Spike purchasing a majority stake in TNA

[Lucky]

The following is strictly a rumour at this stage. Its been bandied about on the internet but as yet I’ve found no credible source who can confirm this, so at this stage I’d take it with a grain of salt. Still a very interesting topic for discussion – would Spike TV/Viacom owning IMPACT Wrestling be more beneficial to the company or a further hinderence?

- According to a source I spoke to exclusively within the past few days close to TNA Impact Wrestling — and news that Spike TV’s flagship franchise UFC is looking like it will be leaving the network by the end of this year — TNA’s broadcast home in the United States is looking at the possibility of purchasing a majority stake in TNA.
Panda Energy is currently the company that continues to back TNA, but Spike TV apparently is aware of all the issues that is happening within the company with Spike being able to do very little with the company besides give “suggestionsâ€. If Spike were to purchase a majority stake in the company, they could seriously clean house, a source tells me exclusively here at WrestleHeat.com.

As noted previously here on the website, TNA is looking a releasing a large proportion of its talent due to financial issues with the company. A source notes that TNA President Dixie Carter’s mother, Janice Carter, has been “hounding†her daughter to make some cuts within the company in order to clean house instead of employing names that aren’t regularly on television. We noted earlier that Janice wants to cut at least 20 names from the company in a previous report.

TNA has partnered with Spike TV since 2005, years after they aired one-hour broadcasts on FOX Sports Net and then shortly aired shows on the Internet before they partnered with Spike around the time that WWE left the network. Despite the large ratings gape between WWE and TNA, both USA Network and Spike TV are roughly available in the homes of 99 million people.

Good or Bad move?

source
http://tnauk.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/spike-tv-purchasing-a-majority-stake-in-tna-impact-wrestling/

 

[Keith]

Well it would be a good fincally move, which could at least secure the companie's future, but if that is all it is, then that is not enough to move them forward in the long term. If Spike does buy into TNA, they need to push for dramatic changes in creative, the way the company is promoted, as well as a more focused poilcy on cutting the dead weight from the roster, and hailing more of the fresher stars, and top names who are still in their prime.

 

[Deezy]

If this is true, then TNA will get backers with a real vested interest in their company. Panda Energy didn't have any vested interests in TNA other than Dixie wanted it and they could get a good tax break off TNA losses. Which imo is partly the reason why the shows are terrible in the first place.

Spike although not really proving that they can produce TV anyone would want to watch, would have a vested interest in the product and do everything they could to make sure it's a success. Because if the UFC leaves Spike, they are fucked. And will need a reason for the demo they go after to stick around. Because shows like Manswers and 101010 ways to die or whatever other shows are not going to cut it.

 

[The New F'n Show]

This is interesting. Spike would care much more about the product than Panda does i agree. I'm willing to see any kind of change at all from the crap we've been getting with Hogan and Bischoff so I'd like to see someone else with a say.

 

[Troy]

If this did happen it would be good for TNA since they would have a financial backer that wants them to succeed and will do whatever it takes to make it successful and profitable. If UFC leave Spike they really need TNA to keep the ratings up as UFC leaving will create a massive gap in their scheduling. If Spike did buy a stake in TNA then I see them adding more shows to fill more air time. Maybe a one hour show like Xplosion or something similar. If they do buy in then they really need to bring someone in from the outside who has wrestling knowledge and not let a Hogan/Bischoff run it. Paul Heyman would be a good choice and if they give Heyman creative control he may do it. They just need to bring someone in who isn't going to screw them around like many are doing to Dixie.

Still this is just a rumour and I will believe it when I see it.

 

[Lucky]

Don't really see it being any kind of a big-time move here either forward or negative.

Spike's already kicking in for some of their contracts, so them purchasing a majority of TNA wouldn't be too shocking.

Plus, it wouldn't upset the current direction they want TNA to go. With UFC apparently on it's way off of Spike, Impact's going to be number one priority in the very near future. And even right now it's number one priority is to get the best ratings to get Spike the top ad revenue possible.

Either way they're going to want the show to be a success. By purchasing a large part of TNA, you'd just think they'd be heavily invested more, but I don't see how that's possible?