May 7, 2013
-Why is TNA viewership down?
IMPACT Wrestling is consistently a solid to great TV show. The wrestling is solid, there are good promos and there is long-term storytelling. Unfortunately, a good number of TNA fans aren't necessarily "wrestling fans."
Many fans watch wrestling for drama. They want to see characters, storylines and OMG moments. TNA's product from late 2006 until late 2011 (excluding late 2009) had a heavy focus on the soap opera element of professional wrestling. As most of you know, that focus shifted once Bruce Prichard took over. While the product didn't necessarily decline, it didn't offer what it did when many fans began watching the product.
If you look at the numbers, the audience grew once Vince Russo took over creative. They were consistently higher over the years. Only when Russo focused more on the wrestling in late 2009 was there a slight drop. In 2012 when Russo left the company, the viewership took a hit.
If you look at many soap-opera related segments from the past year such as the Claire Lynch pregnancy test, the Aces and Eights brawl and the Bully-Brooke wedding; they draw better. Many fans don't watch TNA for the wrestling or the promos, they do it for the characters, storylines and Attitude moments.
If TNA wants to regain these fans, they need to offer that hook for them to come back. This means storylines and character development needs to move faster. There also needs to be some sort of moment that will make these shows memorable.
-The Sting vs Bully Ray match at Slammiversary will not be a wrestling classic. It will however be a major chapter in the Bully Ray story. It was Sting who was used by Bully to get close to Hulk. Sting is also the guy who traditionally has been the one to save TNA in the past. What happens when he fails this time? Where does Hogan and TNA turn next?
-I am not disappointed in the match per say. I am more disappointed in the fact that TNA hasn't really taken any chances in their storytelling since Lockdown. TNA could have turned the Sting and Hogan issues into something interesting but they went with the quick apology. Weeks of storytelling were forgotten.What if they went with Matt Morgan instead?
Morgan could have saved Hogan's ass a few weeks ago forcing Hogan to give him a World Title shot. He could look dominant against the Aces and 8s, constantly clearing them from the ring. When Slammiversary comes, Morgan gets THIS close before being screwed. The good news is I see this scenario playing out in some fashion at a different time.
-One major thing I learned from One Night Only last Friday is how limited TNA is by just having two hours a week for programming. The sad thing I don't see this changing with their decreased viewership.
Guys like Crimson, Gunner, Sam Shaw, Alex Silva, Jay Bradley, Rockstar Spud, Doug Williams and others don't even have a role on the IMPACT Wrestling product. Others don't have a consistent spot on the product. I could see all of these wrestlers being a heavy focus on an WWECW style show with one main storyline and two or three matches. If TNA had additional programming they could also add a few fresh faces to the roster as well. TNA's current roster has over 50 names. On comparison, the WWE roster has probably in the 70+ range. The main difference: TNA has two hours of programming while WWE has over eight hours.
Crimson and Gunner would be an excellent addition to TNA's Tag Team scene. Rockstar Spud could be a great X Division star. Shaw and Silva could be another good team. I would love to see Jay Bradley in a feud with James Storm to give the Cowboy something to do.
A realistic scenario would be for TNA to turn OVW into their B-show. If this was to happen, TNA would need to overhaul the OVW roster and give a slight production upgrade to the show. They could use OVW to build up TNA's stars of tomorrow.
-I expect the TNA Heroes (Magnus, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, Joseph Park etc.) to be returning over the next few weeks/months. This makes perfect sense with Slammiversary and the BFG Series coming up. I am already for the good guys to start fighting back against the gang. The good news is that Mr. Anderson can eventually turn, Devon doesn't mean anything and Bully stands out on his own. Doc and Knux, Brisco and Bischoff are further down on the totem pole and D'Lo looks to be out of the group.
TNA should be built around these guys. It should be Hardy, Magnus, Joe, Parks, Anderson, Storm, AJ etc who are taking most of the TV Time. The remainder can be split amongst the Knockouts and X Division. Time like this shouldn't be wasted on midcard feuds such as the ones with Terry and his opposition.
-I like Rob Terry but his current push is going to have major barriers. I would suggest two thing to help him get over. 1) Continue using amazing feats of strength in matches such as the double back suplex. 2) Show some personality or character. (While it was in the IMPACT Zone) Terry got great reactions with his dance routine and his interaction with Tessmacher. You can't just send him out there with his limited arsenal and expect Terry to get over.
One idea I had for Terry was to put him in a feud with Douglas Williams. Use Williams as a veteran who is pissed at his former partner. Williams and Terry could work together and Williams could try and make Terry look good. Terry would eventually get the victory over his former mentor.
-TNA is in major need of some more tag teams. The three teams they have now would be an excellent foundation to build on. There are many other teams they could add if they wanted to. Sonjay and Petey, Joe and Magnus, Doc and Knux, Brisco and Bischoff, Robbie E and Jessie or Gunner and Crimson. TNA is running out of matchups when you are repeating the same ones over and over.
-I wish TNA fans would lighten up a little bit. We get a few weeks of somewhat uneventful shows and everyone turns on TNA creative. I have never seen so much pessimism on this site than I have in the past few weeks. This wasn't why TNAsylum was created. It was created for constructive discussion over the TNA product. Hopefully, TNA can deliver a few good shows this week to get people more positive about the product.
