KFC's Take: TNA - Your Time is Now

[Troy]

It has been a very long time since I have written a column but I thought that it was time to start again. Lockdown last weekend was, in my opinion, such a monumental event for TNA because of all the changes that have and are occuring with the company. It all culminated at Lockdown and it is the start of a new era for them and so I wanted to write about how I think these changes will impact on the company looking forward.


Last night TNA presented Lockdown in front of a record crowd and whilst overall the PPV was a bit of a letdown the ending was something different and was the start of a new era for the company. The show ended with veteran Bully Ray winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship after turning heel and revealing himself as leader of heel stable Aces & Eights. He turned on Hulk and Brooke Hogan and on the fans and in return the fans showered the ring with bottles and trash in a scene reminiscent of Bash at the Beach 1996 when Hogan turned heel and was revealed as the third member of the NWO. It was a crazy scene and it kicks of a new era for TNA with a bang. TNA has made many changes over the past twelve months and they all culminated with Lockdown which was the start of the new direction. It was the first of the new PPV format, it was outside the Impact Zone and their last Impact was the last at the Impact Zone. This is the start of a new beginning for TNA and to kick it off with a record crowd is a fantastic way to start.

TNA is now on the road fulltime, they no longer have their safe haven in the Impact Zone where they are guaranteed a full crowd thanks to free entry into the show due to its location inside the Universal Studios theme park. TNA now have to go out there and draw a crowd every second week, as they are going live one week and taping another show that day to air the next week. The fact that they are doing two shows at each arena, one live and one taped for the next week is smart as well as it keeps costs down early on and they can see how successful taking Impact on the road is rather than going all out and going live to a new arena every single week. They can always expand at a future date if all is going well but for now it is the right move.

It will be a good new challenge for the company to actually have to work to draw a crowd of paying fans to attend the tapings. It is a good move for TNA as they needed to get out of the Impact Zone as it was hurting their product. The fans in there weren’t “real†fans but quite a few were just people that were inside the theme park that day. They weren’t people that would buy the PPVs or buy merchandise or even watch the show, they were just there for the day and decided to appear. The audience reaction was weak most of the time and in the end very stale. It was always telling when TNA would air a show from another location as the crowd would be such a contrast. They would be paying fans interested in the actual product and therefore would get a lot more involved in the show. The Impact Zone was very good early on for TNA as it was a cheap way to produce a television show and it practically guaranteed them a full crowd. But, Impact has been running for a long time now, close to a decade, and they are ready to take the next step as they had outgrown the space.

This gives TNA a great opportunity to grow their audience as TNA can bring the show to new markets and audiences. With Impact being taped in the same location the vast majority of the time you were stuck with just appealing to fans around the area or tourists visiting. They will get more exposure by running more markets and giving wrestling fans around the country the chance to watch the show in person. As we know attending a wrestling show is the best way to win a fan over and if TNA can produce quality live taping shows they will do just that. From all reports TNA house shows are excellent and a lot of fun to attend so if they can maintain that same quality then they will excel and will be able to draw good crowds. They mustn’t try to go too big too soon though, don’t book 20k seat arenas start with realistic goals and focus on smaller cheaper arenas and try to sell them out. They want to plan this out carefully so that they don’t have to run back to the Impact Zone in a year’s time if it is a failure. Overall it is a positive step and they are showing faith in their roster and creative team to be able to draw sufficient crowds to make this a worthwhile endeavour.

TNA have also reduced their PPV schedule from 12 down to just 4. It is another strong business decision as previously the majority of their PPVs would struggle to break 10k buys and there is no way they could have been making good money from those shows. TNA’s focus has always been its ratings and because of that its build for each PPV was almost non-existent outside of its main PPVs. For TNA the most important show wasn’t the PPV but the next episode of Impact. Now with just the big four PPVs TNA have given themselves three months to build each PPV. It gives them ample time to build up proper rivalries for each match on the card, top to bottom. They no longer have to rush build and don’t need to through together a card on the last Impact before the PPV. They have time to build suspense over those three months so that the feuds peak at these shows and make these must buy PPVs.

