal to a new demographic?

 

- I actually DO think they fail to capitalise here. Knockouts often get the biggest ratings, and are hugely marketable. So - yes, might help.

 

Would you sack the booking team?

 

- The product is pretty good at the moment; don't spoil it!

 

---------

 

Essentially Ian's right though - the ratings they have at the moment as a good as they can probably expect. It's not like Spike is pulling 6 million viewers in for other shows I think; for the channel and the timeslots, TNA is doing quite well. Ratings are often best viewed in comparison rather than standalone.

 

TNA needs to, and is, improving other areas. It's taking itself out on the road and already seeing better crowds, which should in turn generate goodwill and interest for its house shows. It needs to look at how it can get tv viewers to buy its PPVs more. And it's working hard to get its overseas markets maximised.

 

I don't think there's any real danger of TNA getting dropped by Spike, but I also think they're trying to diversify out from just tv.

 

And to be completely honest, I like their product at the moment, and think the new on-the-road Impacts are great. And that's all that matters really.

[TheShowOff]

Their roster was fresh, young and the audience hadn't seen them in every scenario and every role.

 

This is it for me, from a creative stand point. I appreciate how good some of the talent is, but I just don't care about a lot of them because I am bored by them. I have seen AJ Styles turn about 10 times, I've seen him pretend to be Ric Flair, be a goof with a crown, be a love interest, be an alleged rat, be a straight wrestler, been in tag teams, chased and won all the belts... so him acting all moody now doesn't do it for me. I zone out. And it's not just AJ.

 

But topic in point: my answer would be to inject money (that isn't available) into the promotion. Nothing creatively is going to do it at this point.

[King Pitcos]

Knockouts often get the biggest ratings

Isn't that just a myth perpetuated by the Kharma-fanciers, and really whatever TNA puts in that timeslot gets the biggest ratings?

[ClassicsGuy]

Realistically nothing, but if it was up to me I would:

 

- Get rid of Hogan, Bischoff, Sting and most of the WCW/WWE retreads that are washed up and just there for a paycheck. TNA did the same 1.0 rating before they came and ratings certainly wouldn't drop if they left. TNA have their core audience at the moment and that's it. All these names do is take up tons of cash. Such a waste of money. I'd probably keep Hardy, and Bully Ray, so it wouldn't be everyone I'd get rid of. Just the useless ones, we all know who they are.

 

- Annoint a solitary number one top babyface and build the company around them, to the point the wrestler and company become synonymous with each other. This person needs to be a non-WWE person so that TNA has it's own identity and isn't constantly thought of as WWE reserves.

 

- Radically change the recruitment policy. The money saved on the washed up guys should be invested in new younger, hotter talents. WWE at the moment is just gobbling up all the hot, upcoming indy talent going. They did it with Bryan, Ambrose, Rollins, there's Ohno and Zayn in developmental, and there's probably going to be Callihan and Bennett in the next round of signings. There are guys out there who could come into TNA and with a big push right away, make a real difference. Maybe not to the rating, but to the look, feel and perception of the promotion's product. TNA 'poached' Kenny King, but out of everyone in ROH, that he was the guy they chose to pursue is rather strange and casts a lot of doubt over their judgement. Just as one of many examples, the fact they legit chose not to sign Ivelisse Velez, despite her look and talent is rather telling.

 

- Announcers are subject to personal taste, but I really hate heel Taz on commentary. He buries a lot of stuff in the guise of being a heel, making fun of the product, and does so in a way not conductive to making the product better. I'd get rid of him. I'd also p45 Mike Tenay. Don't have anything major against him, but he's synomonous with so much crap over the past 10 years. If this was a fresh start, I'd have Kennely and a new colour commentator alongside him, a 2 man team.

 

- No GMs, just an off-screen 'committee' that match-make. The focus shouldn't be on the making of matches, or guys politicking. It should be on storylines, on competition, on fighting for championships or personal issues. Authority figures are just done to absolute death.

 

- There will be some areas where you have to be like WWE; they are the market leaders and the standard bearers for the industry. However, where possible, try to be different than WWE, in terms of match concepts, rules, outcomes. Cut out any stuff in WWE that currently sucks or is predictable/passe, i.e. count out finishes, commercials during matches (format your show so that matches are the main focus and are never interupted because they're that important), stupid segments like dance offs etc.

 

- Scrap the X-Division title, merge it with the Tv title, to create a 'Rising Star' title. This will be the equivalent of the old IC title back in the early 1990s WWF - the workers' title, the guys who have great matches, who the fans can get behind on their rise to the top. Have 4 titles - World, Rising Star, Tag, and Womens.

 

There's probably loads more I could go say, but they are some of my ideas.

[garynysmon]

I was at Wales Comic Con on Sunday, and during the Q and A I asked Mick Foley and Goldust, what TNA needed to do to improve. Although they said the WWE will always be streets ahead, leaving the Impact Zone was the best thing they could have done.

As noted on the forum countless times in the past, The Impact Zone drained all the atmoshphere out of the building and the fans had been spoilt and seen everything before.

[Vamp]

- Get rid of Hogan, Bischoff, Sting and most of the WCW/WWE retreads that are washed up and just there for a paycheck. TNA did the same 1.0 rating before they came and ratings certainly wouldn't drop if they left. TNA have their core audience at the moment and that's it. All these names do is take up tons of cash. Such a waste of money.

