TDS [010] – TNA: What Can We Do To Improve It

Posted by Spartacus on Sunday, May 15th, 2011

For you folks who have been paying attention to my “Coming Tomorrow” line at the bottom of my columns, I apologize. I put “TNA Sacrifice Predictions” and I’m very clearly not here with “TNA Sacrifice Predictions” . I will be honest, I really was going to present you pretty folks with my picks, but I got really busy and had a nice family gathering. I got back and had about 45 minutes until the PPV started. After a quick glance over the card, I came to the conclusion that I had no idea about the back-story to half of the matches taking place. I mean, seriously, the storylines to half of the matches were NOT advance or even mentioned to what I noticed on this week’s edition of Impact. I may not be a business major, but that cannot be good for getting buys when half the card isn’t being advanced on the go home show. Nevertheless, it gave me an idea for a replacement. So, without any further ado, here she be!

Way back during last summer it was reported that TNA’s PPV buys were hovering around 8,000 to 10,000 buys per event. If you don’t realize what that means, then let me say this. That was ground breaking news that is HORRIBLE. Around the time that this rumor hit the netwaves, it was reported that Spike TV wanted to get more exclusive primetime programming from TNA. In short, Spike TV wanted to pay TNA big money for PPV quality shows on select Sunday Nights.

It was reported that TNA would shorten its PPV schedule to just four big events a year, and fill those open Sunday Nights with PPV quality events. Nothing ever materialized, for what I believe is Hulk Hogan, and Eric Bischoff’s faults. I speculate they disallowed it to happen because they felt it would make TNA look completely minor league.

I disagree with those statements. TNA would greatly benefit from dropping to just four PPV’s a year and going ahead and getting that big money by putting on good events on TV. I mean, it’s not like buys are going up for the company’s PPVs. Why NOT go ahead and reach out to a bigger audience. Hell, I’m positive TNA would garner more money per free televised event than they do per PPV event. Not only, that but I would almost guarantee that the PPV buys for each of those four events would quadruple. There’s really no reason at all that those events wouldn’t be seen by 100,000, easily.

TNA does average 2.0 million viewers per episode of Impact. It’s not like 5% of those peeps wouldn’t buy more events if it was more spread out.

Let’s look at this a little deeper, though. If 2.0 million people watch Impact a week, and they only average in about 10,000 buys per event, then that means they are only convincing a mere 0. 5% of their viewers to buy their PPVs.

If that’s not more of a testament to how poorly TNA is being run, then I don’t know what is. I mean, only half a percent of their viewership feels the need to waste their hard earned money on a PPV event that is less than spectacular.

So, how do we fix this problem? Easy, TNA needs to drop eight of their PPVs NOW. They need to keep four of the bigger events and spread them out evenly throughout the calendar year. It’s not even like they would have to drop the eight gimmick infested PPVs either. That’s where that deal with Spike TV should come in. You could easily name those specific Sunday Nights after the lost PPVs.

I see no way in hell that the Sunday Night spectaculars couldn’t garner in a 3.0 rating. Maybe even higher. I also see no way in hell that the “Big Four” PPVs couldn’t bring in 100,000 buys. All TNA would have to do is properly promote them. Hell, while there busy copy catting the E, they should take notes on how to promote PPVs. WWE may have lost a beat or three in recent years as far as promoting PPVs, but it still stands that they are much, much better at the art than TNA.

All I’m here saying is that TNA could push itself to be bigger. They just have to implement the right systems. I believe the system I proposed above is perfect. Perfect for now, at least. Hell, it could be so perfect that the E eventually adopts it. Who knows. What we do know, though, is that now is better than ever to implement it. Mick Foley is bringing in change, why not add this format?

So, now it’s your turn ReaderLand. What do you think of the PPV format? Do you think Spike TV would even still offer it? Is it even possible to get TNA buys up to 100,000? Is it within the realm of possibility to see TNA garner those 3.0 ratings? Would YOU order all of the “Big Four” PPVs? Let me know what your feelin’ people. As always do so by leaving a sexy comment in that comment box below, or send it in via e-mail. It’s always appreciated guys! Without you all hear reading my stuff I’d have no where to write. You literally make it worth doing day in, and day out!