TNA needed something and someone big to start of their new era and with what happened in those last ten minutes of Lockdown they have that. Bully Ray is the world champion, the top heel and is heading the biggest stable in the company. They have a heel as champion that can actually draw some huge heel heat. They have a guy that at the age of 41 has got himself in the best shape of his life. They have a guy that can wrestle and is one of the best talkers in the business. They have a guy that has done everything that he could do to get to this level after a couple of decades in the business and he isn’t going to give up this spot easily and is going to prove that he belongs there with top shelf performances. Before this turn, let’s be honest, Aces & Eights were a pretty weak group. They had plenty of members but it had fallen into the standard stable trap of adding a lot of nothing names to the group. TNA needed to remember quality over quantity. Just because the stable has half a dozen guys in it doesn’t mean it is any good, there isn’t power in numbers if the numbers mean nothing. It also really doesn’t help when that stable can’t win a big match and a stable where the biggest names are Devon and Mr Anderson isn’t really going to set the world on fire. They needed a big name revealed as President especially after the underwhelming reveal of D’Lo Brown as Vice President last Impact. Bully Ray is that man, he is the biggest heel in the company and now he brings the World title to the group. Immediately he legitimises the group and makes them much more of a threat.

TNA now have a strong group headed by a strong leader and this is a great storyline heading forward with all the new changes to the company. TNA need to capitalise on it and make Aces & Eights a dominant stable, play on that classic wrestling storyline of having a group look like it is taking over the company. They need to pick up some big wins soon though to really put them over the top and to show that now with Bully Ray on board they can’t be stopped. A top heel stable needs a face, or two, to oppose them and to try to take them down. NWO had Goldberg and TNA need to find that guy to head the charge against the group. They are in an interesting situation with AJ Styles as well as there are hints that he may even join the group. He can’t have a World title shot until Bound For Glory 2013 and after losing a match to Christopher Daniels at Final Resolution on December 9[SUP]th[/SUP] he announced on the Impact after that he was sick of doing the right thing and that he was done. Since then they have laid the platform for Styles making that turn and siding with Aces and Eights. That would be another huge addition to the group if it did happen but they could easily go the other way with it and have him be the one that leads the TNA charge and repels this group.

They have a good mixture of big marquee names and quality wrestling talent and are starting to get the right idea about how to book those big names. Now that they are on the road they need names that can draw and that is where Hogan, Sting, Hardy, Angle etc. will earn their huge paychecks. Those names will get people into the building and will encourage them to spend their hard earned money on TNA. They will get them through the doors but it will be the quality of the wrestling on the show and the quality of the storylines that will need to hook them as fans. They are heading towards having the right balance and if they can find that sweet spot then they will excel. They need to ensure that they don’t put all the focus on Hogan or Sting; they are the icing on the cake rather than the focal points.

TNA has been around for more than a decade and Impact has been running on SpikeTV for over seven years. That is more than enough time to build an audience and if they hadn’t made these changes they would just be stagnating. They can’t expect to grow their US audience anymore using the exact same format that they have been using for years. This is why these changes are required, TNA could have remained in the same position they have been in for years or they can take a slight risk and try to expand. This carries a lot less risk than their previous experiment with rapid expansion on 4[SUP]th[/SUP] Jan 2010 but that was always bound to fail. They went too big too soon and it was a ridiculous notion to go head to head with RAW when TNA just weren’t anywhere near ready and the strategy was completely wrong. Going live at the time was the right idea but it should have been live on their traditional Thursday night rather than competing against the number one wrestling show. That move set TNA back by years and did a lot more harm than good. If instead they had been patient and kept focussing on making Thursdays their own it would have worked out better for them in the long run.

This Thursday will be a massive opportunity for TNA as a lot of eyes will be on them to see how they follow up that ending to Lockdown. They need to go all out of the show and show everyone that tunes in that they are a viable alternative to WWE and that more fans should give them a chance each week. TNA need to put on one of the best Impacts they have ever produced this week to convince casual fans that tune in that they should stick with the company for a bit longer and see where they are going. A lot a fans have given TNA a shot in the past but have been turned away for various reasons; this is the perfect opportunity to try to win over some of these fans.

