TNA signs with POP TV

[Snowman1]

About five years of solid booking and storyline development. That seems to be the case outside of rare instances for downbeaten wrestling promotions to get back on their feet.

Even then, though... Just seems like now more than ever, they need to try to find some way to stand out. And "TNA trying to stand out" usually doesn't end well.

Weird to be the one burying TNA in a thread, but imo, much of what's hurt TNA recently has been how much the other promotions have gotten stronger here in the states. Lucha Underground was the talk of wrestling fans for most of the year. ROH had a lot of upward momentum and New Japan's kept rolling on, as NXT's had as steady as years get. It seems like, as they would try to repair and resuscitate their image, they'd be left with plenty of catching up to do as they compete in the "indies".

A lot could change in five years, but if TNA establishes itself as a place to run to find logical booking in 2016, that's already what we watch NXT for. Right now they're delivering exciting in-ring action, but ROH/NJPW have such long reputations of being the go-to companies for quality wrestling on top of WWE arguably having their best roster ever of ring generals, it only goes so far. It's not a place to go for star power, they've never truly booked that way despite Dixie's love of bringing in big names, and if they want to try to create a way to truly innovate the business, get in line behind Lucha Underground.

 

[CFCrusader]

TNA need to get back to feuds with the quality of EC3 vs Spud, they need to promote their big title matches and get a few more wrestlers in for their X-Division and Tag Team divisions.

Heck, I'd like to see Roode do a KOTM Open Challenge on Pop. Instead of giving away free World Title matches (and putting them on PPV), they can have Roode come out every week/month and fight someone, possibly elevating them and the title (especially if he pulls off a classic with someone like Mandrews) but they need to make sure they're pulling big crowds. I assume that the India tapings will take them through December and then the live January 5th show will be apart of a whole new block of tapings (more announced next week according to Dixie). I'd like to see them do it in NYC or Texas, to be honest. Oh and expand to 4 PPVs this year. Lockdown, Slammiversary, Destination X and Bound for Glory.

 

[C.M. Shaddix]

I... have no idea about what PopTV is. If like the old TV Guide channel it's available with lesser cable packages, great news for Impact. The channel itself would be a much bigger draw that would attract a wider array of advertisers.

Still doesn't solve the question of "who's going to watch?" unfortunately. What can TNA do to get any of us back on board?

Nobody knew what Destination America was anyway, what can they do? I say they opt out with this World Title Series and these old tapings and just wait to go back on air for January, like it's only for the best maybe they spend a month of tv and regroup management to redo everything.

 

[steverson421]

TNA is now on POP TV, which is available in around 75 million households in America in a time slot of 9 PM EST on Tuesdays. The first ever episode will be live, on January 5th, and then they will tape episodes to air every Tuesday. Definitely a step above D-A, IMO. Quite exciting. Thoughts?

i have stopped getting excited with these changes. never seems to make an impact. see what i did there?

 

[CFCrusader]

Nobody knew what Destination America was anyway, what can they do? I say they opt out with this World Title Series and these old tapings and just wait to go back on air for January, like it's only for the best maybe they spend a month of tv and regroup management to redo everything.

IMO, the World Title series has been very good so far. Some good wrestling in the group stages, everyone getting a chance (except for Drake, Crimson and Micah apparently). It's highlighted TNA's short roster but it's worked well. I'd say the India tapings will make the round of 16 look excellent with a hot crowd.

i have stopped getting excited with these changes. never seems to make an impact. see what i did there?

I thought they did quite well at the start of the Destination America era. Their crowds in NYC didn't look great, partly due to lighting, but they did a good job of getting big matches out there with a bigger emphasis on World Title fights and fixed their posters. It felt fresh and we got a MOTYC in Spud vs EC3, but I felt as if it fell apart when they kept losing talent and D-A opted out. Pop look like they will want to stick around with TNA for a while so I expect for TNA to get a few more stars in and hopefully their first set of tapings will be with a hot crowd, then the UK tour will undoubtedly make TNA look good.

 

[GrammarNazi82]

So...... I can finally start watching TNA again starting in January? lease: + semi- :yay:

So much of the talent I liked is gone now, and I have no clue who is even on the roster at this point anymore. Plus, I would have no idea what's happening anymore. I haven't been able to watch it ever since they left Spike. Still... despite all the negativity and pessimistic outlooks (understandably so), I'll personally just be happy I can actually watch it again. I'll have to at least check it out and see if I can get back into it or not.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Weird to be the one burying TNA in a thread, but imo, much of what's hurt TNA recently has been how much the other promotions have gotten stronger here in the states.

That is how I felt when I first started talking against TNA. I followed it religiously from the weekly PPV days up until the Hogan days and when it got bad and I began losing faith and speaking against it, it felt REALLY weird.