I’ve got another thought to put out there before I go real quick like. If anybody is interested in becoming a writer for FightLife Magazine, please e-mail me an application. Also, if you would like to be apart of the upcoming Survey Says staff, also feel free to e-mail me and I’ll get you the list on what to fill out. Thanks, guys! For now, though, I must bid you all farewell from beautiful Mars. Lata mah playas!

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Comment
  • adam tarasievich

    @fatchickthriller. Just because someone perfers wwe over tna doesnt mean they are a fanboy. Its just wwe has proven they can be entertaining and there is a chance they will be again in the future. Tna at one point was but with there continous hirings of old way past there prime fossels like hogan and flair it shows there not really intrested in getting better. Espically when spike offers them something like this that will help them be better they turn it down. They should of accepted it do they have to keep it like this perminitly no once they get more popular they could go back to having more ppv’s but for now take the deal. Tna needs to go back to the days of the x-division. I mean nowadays its hardly anything i mean the max buck vs kazirian match was good but in the old days that would of been a main hyped match not just something that was thrown into the ppv.

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  • fat chick thriller

    Well what do ya know Venom is on a Tna post spewing nothing but Garbage with no point and offers nothing of any significance…what a freakin surprise!!I hope you realize that along with putting in input and offering poignant comments that pertain to each specific article, I will also be riding your ass whenever you jump onto the TNA section.I have decided to make an example out of you and expose you for what you really are.Do us all a favor and keep your WWE Fanboy crap on the upper section titled “WWE NEWS”.Thank you and GOOD DAY SIR!!!!

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  • venom

    Just tell Hogan to leave and start his own promotion. OMW Old Man Wrestling. Oh wait, half of the roster would leave TNA.

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  • Saintsman

    Get Hogan and friends off TV, then WWE will take a backseat over time. That is following the listed idea above and ridding the Hogan and Friends portion. i mean, never seeing them for at least 12 yrs if they have that long left, i sure hope they do.

    but yeah, do the “ideas” above in TNA, then they on the pace to do sme reale damage to WWE ang bring real wrestlin back to prime time.

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  • adam tarasievich

    @nastynick. I had the same question about the mexican group too. It seems like they are trying to rip off there own group LAX. Because of how good they were. But what they dont relize is the reason that group was so good was because of konnan and homocide not just hernadez. Also the otehr 2 were good leaders hernadez is not a leader he is just muscle that is used to even the odds or intimidate people.

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  • CM Mark

    Sounds like a pretty solid business plan actually.

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  • nasty nick

    i think that tna should def switch to the four pay per view format. i’ve been saying that for a long time now. and to hear that spike offered them a primetime spot on sundays should of been a dream come true to tna. tna has some of the most confussing story lines i have ever seen. i mean if you quit watching tna for a month or two and then turn it back on and think you are going to be able to figure out what is going on, well its just not going to happen. youll have to watch atleast 3-4 weeks worth just to figure out whos feuding with who. atleast with the E after 1 (at times 2) weeks you will know who is feuding with who. they have guys that are number 1 contenders but they aren’t in the title match at the pay per view. they just did this with anderson. he won the battle royal this past week on impact to become number one contender but what did he do on the ppv? (i was not one of the 10,000 who ordered it) the last i saw, if he even had a match, it didn’t mean anything for his story line. it seems like tna tries to fit 4 hours of tv time into a 2 hour show. everything is cramped together. another thing that bugs me about tna is how they don’t even use the x divison any more. im sure this is all because of hogan and bishoff. when i use to actually enjoy tna, and not just fast foward through it, it was when the x divison thrived. thats what made tna good. they use to have amazing young wrestlers in just about every match. now, if they even show them on tv, its some meaning less 3 way or tag match. instead they put some boring ass mexicans (i don’t mean to offend anyone) in the ring who drop a flag and have been feuding with matt morgan for what seems to be a year. why is that feud not over yet? i think they should def go to the format you talked about, but i still do no think they will get 100,000 buys per ppv. they might get half of that. the reason i say that is because people will realize that every time they have a big ppv match the very next time impact comes on they just have a rematch. so why would you pay to see something when you could just wait and see it for free. i agree with mick foley they need to bring the wrestling back. now lets just see if they deliver. they also promised us that they were bring back the x divison and all they did was make up some bull shit tourny so they could give the belt to kaz. since then when has he had a title defense. hes not even feuding with anyone, and if he is i can’t tell. and what happened to the best tag team divison in wrestling? i know a big part of that is because motor city has been hurt but they said the best tag divison not the best 2 teams (motor city and beer money) they need to go back to what brought them to the dance and thats good wrestling. atleast that way they can say they are better then the E in something.

