The Official TNA / Impact / GFW Discussion Thread

[Hyde Hill]

More people will watch things on Sky Sports than Bravo because for the most part Bravo's shows are garbage. Old 'Dog the Bounty Hunter', sports bloopers, 'Cops' style shows etc. It's the place where 3rd rate TV goes to die. Sky Sports is an expensive hobby for most, and has the UK's most popular sports on it, so of course more people will be watching it in total....they're paying a premium for the privilege.

 

Bravo is one step up from free TV. If people wanted to watch TNA they'd be hammering WWE in the ratings. Even if both shows were getting the exact same number of viewers every week, you cant spin that as a positive for TNA.

 

Not saying they are more popular but I think the Gap is not as big in the UK as in the US. Still as long as we do not get point ratings like in the US it's more guesswork then anything else.

[eayragt]

Not saying they are more popular but I think the Gap is not as big in the UK as in the US. Still as long as we do not get point ratings like in the US it's more guesswork then anything else.

 

As you said, we wont know. But I think your figures paint WWE in an unfavourable light.

 

Firstly, I've just checked and WWE isn't on Sky Sports 1, therefore is not available to all Sky Sports subscribers. A large proportion, granted, but not all.

 

Secondly, comparing first time viewer numbers with RAW is largely irrelevant because RAW's first show is at 2:00am, whereas two days later it's repeated nicely in prime time.

 

Comaparing with Smackdown would be fairer, but even then Impact is shown twice a week (full version on Saturday night, PG version following Saturday morning), whereas Smackdown is shown four times in thirty hours (Friday Night and Saturday Night full versions, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon PG versions), and another PG version later in the week. I watch far more Smackdown than RAW (it goes Samckdown>Impact>RAW for me), but I almost exclusively do it on Satudays.

 

To perform a real comparison we need total weekly figures, as well as subscriber numbers. Which we're not going to get.

[ampulator]

I think someone said else said it best - if you can't do well in your own home region, it's nearly pointless you are doing better outside of your own home region when compared to your "competition".

 

The main issue is TNA needs to stop "ratings" bleeding, and it needs to get better ticket sales in its home region. That's much more important than how it does in the UK.

[Stennick]

The ratings have improved they did a .9 against the highest watched NBA finals in years so thats fairly decent.

[Hyde Hill]

I think someone said else said it best - if you can't do well in your own home region, it's nearly pointless you are doing better outside of your own home region when compared to your "competition".

 

The main issue is TNA needs to stop "ratings" bleeding, and it needs to get better ticket sales in its home region. That's much more important than how it does in the UK.

 

Yep and house show attendance, merch sales and even ppv buys are up according to all accounts. Off course the home region is the most important and the US is the main market. But when looking at foreign markets you can see if cultural and other influences might be a factor. Would be nice if there was a market where both RAW, Smackdown and Impact had just 1 run, are on the same station and in the same timeslot on a different day.

[ampulator]

I'm not sure it's up, or at least, up enough. TNA. as a whole is always yoyo-ing because of stupid crap they try to pull, instead of actually trying to working on a strong project.

 

People seem to forget, all mega-stars started out small. Hell, Steve Austin wasn't Stone Cold when he came into the WWE... he was the goddamned Ring Master. Quit frankly, it wasn't the best gimmick for Steve Austin. Heck, even for his early days as he gotten rid of the Ring Master gimmick but hadn't become Stone Cold yet, he wasn't a Big Star. He hadn't gotten his monster reactions yet. He was around at midcarder popularity. He had to be built up consistently. He had to be eased up consistently.

 

TNA keeps yoyo-ing with pushes. One day they push this guy, the next day they throw him off. And then they push them again. Then stop. Then start again. Then stop. Start. Stop. Start-stop. StartStop. StartStopStartStop. It's annoying as hell, and it's not going anywhere.

They need to properly build people. And they aren't doing that.