I think they are beyond repair. They have put out too many stupid feuds, matches and booked themselves into complete stupidity. They are having such a bad problem with their TV deals in the past years that they keep jumping around. Rather than dig their way out, they keep digging deeper. I honestly don't even know this channel but I wouldn't watch TNA anyway at this point.

 

[Prince Bálor]

TNA issued the following:

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING TAKES OVER THE SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENT CENTER JANUARY 5 - 9 FOR FIVE ACTION-PACKED NIGHTS OF TV

LIVE TELEVISION BROADCAST TO DEBUT ON POP ON TUESDAY, JAN. 5 AT 9 P.M. ET/PT

BETHLEHEM, PA (November 23, 2015) — Following the announcement IMPACT WRESTLING is moving to Pop beginning in 2016, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling today announced it will return to the Sands Bethlehem Event Center January 5 – 9 for five action-packed nights of television events, beginning with the LIVE broadcast debut of IMPACT WRESTLING on Pop on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Friday, Jan. 8, andSaturday, Jan. 9, will be One Night Only Pay-Per-View and international television tapings.

Tickets, which start at $10 (no additional fees), are on sale starting this Friday, Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. ET, and can be purchased at sandseventcenter.com, the Event Center box office, ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone at 800-745-3000. Viewers at home can find Pop's channel number by visiting poptv.com.

A limited number of VIP packages, which include a front-row ringside seat and special meet and greet session with photo and autograph opportunities, are available for $75 at shoptna.com.

A special pre-sale will begin this Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 10 a.m. ET, through Thursday, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. ET. To get the exclusive pre-sale code, follow @TNADixie and@IMPACTWRESTLING on twitter.

IMPACT WRESTLING features some of the world's greatest athletes, including Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, Jeff and Matt Hardy, Bobby Lashley, Ethan Carter III, Drew Galloway, Bobby Roode, Gail Kim and the lovely and lethal TNA Knockouts, and the high-flying risk-taking X-Division including Tigre Uno.

For up-to-date information, go to impactwrestling.com/events.

EVENT DETAILS AT A GLANCE

EVENT: IMPACT WRESTLING returns to the Sands Bethlehem Event Center for 5 nights of television events, including the LIVE broadcast debut of IMPACT WRESTLING on Pop.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 – Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016

TICKETS: Tickets are on sale this Friday, Nov. 27, at 10 a.m. ET.

First and Second Row Ringside Seats - $25 (no additional fees)

All Other Seats - $10 (no additional fees)

Tickets can be purchased online at sandseventcenter.com or ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 800-745-3000.

VIP Experiences

Limited VIP Experiences Include Front-Row Ringside Seat - $75 (no additional fees)

VIP experiences can be purchased at shoptna.com.

 

[CFCrusader]

Sounds decent, 5 nights is a bit too much but only 3 are Impact TV tapings. I'm really hoping that they get a decent crowd in and I think they will end the World Title series there. Hopefully they go ahead and promote 1 big match a night (like WHC match on Day 1, The Wolves vs Hardys on Day 2 and Roode starts his KOTM Open Challenge on Day 3).

 

[Snowman1]

So...... I can finally start watching TNA again starting in January? lease: + semi- :yay:

So much of the talent I liked is gone now, and I have no clue who is even on the roster at this point anymore. Plus, I would have no idea what's happening anymore. I haven't been able to watch it ever since they left Spike. Still... despite all the negativity and pessimistic outlooks (understandably so), I'll personally just be happy I can actually watch it again. I'll have to at least check it out and see if I can get back into it or not.

Well I was hoping to get over here and type a thousand words about this, but doing these speedy fly-by posts and all...
Hey, a picture works just as well, right?

Spoiler

Just because we're down about all this businessy mumbo jumbo crap that really shouldn't matter doesn't mean you can't just enjoy the show, haha

 

[Roadster]

Sadly, U-Verse doesn't carry Pop.

GN...you'll be going into this one without me, bbe.

 

[Stopspot]

So much of the talent I liked is gone now, and I have no clue who is even on the roster at this point anymore. Plus, I would have no idea what's happening anymore.

Honestly I don't think they know what is going on either.

 

[Farooq]

Don't know much about POP. Hope this works well for them though, wouldn't want a wrestling company to die.

 

[CFCrusader]

Hmm, I wonder if we'll get the finals on the first POP show to decide the WHC. Looks likely. Here's the bracket for the round of 16. I could see EC3, Lashley, Drew or Eli Drake going to the finals on side A while EY, Jessie, Roode and Hardy look like they could. I think they might be building to EC3 - Hardy, EC3 - Roode, Lashley - EY, or maybe even Drew - Hardy.

 

[Swift]

Never heard of this network. lel