ROH coming to DEST AMERICA

[Jay]

Could be a nail in the coffin for TNA.

Ring of Honor is coming to Destination America next Wednesday, June 3. ROH will be paired with TNA Wrestling, Dest. America announced Wednesday.

ROH's weekly syndicated TV show will air on Wednesday nights at 8:00 p.m. EST leading into TNA Wrestling in its new Wed. timeslot at 9:00 p.m. EST.

When ROH initially announced their new deal with Dest. America via Twitter, it sounded like they were replacing TNA. But, Dest. America confirmed via press release that ROH will be part of a three-hour block of programming on Wednesday nights.

"DESTINATION AMERICA BRINGS MORE ACTION TO THE RING ACQUIRING THE RIGHTS TO RING OF HONOR'S WEEKLY TELEVISION PROGRAMMING," Dest. America headlined in the press release.

"With the electric and intense matches that Ring of Honor provides, Destination America is the network for fans to get an entire evening of jaw-dropping entertainment on Wednesday nights," said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. "Ring of Honor showcases tenacity, athleticism, and passion and it serves as the place where America's favorite wrestling stars are born."

Dest. America noted in the press release that ROH signed a national broadcast deal with Dest. America to bring their syndicated show to cable TV featuring ROH World champion Jay Briscoe, A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, the Young Bucks, TV champion Jay Lethal, The Kingdom, and more stars.

Notably, the first set of episodes will focus on the ROH vs. New Japan series:

"The first match will feature the Briscoe Brothers, Mark and Jay, as they face off with the House of Truth in the main event. Also catch athletes of New Japan Pro Wrestling battle it out with the Ring of Honor stars and follow former NFL lineman Moose compete against B.J. Whitmer."

ROH's weekly show will continue to air on Sinclair Broadcasting affiliates and other syndicated outlets in addition to the new cable TV home.

 

[Chris]

Interesting bit of news. Haven't followed ROH in years, but they're more of an alternative instead of just WWE lite so it's good they're getting more exposure.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

ROH is like NXT lite now.

 

[Crippler]

apparently Dixie has a press conference with media and wrestler, and i think and she pretty much avoided answering all the questions about it.

During today's conference call this afternoon, Dixie carter assured TNA talent that the company is in good standing with Destination America and they are currently planning for the 2016 season.

When asked if there is an out clause for Destination America this fall, Carter said due to legal advice and confidentiality clauses, she could not comment other than to say escape clauses are common in TV deals.

Also at the conference, Dixie addressed other topics such as late pay and what the Ring of Honor deal with Destination America means to TNA.

 

[Deezy]

Better start looking at streaming sites if I was them.

 

[Chris]

Better start looking at streaming sites if I was them.

People really need to understand that it's the future.

 

[Deezy]

People really need to understand that it's the future.

TV's getting so antiquated these days.

I still think they should just send their tapings to a Hulu, Netflix, Crave or Shomi, every quarter for a nominal fee and tour their hotbeds like the UK and wherever TNA is still a cheer instead of a "LOL", atleast until they can get enough money to make another go of it in a different capacity.

 

[Jay]

Here is the issue with streaming...how do you monetize?

Realistically, TNA would need to hire sales teams to sell ads, they would have to make sure that they dont step on the toes of their partners.

They should become an international company, let kurt angle go, let MVP and Bobby Lashley go and work their dates in their hot spots like someone said above....or sell the company. I'm sure Spike would be willing to buy it.

 

[Weez]

I could HONESTLY see Netflix giving it a shot. They just started a show that has a weekly release schedule, and if Netflix wants to further branch out and get into the.. Action Sports scene? It could work. Especially if Netflix looks at the WWE Network and drools about extra subscribers. But, honestly, I think most that have the WWE network (esp those initial subscribers) were already subscribers of Netflix or Hulu tbh.

Edit: Especially if they burned TNA ppvs to DVD and Blu Ray and making them "Exclusive" to those that have the DVD rental plans.

 

[Deezy]

Here is the issue with streaming...how do you monetize?

Realistically, TNA would need to hire sales teams to sell ads, they would have to make sure that they dont step on the toes of their partners.

They should become an international company, let kurt angle go, let MVP and Bobby Lashley go and work their dates in their hot spots like someone said above....or sell the company. I'm sure Spike would be willing to buy it.

You offer content, they pay you for content.

You can plug other spondors in said content.....everyone wins.

 

[SAIYANS]

TNA should look at streaming services as you said in Netflix

ROH just scored Destination America
Lucha Underground has El Rey who has finally been picked up by dish and comcast
NJPW just got picked up again by AXS TV to air on Fridays starting this week
House of Hardcore hit Fight Network and Roku

Gfw is looking for a deal too


And there's the wwe who will be moving not USA network mostly, got total divas renewed by E, have a deal with Hulu, and their own network

 

[Deezy]

After the WWE E60 special did monster numbers for ESPN, they are interested in WWE programming, maybe TNA can ride coattails to another sports network like Fox or CBS.

 

[Jay]

No streaming service would pay money for TNA...Their youtube videos don't even break 100K...the streaming service wouldn't make money.

How would TNA make money off of Netflix or Hulu, realistically? Netflix doesn't have ads so they can monetize IMPACT with Ads on it...and I doubt they would be willing to pay TNA enough money to make money off of the sponsors...Spike TV was reportedly paying TNA $175,000 per hour or programming....TNA would be lucky to be making $75,000 per hour off of Destination America...Netflix would not offer them anywhere near that.

UNLESS, TNA became a seasonal program..they film 18 episodes at a time, release them and let their workers work else where inbetween seasons...maybe that could be profitable.

TNA needs to get onto a network that is willing to pay them decent TV rights fees and a decent ad percentage, and also capatalize on their digital marketing.

GWF could pull off a Netflix/streaming deal easily if they were able to keep their productions costs down. Most of their Youtube videos are doing better than most of TNA's videos in the last year.

 

[Deezy]

They still averaged a decent audience on DA, even with the obscurity of that channel. Cant base anything off YouTube hits when you have people who already saw it in tv. GFW are solely a YouTube act so of course more people will watch it on YouTube.

 

[Weez]

Seriously, I will fucking LOL hardcore if TNA ends up on the WWE Network. It's such an outside shot that it's unlikely, but if DA really does cancel TNA, they'll be so desperate that the price point would be cheap. Vince loves cheap.