IMPACT Wrestling is consistently a solid to great TV show. The wrestling is solid, there are good promos and there is long-term storytelling. Unfortunately, a good number of TNA fans aren't necessarily "wrestling fans."
Many fans watch wrestling for drama. They want to see characters, storylines and OMG moments. TNA's product from late 2006 until late 2011 (excluding late 2009) had a heavy focus on the soap opera element of professional wrestling. As most of you know, that focus shifted once Bruce Prichard took over. While the product didn't necessarily decline, it didn't offer what it did when many fans began watching the product.
If you look at the numbers, the audience grew once Vince Russo took over creative. They were consistently higher over the years. Only when Russo focused more on the wrestling in late 2009 was there a slight drop. In 2012 when Russo left the company, the viewership took a hit.
If you look at many soap-opera related segments from the past year such as the Claire Lynch pregnancy test, the Aces and Eights brawl and the Bully-Brooke wedding; they draw better. Many fans don't watch TNA for the wrestling or the promos, they do it for the characters, storylines and Attitude moments.
If TNA wants to regain these fans, they need to offer that hook for them to come back. This means storylines and character development needs to move faster. There also needs to be some sort of moment that will make these shows memorable.
-The Sting vs Bully Ray match at Slammiversary will not be a wrestling classic. It will however be a major chapter in the Bully Ray story. It was Sting who was used by Bully to get close to Hulk. Sting is also the guy who traditionally has been the one to save TNA in the past. What happens when he fails this time? Where does Hogan and TNA turn next?
-I am not disappointed in the match per say. I am more disappointed in the fact that TNA hasn't really taken any chances in their storytelling since Lockdown. TNA could have turned the Sting and Hogan issues into something interesting but they went with the quick apology. Weeks of storytelling were forgotten.What if they went with Matt Morgan instead?
Morgan could have saved Hogan's ass a few weeks ago forcing Hogan to give him a World Title shot. He could look dominant against the Aces and 8s, constantly clearing them from the ring. When Slammiversary comes, Morgan gets THIS close before being screwed. The good news is I see this scenario playing out in some fashion at a different time.
-One major thing I learned from One Night Only last Friday is how limited TNA is by just having two hours a week for programming. The sad thing I don't see this changing with their decreased viewership.
Guys like Crimson, Gunner, Sam Shaw, Alex Silva, Jay Bradley, Rockstar Spud, Doug Williams and others don't even have a role on the IMPACT Wrestling product. Others don't have a consistent spot on the product. I could see all of these wrestlers being a heavy focus on an WWECW style show with one main storyline and two or three matches. If TNA had additional programming they could also add a few fresh faces to the roster as well. TNA's current roster has over 50 names. On comparison, the WWE roster has probably in the 70+ range. The main difference: TNA has two hours of programming while WWE has over eight hours.
Crimson and Gunner would be an excellent addition to TNA's Tag Team scene. Rockstar Spud could be a great X Division star. Shaw and Silva could be another good team. I would love to see Jay Bradley in a feud with James Storm to give the Cowboy something to do.
A realistic scenario would be for TNA to turn OVW into their B-show. If this was to happen, TNA would need to overhaul the OVW roster and give a slight production upgrade to the show. They could use OVW to build up TNA's stars of tomorrow.
-I expect the TNA Heroes (Magnus, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, Joseph Park etc.) to be returning over the next few weeks/months. This makes perfect sense with Slammiversary and the BFG Series coming up. I am already for the good guys to start fighting back against the gang. The good news is that Mr. Anderson can eventually turn, Devon doesn't mean anything and Bully stands out on his own. Doc and Knux, Brisco and Bischoff are further down on the totem pole and D'Lo looks to be out of the group.
TNA should be built around these guys. It should be Hardy, Magnus, Joe, Parks, Anderson, Storm, AJ etc who are taking most of the TV Time. The remainder can be split amongst the Knockouts and X Division. Time like this shouldn't be wasted on midcard feuds such as the ones with Terry and his opposition.
-I like Rob Terry but his current push is going to have major barriers. I would suggest two thing to help him get over. 1) Continue using amazing feats of strength in matches such as the double back suplex. 2) Show some personality or character. (While it was in the IMPACT Zone) Terry got great reactions with his dance routine and his interaction with Tessmacher. You can't just send him out there with his limited arsenal and expect Terry to get over.
One idea I had for Terry was to put him in a feud with Douglas Williams. Use Williams as a veteran who is pissed at his former partner. Williams and Terry could work together and Williams could try and make Terry look good. Terry would eventually get the victory over his former mentor.
-TNA is in major need of some more tag teams. The three teams they have now would be an excellent foundation to build on. There are many other teams they could add if they wanted to. Sonjay and Petey, Joe and Magnus, Doc and Knux, Brisco and Bischoff, Robbie E and Jessie or Gunner and Crimson. TNA is running out of matchups when you are repeating the same ones over and over.
-I wish TNA fans would lighten up a little bit. We get a few weeks of somewhat uneventful shows and everyone turns on TNA creative. I have never seen so much pessimism on this site than I have in the past few weeks. This wasn't why TNAsylum was created. It was created for constructive discussion over the TNA product. Hopefully, TNA can deliver a few good shows this week to get people more positive about the product.