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  • JipC

    And whats up with the nonsensical pushes? why is tommy dreamer in a program with Aj Styles? Why is Bubba Ray getting a push as a singles star? I will say i am actually enjoying the jarrett/angle storyline but everything else Jarrett has ever…ever been apart of has been total dull shit sandwich.Stick to behind the scenes stuff Jeff. Why are there 10 different factions? Why is Scott Steiner employed? Why does every knockouts match have some complex finish that always comes out like shit? Just simplify this shit and people will care and buy ppvs!!! This isnt hard. And since there are 30 talking segments, why do Taz and Tenay have to break everything down 50 times?

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  • adam tarasievich

    I completly agree. This could help with the ratings for both impact ppv’s and if they ever do the sunday night events. I think the reason tna didnt do it is an easy one. Though the tna ppv’s dont bring in much money they probably bring in more then impact. With that being said even though most of them are failing tna needs money because having those kind of ratings on there weekly show and ppv’s they have to be having a hard time keeping the show going and there superstars on the roster. Which would explain the drops of jay lethal and pope. WWe could use something like this but the difference is they really dont have to. Because even if wwe does put some less then spectacular ppv’s which they do there fans are stil loyal. I mean i usally go to this bar to watch the ppv’s pay 5 bucks and its packed most of the time even for the lesser ppv’s. I turned and asked the bar tender if he would consider doing that for tna he didnt even know what tna was.

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  • JipC

    Interesting read. Im torn on the issue, but your numbers are convincing. I think TNA needs to promote their ppvs better in general. If they took TNA on the road more and had Impact anywhere but Orlando (there is 0 reaction from their tourist audience there!) they would grow dramatically.
    And you people need to quit bitching about Hogan and Bischoff, TNA was not good before they came. Have they done much, not really but they are not the cancers people make them out to be, The company just needs to have good stories (that make sense for once!) and get wrestlers over. The audience doesnt care about anyone in TNA. Until that happens, no one will pay to see ppvs. And stop with the damn gimmick mataches already.

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  • Fat Chick Thriller

    That is a great Idea sparty.I thought TNA was pretty stupid for not taking spike up on that offer as well.Come to think of it didn’t wcw do that exact same thing with having free clash of the champions and starrcade back in the early 90′s to get more viewers familiar with their product? Look how great that worked out for them in the beginning at least lol.I watched this PPV and I have to say the “actual” wrestling portion of the PPV was great.They have a ton of talent on that roster.It is definately writing and HH thats holding them back.I have completely abandoned storylines and just watch the actual wrestling now. .Anyways great article, wonderfully written and I can’t wait to here more of your views on Wrestling.

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  • Kevin

    I agree with that comment. I would also make Impact 3 hours long. I hope it would increase not only more matches, show off the roster more but also flesh out stories. WWE has two 2 hour shows, TNA needs that or at least 3. Give the older guys an hour or so and the rest focus on the new guys, change the set/look of the show. Stop trying to be WWE….focus on just producing quality matches and promote it.

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