TNA have all the elements they need to take the next step and grow as a company. They have made some smart business decisions in recent months and it has set them up as best as possible going forward. Now by being on the road full-time, being live every second week, by cutting back to four PPVs and having an exciting storyline heading the company they are much better prepared. TNA do need to remember one thing, there is nothing wrong with being the number two company in the world. It is great to want to expand and grow as a company but they need to ensure that they don’t overextend, like they did in 2010, and send the company into financial difficulty. Take it step by step rather than diving right in and if they do it right this is going to set TNA up for a great next decade. They have been in the business for over a decade so it is the right time to test the waters and see how big they can grow. Whatever happens, it should be a good ride to follow for the next twelve months to see how these changes impact (pun intended) TNA.


Thanks for reading.

 

[We Are Legion]

I dunno, when I heard Bubba Ray Dudley won their world championship, I actually chuckled. I know he's not quite that same character anymore, but I just really don't see it as the monumental change you do. Granted, he hasn't been champion very long yet so it would be unfair to him and TNA to frown on it yet, but I have doubts he will equate to a major draw for them, certainly not on Hogan's level when he joined the nWo. Even the Aces and Eights stable isn't near as interesting as the nWo was and every time I see them, I call them the Sons of Anarchy.

As for their reduced ppv schedule, it's something I've been skeptical about as well. Granted TNA wasn't doing very good buys with their ppv's, but they were still getting some. It'll be interesting to see what their ppv numbers are now that they're producing them less, but I also have doubts they will surpass triple what they were doing before which has to be their goal now that they've shaved the quantity to 1/3. PPV's typically are the lifeblood of wrestling promotions as they bring in the biggest payday, and if TNA doesn't learn how to do what they've been failing to do in recent years (which is bring in more fans), it won't matter how much deeper their story lines seem or how much better the product feels to the fans they already have because they simply won't be making great money.

 

[Chris]

I've given up on TNA, just can't see them becoming anything more than what they are now, especially with the interest in WWE declining as well because people are just caring less and less about wrestling. I don't see this road thing being a success at all, hopefully they'll prove me wrong, but I see this just costing them money.

That being said, Bully was a great choice as champion, if you haven't watched TNA in the last couple years, then your opinion is irrelevant here because that means you haven't seen Bully Ray, you're just picturing fat ol' Bubba Ray Dudley as champion. The guy has consistently put on good matches, and cut some of the best promos in wrestling, go check out the one from No Surrender last year, I believe it was, the promo that should have won him the BFG Series.

 

[The Cork]

Haven't read the whole thing because I got distracted by your first point, how have TNA changed AT ALL in the past 6/7 years?

Stable of WWE rejects in their main storyline. Could easily be 2009 with 'Main Event Mafia', 2010 with 'they', or any other year.

 

[Deezy]

I remember when I cared about TNA and their direction at PWM and would make long 7 paragraph long posts on what I think would improve their product, but after awhile I gave up on them because it was frustrating watching them constantly do the same things over and over.

That being said, I'm glad Bully Ray is their champion, but judging by the end of the PPV, it looks like the main opposition is Hogan. And that is the problem, still focusing on the supposed bosses, who are made to look incompetant is not the way to structure storylines, it made hthe nWo look all rebel like, but it also made WCW look like it was run by morons. And TNA doesn't need that image, to me, the days of the faction have lost their shine and shouldn't be a focal point for any company. Personally, if I was booking TNA, I would seperate midcarders and maineventers by giving them all their own storylines, because in 2000 that is what WWE did best, they don't do that anymore for some stupid reason.

 

[Weez]

I remember when I cared about TNA and their direction at PWM and would make long 7 paragraph long posts on what I think would improve their product, but after awhile I gave up on them because it was frustrating watching them constantly do the same things over and over.