 

On the other hand, they shouldn't fix things that aren't broke... like teaming AJ Styles with Ric Flair, and then make AJ Styles the second coming of Ric Flair. Really? AJ Styles, a Christian family man, that can't talk on the mic, but is incredible the ring, as the second coming of Ric Flair? These two people are different as different can be.

 

Instead of aiming for a "big chang" everything 3 months, why not try to build your promotion for a whole year? I'm sick of it.

 

And then they fired Christopher Daniels, but kept Kevin Nash. *facepalm*

[Slagaholic]

I don't know about you, but TNA has definitely been showing direction in the last few weeks. And wanting everyone you like to get a Jesus Push is a recipe for disaster.

[ampulator]

I don't know about you, but TNA has definitely been showing direction in the last few weeks. And wanting everyone you like to get a Jesus Push is a recipe for disaster.

And who's said I want a Jesus push? And for who are you referring to? As for TNA getting a direction, like I said, yoyo-ing. 2 steps forward at first, then 3 steps backward later. And then, again, 2 steps forward, then 3 steps backward again.

[Slagaholic]

I didn't intend my words to be taken so literally.

 

They've had 3 months of good TV followed up with as good a PPV as could be expected of them all things considered. But to you it's all just a set up for them failing yet again.

 

If you're going to just going to sit, tap your foot waiting for them to fail, I won't stop you. You're complaining about stuff that happened in 6 months ago. Get over it! I've been enjoying TNA.

 

Most of your complaints aren't really complaints about the current TNA product, it's you predicting disappointment. Well if that's going to be your mentality you'll never be happy with the product.

[Remianen]

I didn't intend my words to be taken so literally.

 

They've had 3 months of good TV followed up with as good a PPV as could be expected of them all things considered. But to you it's all just a set up for them failing yet again.

 

If you're going to just going to sit, tap your foot waiting for them to fail, I won't stop you. You're complaining about stuff that happened in 6 months ago. Get over it! I've been enjoying TNA.

 

Most of your complaints aren't really complaints about the current TNA product, it's you predicting disappointment. Well if that's going to be your mentality you'll never be happy with the product.

 

Hmm, what's that old saying? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice....?

 

You can't fault people for remembering patterns. You can try but most folks will look at YOU funny. Yes, they've done well of late but they've had flashes of brilliance in the past and wound up pissing it all away. That's what's being spoken about.

 

I don't care enough to even worry about it. If they screw up, it's not making my pockets any lighter. But I'm not going to chastise someone for making note of the fact (yes, it's a fact) that in the past, TNA has often followed brilliance with pure head-scratching mediocrity.

[Jaysin]

Here's what I don't understand. If someone doesn't like something, why watch it? Is your like really that mundane that you take two hours out of your week to watch a show you hate and then criticize it on the internet? This isn't really directed at anyone here, more so TNA bashers in general.

 

I don't know, it just seems stupid to me. I've hated WWE the last few years, so I stopped watching. I've caught the occasional Raw, Smackdown, or ECW/NXT, but I never went out of my way to watch it because I DIDN'T ENJOY IT!

[ampulator]

You watch it out of some misguided optimism that it can be better. Seriously, the problem is, even if TNA is getting better, they should have already BEEN BETTER. As second biggest company in the USA, they HAVE NO ROOM FOR ERROR if they want to want to reach the top, which is presumably, their goal. Yet, they keep screwing big after a couple of small successes.

 

This really can't be blamed even Russo. It's Dixie Carter that doesn't seem to understand. She has either has no eye for talent, or has ability to properly use them.

 

She has national television reach, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Eric Bischoff, and she STILL manages to get only around a 1.0. That's just sad. Jeff Hardy is a RECENT hot property, despite his legal troubles. Sting and Hulk HOgan are legends. Kurt Angle is a wrestling machine. Rob Van Dam is damn marketable and talented. Eric Bischoff is one of the great heel authority figures of all time. How do you screw this up?