 

You could possibly make that argument for Sting (though I wouldn't as I love Sting) but Hogan and Bischoff aren't really there to pop a rating. Why would Bischoff pop a rating? Bischoff's there as someone who's been involved in wrestlign and involved in reality television. Hogan's there because he's a fantastic ambassador for the company (see hsi interviews over here before TNA were about to tour) and I'd imagine he's a great name to roll out in meetings. So how Hogan and Bischoff are a waste of money I'm not really sure. They do what they're there to do. I should imaging Sting's a great guy to have around backstage as well. He's been there forever now, eh clearly respects them like they respect him, and I'd imagine he's a sound guy for the locker room to respect and things.

[C-Rock]

Some how create must see unmissable TV, excentuate your positives and hide your negatives. Offer something WWE doesn't which isn't much and push that, don't try to be a 2nd class WWE. ECW had their unique content and style, WCW was cutting edge and thought outside the box during a time when WWE was cartoonish family friendly. I really think everything that can be done in wrestling has been done and the industry as whole has peaked in my opinion, so TNA for me are fighting a tough up hill battle but if I were in charge of TNA I'd think outside the box and try to look at doing something different that WWE isn't doing. WWE are PG and are there for limited as to what they can produce so TNA should offer what WWE can't offer I suppose. But what do I know lol.

[Dirty Eddie]

I'd really like to see TNA do a bit of what WCW was doing in their peak years and that's take the product into some weird and interesting locations.

 

Those Spring Break Nitros looked awesome and made me want to watch the shows (at the time I was a life-long WWF fan) even more than usual. Same for the stuff they did at the Biker Rallies and places like that. Those shows with the swimming pools and super excited crowds looked excellent on TV. Hell, they should steal the old WWF idea and run a show at the Mall Of America or at Grand Central Station. Triple H being tombstoned at the top of the escalator and riding it down to the floor has stuck with me forever.

 

I know it all takes money (and so won't happen on this scale) but imagine if TNA could put on a special outdoor show near Times Square or somewhere like that. Have the Aces & Eights ride up in a massive fleet of motorbikes. Have a big multi-man Ultimate X Match to wow the crowds, get Hogan out cutting a promo, put the Dudley's in a TLC Match with Jeff Hardy and Sting - basically a big publicity stunt to get the people and the media used to hearing about "TNA Wrestling" and seeing all the stars they have there now.

 

I agree with those that are saying the product (on screen) isn't really the problem. It's not perfect, but wrestling rarely is, but there is enough good that I really think business would pick up if more people either knew about it, or started giving it a chance.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

They dont even change their ring apron for pay-per-views, so I doubt thats happening any time soon.

[Sheffbag]

Realistically nothing, but if it was up to me I would:

 

Scrap the X-Division title, merge it with the Tv title, to create a 'Rising Star' title. This will be the equivalent of the old IC title back in the early 1990s WWF - the workers' title, the guys who have great matches, who the fans can get behind on their rise to the top. Have 4 titles - World, Rising Star, Tag, and Womens.

 

wrong way round, if TNA promotes the X division correctly (see Aries as champ) then it has a product that is different to the WWE. To draw the WCW comparison, the start of Nitro normally featured the Lucha's and they generally tore the house down and hooked you from the start. Invest in the X division, go out and agressively scout the world, strike a deal with Japan but treat them as equals (Muta is the obvious example) not as a salt throwing cheat. Bring a couple into the X division and have them compete and be successful. build up the storylines around the division. They are going to have to anyway to prep up for the champ getting a shot at the heavyweight title (or has that gone now with the reduciton of PPV's?)

 

Scrap the TV title though, it serves no purpose, as a secondary title it lost all value way back. the roster isnt strong enough to have 2 heavyweight titles so concentrate on a single Heavyweight title and the X Division.

 

But that said it wont make no blip on the ratings but woudl make the product better for those who already watch. You say wrestling to people in the street and in the first 3 names mentioned woudl be Hogan. If a brand as big as Hulk cant add .2 of a rating then TNA will never reach 2 unless its riding ont he coat tails of the WWE in a boom period and that wont happen until Cena goes heel and joins the Shield to form NWO v.354

[Dirty Eddie]

They dont even change their ring apron for pay-per-views, so I doubt thats happening any time soon.

Well yeah, I did say that.

 

Really, nothing in this thread is happening any time soon, is it. That's why it's a fan discussion and not an official TNA business action plan meeting,

[TheShowOff]

Those Spring Break Nitros looked awesome and made me want to watch the shows

 

This is universal truth. Nash jumping in the pool to evade The Giant is one of my favourite moments of his.

[Vamp]

wrong way round, if TNA promotes the X division correctly (see Aries as champ) then it has a product that is different to the WWE. To draw the WCW comparison, the start of Nitro normally featured the Lucha's and they generally tore the house down and hooked you from the start. Invest in the X division, go out and agressively scout the world, strike a deal with Japan but treat them as equals (Muta is the obvious example) not as a salt throwing cheat. Bring a couple into the X division and have them compete and be successful. build up the storylines around the division. They are going to have to anyway to prep up for the champ getting a shot at the heavyweight title (or has that gone now with the reduciton of PPV's?)

 

 

I think they were thinking about that when they tried to do a deal with AAA but of course there were contract problems there and the AAA guys couldn't come in. I'm not sure the X-Division hasn't outlived its purpose really.

[The King Of Swing]

All TNA can really do at this point is carry on business as usual and hope that one day they either walk into something that works for them of that another boom period kicks in.

[Guest]

Forget the x division chat, punk and Bryan have been wwe champions over last year, so size doesn't make you different

 

I don't get from a fans perspective, the obsession with ratings. It was a measure in a 3-4 year period 13 years ago as to who was getting most viewers. These days means nothing to me.

 

Was listening to a nerdist podcast earlier where they said that last episode of Talking dead had more viewers than game of thrones, does anyone really think talking deads better than game of thrones?

 

To stay in business shoud be tnas aim. Not try and chase or match wwe