That being said, I'm glad Bully Ray is their champion, but judging by the end of the PPV, it looks like the main opposition is Hogan. And that is the problem, still focusing on the supposed bosses, who are made to look incompetant is not the way to structure storylines, it made hthe nWo look all rebel like, but it also made WCW look like it was run by morons. And TNA doesn't need that image, to me, the days of the faction have lost their shine and shouldn't be a focal point for any company. Personally, if I was booking TNA, I would seperate midcarders and maineventers by giving them all their own storylines, because in 2000 that is what WWE did best, they don't do that anymore for some stupid reason.

Factions? I agree, in the "focus of the company" angle department. I think the Shield is WWE doing it right. Small team, can be overwhelmed in GREAT numbers, so they're not as unstoppable, as say... The Nexus or NWO.

But Seriously? That's TNA and ROH with "Takeover" storylines going right now. I guess they figure that's how WCW got #2 last time, so why not go for Silver? lol

With 3 month builds between PPVs, they had BETTER seriously develop some feuds and have a product someone cares about every 3 months to drop on a PPV. THe numbers are only going to be as good and compelling as the card is, and how much the fans give a shit. What 4 PPVs did they keep anyway? BFG, Lockdown, Slammiversary and .... Victory Road? Idk what the big (little) 4 are for TNA lol.

TNA's got the talent to shine, if they can book them. I know it's very smarkish to say but really, anyone here COULD book TNA better than they've done in their history. I'm a fan of several of the talents they have on the roster. I hope they do well on the road and only grow the product bigger and bigger.

And FFS, don't go from 4 to 12 PPVS all at once again. lol

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Great read, I agree with just about everything. I've lost hope for TNA over the years, but I still have some left. My issue is that I have a bad feeling that Hogan will beat Bully Ray at Bound For Glory or Slammiversary. Hogan needs to stay out of the ring, everyone can agree with that. Thursday is a huge test, along with the next three months. Will see if they can stay on the road because they've tried this before. People have ripped on Bully Ray being champion, but as some of you said he has reinvented himself and has worked his tail off on looking like a legitimate champion.

 

[Troy]

I dunno, when I heard Bubba Ray Dudley won their world championship, I actually chuckled. I know he's not quite that same character anymore, but I just really don't see it as the monumental change you do. Granted, he hasn't been champion very long yet so it would be unfair to him and TNA to frown on it yet, but I have doubts he will equate to a major draw for them, certainly not on Hogan's level when he joined the nWo. Even the Aces and Eights stable isn't near as interesting as the nWo was and every time I see them, I call them the Sons of Anarchy.

As for their reduced ppv schedule, it's something I've been skeptical about as well. Granted TNA wasn't doing very good buys with their ppv's, but they were still getting some. It'll be interesting to see what their ppv numbers are now that they're producing them less, but I also have doubts they will surpass triple what they were doing before which has to be their goal now that they've shaved the quantity to 1/3. PPV's typically are the lifeblood of wrestling promotions as they bring in the biggest payday, and if TNA doesn't learn how to do what they've been failing to do in recent years (which is bring in more fans), it won't matter how much deeper their story lines seem or how much better the product feels to the fans they already have because they simply won't be making great money.

I agree that Bully Ray is nowhere near the level of Hogan when he turned and Aces & Eights are miles away from being compared to NWO, the reason I brought up Hogan's turn was because of the crowd throwing a heap of rubbish into the ring and that same scene occured when Hogan turned and when Bully turned. To me it seemed like TNA created that visual by planting guys in the crowd to start off throwing things and then the rest of the crowd just joined in. TNA wanted to replicate that moment as best they could. With Bully Ray though you have someone who isn't a WCW/WWE discard in the traditional sense because he is a completely new character and is in completely different shape compared to his earlier runs in WWE and ECW.

TNA don't release PPV buyrates as they are a private company but the best educated guesses places the non big PPVs as around the 10k. It has been reported before that WWE gain about $22 per PPV buy so I assume that TNA would get something similar, to be generous lets make it $25. $25 times 10k is $250k. The cost of the PPV feed alone would be incredibly expensive and would take a big chunk of that money, add to that the fact that quite a few guys would be guarenteed more money for PPV appearances and by the end of it TNA would be very lucky to make money from that amount of buys.