[Jaysin]

That's where YOU ARE wrong. I have watched iMPACT! since the beginning and for the most part have enjoyed it since its inception. I don't watch with hopes that it will get better, I watch because guess what? IT ENTERTAINS ME! Who would have thought that a sports entertainment company could entertain someone?

 

Get off your high horse and don't try telling me why I watch something.

[Hitman23]

i watch tna because its damn sure better than watching that crap WWE has out right now and sometime people bash TNA because it'sTNA and the thing is with last weeks 1.0 rating it was up vs game 7. I have seen bash what TNA has done recently but when you ask them when was the last time they watched they go back mem in 08. Im a fan of wrestling and with that said WWE right now makes be want to puke

[ampulator]

That's where YOU ARE wrong. I have watched iMPACT! since the beginning and for the most part have enjoyed it since its inception. I don't watch with hopes that it will get better, I watch because guess what? IT ENTERTAINS ME! Who would have thought that a sports entertainment company could entertain someone?

 

Get off your high horse and don't try telling me why I watch something.

It's not a high horse I'm on, I'm, so to speak, "under the floorboards". I'm looking for the bottom up, not top down.

 

And two, the point really isn't you, or the other people are still watching. The point is why have OTHER people stopped watching are not watching at all. I've watch too long of wrestling to have any patience with cat fud anymore. I took a lot from WWF and the WCW, I'm not going take anymore from TNA or WWE.

 

I had high hopes for TNA on what it CAN be. But it isn't there because of huge mismanagement and misbooking. Giving Russo free reign? Bad idea. Giving Bischoff free reign? Bad idea. TNA claims to change every three months. Fool me once, show on you, fool me twice...

 

The problem isn't what's going right with TNA, it's what's going wrong with it. They are hiring people they shouldn't hire, misusing talent (some would say abusing talent), inconsistent quality, and poorly thought-out attempts to hotshot the company to the next level.

[Gabbo]

You come across slightly fanboyish. The WWE is just as bad as TNA but for different reasons. The WWE is so boring and repetitive, nearly every segment is either weak or even embarrassing.

 

TNA has alot of problems but if people enjoy TNA more - fine. WWE has just as many problems but if people enjoy WWE more - fine.

 

I honestly believe if you switch the products around, they'd still get round about the same ratings from the goodwill and advertising the WWE name carries. The WWE product is nowhere near 3 times as good as TNA's.

 

I'm not fan of either, but I invested alot more time in the WWE over the last few years watching utter tripe in the hope they would sort themselves out. They had their chance and I gave up on them and (basically) pro wrestling as a whole.

[ampulator]

You come across slightly fanboyish. The WWE is just as bad as TNA but for different reasons. The WWE is so boring and repetitive, nearly every segment is either weak or even embarrassing.

 

TNA has alot of problems but if people enjoy TNA more - fine. WWE has just as many problems but if people enjoy WWE more - fine.

 

I honestly believe if you switch the products around, they'd still get round about the same ratings from the goodwill and advertising the WWE name carries. The WWE product is nowhere near 3 times as good as TNA's.

 

I'm not fan of either, but I invested alot more time in the WWE over the last few years watching utter tripe in the hope they would sort themselves out. They had their chance and I gave up on them and (basically) pro wrestling as a whole.

You know, it's surprising people think that I think that WWE is going well. I don't. I hate its direction of much as TNA's. The difference is, TNA has the right idea, but going the wrong way about it. WWE has the wrong idea, but they know what they are doing, and they execute it well.

 

As for the product, it's not that TNA has no talent. It does. But its management and booking team absolutely sucks. Seriously, Dixie Carter doing management, and Russo doing booking has been an absolute disaster together.

 

For my life, I can't see how people enjoyed Hogan's recent stuff in TNA. It makes him look bad, he makes TNA look bad, and it looks pitiful. I almost feel sorry for him.

[Jaysin]

I took a lot from WWF and the WCW, I'm not going take anymore from TNA or WWE.