Dixie Carter has also come out and said that the wrestling business is evolving and the old school method of relying on PPVs isn't the way that they want to go. She believes that revenue from TV deals is more important and that the old PPV format is antiquated. Whilst I don't quite agree with her, her focus is clearly on the TV side and she doesn't believe that 12 PPVs is the best financial model for TNA.

I've given up on TNA, just can't see them becoming anything more than what they are now, especially with the interest in WWE declining as well because people are just caring less and less about wrestling. I don't see this road thing being a success at all, hopefully they'll prove me wrong, but I see this just costing them money.

That being said, Bully was a great choice as champion, if you haven't watched TNA in the last couple years, then your opinion is irrelevant here because that means you haven't seen Bully Ray, you're just picturing fat ol' Bubba Ray Dudley as champion. The guy has consistently put on good matches, and cut some of the best promos in wrestling, go check out the one from No Surrender last year, I believe it was, the promo that should have won him the BFG Series.

It is going to cost a lot more money to go on the road each fortnight but they have put some good measures in place. The fact that they tape two shows at the one location rather than going to a new location each week is a smart cost cutting move early on. TNA will also be able to draw revenue from ticket sales now as well and as I said this is where the big names like Hogan, Sting and Jeff Hardy come in and can earn their pay. They will get people through the doors to ensure that TNA are playing in front of a decent crowd each week. It could end in complete disaster but I think that this is a much better attempt at growth than 4th Jan 2010.

Haven't read the whole thing because I got distracted by your first point, how have TNA changed AT ALL in the past 6/7 years?

Stable of WWE rejects in their main storyline. Could easily be 2009 with 'Main Event Mafia', 2010 with 'they', or any other year.

You should have kept reading a bit more as I list the changes and explain why I think it will work. The changes have been made mainly in the past six months; Impact on the road, reduced PPV schedule, going live/taped, focussing on a wrestler that whilst is technically a WWE discard is a completely new character and one of the top heels in the business.

I remember when I cared about TNA and their direction at PWM and would make long 7 paragraph long posts on what I think would improve their product, but after awhile I gave up on them because it was frustrating watching them constantly do the same things over and over.

That being said, I'm glad Bully Ray is their champion, but judging by the end of the PPV, it looks like the main opposition is Hogan. And that is the problem, still focusing on the supposed bosses, who are made to look incompetant is not the way to structure storylines, it made hthe nWo look all rebel like, but it also made WCW look like it was run by morons. And TNA doesn't need that image, to me, the days of the faction have lost their shine and shouldn't be a focal point for any company. Personally, if I was booking TNA, I would seperate midcarders and maineventers by giving them all their own storylines, because in 2000 that is what WWE did best, they don't do that anymore for some stupid reason.

I remember those days and it is frustrating that it has taken TNA so long to make changes that nearly everyone else can see is neccessary. Dixie has definitely been getting some bad advice over the years but some of these recent changes give me a bit more hope.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that Hogan won't end up being the main opposition to the group and I really hope that he doesn't get back in the ring to face Bully Ray. I still think that factions have their place but as I pointed out in my post TNA did make the mistake of adding too many random unimportant midcarders to the group.

I completely agree that all wrestlers from the top of the card to the bottom of the card should have a storyline. I wish that WWE would do that and not just TNA. It prevents there from being so many pointless matches on shows that mean nothing.

Factions? I agree, in the "focus of the company" angle department. I think the Shield is WWE doing it right. Small team, can be overwhelmed in GREAT numbers, so they're not as unstoppable, as say... The Nexus or NWO.

But Seriously? That's TNA and ROH with "Takeover" storylines going right now. I guess they figure that's how WCW got #2 last time, so why not go for Silver? lol

With 3 month builds between PPVs, they had BETTER seriously develop some feuds and have a product someone cares about every 3 months to drop on a PPV. THe numbers are only going to be as good and compelling as the card is, and how much the fans give a shit. What 4 PPVs did they keep anyway? BFG, Lockdown, Slammiversary and .... Victory Road? Idk what the big (little) 4 are for TNA lol.

TNA's got the talent to shine, if they can book them. I know it's very smarkish to say but really, anyone here COULD book TNA better than they've done in their history. I'm a fan of several of the talents they have on the roster. I hope they do well on the road and only grow the product bigger and bigger.

And FFS, don't go from 4 to 12 PPVS all at once again. lol

I couldn't name the fourth TNA PPV, I don't think TNA even know what other format they are going with aside from those other three that you mentioned. Of course they do need to book interesting and compelling feuds in order to sell the PPVs but I hope that given the extra time between shows they will be able to come up with some very solid must see cards. So far in their history they have always been rushed when booking PPVs since it isn't their main focus but now with an extra two months to build each show they can space out feuds a lot more and hopefully save the peaks for PPV.

I hope that they can make a go of this as well because a strong number two company is a benefit to the entire industry. WWE on their own aren't going to be able to create a new boon in wrestling, it needs another company (or two) to really push it and rise up to boost the industry as a whole.

Great read, I agree with just about everything. I've lost hope for TNA over the years, but I still have some left. My issue is that I have a bad feeling that Hogan will beat Bully Ray at Bound For Glory or Slammiversary. Hogan needs to stay out of the ring, everyone can agree with that. Thursday is a huge test, along with the next three months. Will see if they can stay on the road because they've tried this before. People have ripped on Bully Ray being champion, but as some of you said he has reinvented himself and has worked his tail off on looking like a legitimate champion.

It would be disaster if Hogan even faces Bully Ray in a match let alone wins. Hogan can remain a mouthpiece on the sidelines and he definitely does need to remain outside the ring.


Thanks for all the feedback from everyone. For me this is me giving TNA another shot again starting Thursday to see what it is like with the changes, hopefully I won't be disappointed.

 

[SBS]

I agree completely with everything you said in this column KFC. I am probably the only person on this sight that prefers TNA over WWE. But at the end of the day I feel like TNA is trying to move forward while WWE is trying to move away from the wrestling aspect to more of the entertainment side. Impact has had some wonderful ideas in the past, such as its Wrestling matters slogan. The problem has been when they come up with these ideas they don't see them through. Going on the road and playing to the smaller markets, getting rid of the tourists and going for the true wrestling fans are all good ideas, focusing on the TV aspect over the PPV is a great idea. Let's face it, for the past few years there have been more changes of the World Heavyweight Title on Impact than on PPV. (I.E. Storm, Roode, and Sting have all won the title on impact.)

The question is can TNA put on a good solid creative show that balances both wrestling and story telling. I believe they can. They certainly have the talent. Storm, Roode, Aries, Styles, hell even Daniels who is older is I feel at the best of his career. Bully Ray as World Champion is well earned and well deserved. The guy has put his entire heart and soul into not just the company, but the industry as a whole. Sure some people look at Ray and say "oh he's just an old fat lazy sack of crap much like the company" but anyone who has watched his work since taking on the Bully persona would see that not only has he improved in the ring but he's improved in all aspects. His mic work has made people care about him, and he has the ability to tell a story in the ring that alot of the mid-carders in both TNA and WWE have never and may never been able to grasp. He can make people care, and in doing so as a heel I believe he will make people want to see him hung up on a noose. If you build Ray up as a heel people will be interested in seeing him taken down. Its the classic role of the heel. TNA proved they could do this with Robert Roode, who actually had ratings go up during his reign. Now if they can make this work with Bully, and give him a proper opponent. (Which may be the hard part because I couldn't honestly tell you a face who is truely over or who could honestly be considered a threat.) It certainly should not be Hogan or Sting. TNA needs to pass the torch to a guy like James Storm just for an example.

I am honestly going to say I am excited for TNA and hopeful for them. I think they can do it, and if I'm wrong so what. At least they tried. TNA doing well is good for the Wrestling Business as a whole, because if I have to watch Vince continue to throw the crap he does every week without competition, well all I can say is no wonder why people don't care about wrestling anymore. Monopolys suck and without TNA that is what we have. So I'll be praying for Dixie and the company to do well here.