 

This goes back to my original statement of not watching it. If both promotions are so bad, then don't watch either. Is is really that hard?

[TNAfan123]

You know, it's surprising people think that I think that WWE is going well. I don't. I hate its direction of much as TNA's. The difference is, TNA has the right idea, but going the wrong way about it. WWE has the wrong idea, but they know what they are doing, and they execute it well.

 

As for the product, it's not that TNA has no talent. It does. But its management and booking team absolutely sucks. Seriously, Dixie Carter doing management, and Russo doing booking has been an absolute disaster together.

 

For my life, I can't see how people enjoyed Hogan's recent stuff in TNA. It makes him look bad, he makes TNA look bad, and it looks pitiful. I almost feel sorry for him.

 

He dont look half as bad as Bret Hart

[ampulator]

He dont look half as bad as Bret Hart

Actually, he looked AS bad as Bret Hart.

[Slagaholic]

What are you trying to prove? That TNA sucks? Boy you're breaking new ground with that one. TNA is (supposedly) squandering their talent? I've never heard anyone say those things before. Get on your Revelation Hats folks!

 

The main problem I have with people like you is that you'll ignore every positive TNA has ever had to just focus on their failures. Now do their failures out-weigh their successes? That's debatable. But have they had many successes? Yes.

 

But you ignore them all because they're not doing as well as you (and even they) think they should be doing.

 

Again you bring up Hogan. Hogan has gotten about 4 minutes of TV time on average per Impact since Lockdown. If not less. TNA has been making a concerted effort to have less Hogan and less Bischoff.

 

It just looks like your complaints are three-months too late. It's a very different show and a very different booking pattern since the infamous March 8th show.

 

But since they're under the banner of TNA, every failure since 2002 is going to manifest itself in the next 6 months. I can't help but get the feeling that if TNA doesn't fail, you'll be disappointed.

[Jaysin]

What are you trying to prove? That TNA sucks? Boy you're breaking new ground with that one. TNA is (supposedly) squandering their talent? I've never heard anyone say those things before. Get on your Revelation Hats folks!

 

The main problem I have with people like you is that you'll ignore every positive TNA has ever had to just focus on their failures. Now do their failures out-weigh their successes? That's debatable. But have they had many successes? Yes.

 

But you ignore them all because they're not doing as well as you (and even they) think they should be doing.

 

Again you bring up Hogan. Hogan has gotten about 4 minutes of TV time on average per Impact since Lockdown. If not less. TNA has been making a concerted effort to have less Hogan and less Bischoff.

 

It just looks like your complaints are three-months too late. It's a very different show and a very different booking pattern since the infamous March 8th show.

 

But since they're under the banner of TNA, every failure since 2002 is going to manifest itself in the next 6 months. I can't help but get the feeling that if TNA doesn't fail, you'll be disappointed.

 

I think I found a new friend.

[Slagaholic]

He dont look half as bad as Bret Hart

 

Seriously how much longer is the IWC going to let that **** slide?

 

TNA bring back Hogan and Flair and are crucified. At least they can still talk on the mic without forgetting the name of the damn company. Bret Hart's return has been embarrassing to watch. The only reason he's still around is because Bret likes money, and Vince likes having a walking cheap pop under contract.

 

Oh and guess what. Bret Hart has been getting more TV time in his return than Hogan has gotten in his. 20 minute segments in the weeks before Mania. 20 minute segments after Mania. 10 minute segment with the NXT guys. Per appearance he has been on screen more. And he's screwed up at least 15% of his lines.

[ampulator]

I didn't let that slide. It's just that, other the WM storyline and match, Bret Hart hasn't done anything else that embarassing. Hogan and Flair... well, I actually don't crucify them. I might crucify TNA over it, but not Hogan and Flair, because they need the money.

[Gabbo]

I don't watch alot of wrestling anymore but Flair and Lethal's recent interactions have been the most entertaining segments I've seen on a wrestling show in years.