Coming off a wwe raw on Monday that had several long poorly executed and written terribly skits between gallows, Anderson, new day, sasha banks, Nia Jax and Alicia fox at times you felt there has to be an alternative to this.
What if there was a wrestling show that was simple but effective that focused on in ring work with well timed and properly executed promos? What if there was a gritty edgy wrestling show that had continuity to its storylines and built stars with programs that captivated an audience? Tna impact is not the answer. Holy smokes is it not the answer. But; it should be, it could be. Tna has the ability to be a legitimate mainstay number 2 brand in North America but they are in an interesting gray area where the mainstream doesn't know them and the die hard fan base doesn't appreciate them like they do some major indy or international wrestling promotions.
The very first thing I would do if I was tasked with fixing tna impact is separating my product as much as I pull from the name tna wrestling. The name is stupid, it was a cheap and juvenile way to draw attention to itself at the brands inception. All of this time later not only is it still stupid but it is now attached to so much failure and embarrassment that literally any name (wrestling related) would be an improvement. The name is tainted and it is tainting the product. But, how do you just change the name? Easily. Bound for glory, tna's only current pay per view, that will be headlined by the champion Bobby Lashley versus EC3. Bobby Lashley wins the match to retain the title when Billy Corgan, real president of the company, enters the ring and demands the tna championship. He then states that starting right now tna is dead and this title dies with it. We gladly bury that name and tonight crown Bobby Lashley the very first impact pro wrestling heavyweight champion. This scene could be similar to Shane Douglas throwing down the nwa title to inaugurate extreme championship wrestling and it's first champion. Change all the television graphics, websites and merchandise to reflect impact pro wrestling and never look back from tna, ever.
Monday night raw averages approximately 3 plus million viewers per week, smackdown averages slightly less on Tuesday nights. Both shows have the power of the wwe machine behind them with rosters full of worldwide well known superstars. Tna is on the pop tv network, which is not in HD, and averages a little more then 300,000 viewers weekly. The show features a handful of known commodities like Bobby Lashley, drew Galloway and the re-energized and revamped broken hardy brothers. The roster is rounded off with a mixture of "tna mainstays" and young performers with potential. Tna has to accept the fact that they are not wwe and when they attempt to be wwe they are a bad version of the worst of wwe. Trying to out-circus the circus has been a failing formula for them for years. However, based on what is really trending highly right now with the die hard fan base such as cruiserweight classic tournament, nxt, new japan perhaps impact should look to be a more old school gritty wrestling show. Make the performers less cartoonish and take a darker more real approach with characters and storylines, it seems like no acts are more over than Broken Matt Hardy and Brother Nero who are certainly dark and twisted. Also liked are the decay which is a very dark team and all of the success of champion Bobby Lashley is based on him being "real" and legitimate. So, why not offer more product like this? I don't want tna to do more of the final deletion videos because while entertaining those will be very easy to overdo and make unwatchable.
But, perhaps more characters that are themselves turned up or feuds and rivalries based on realistic situations that can focus on and enhance the in ring ability I don't believe that could hurt this product. With only 300,000 plus viewers there is an opportunity to grow tna even among the die hard fans and offering a simplier, more direct story with physical and psychological in ring work could bring the wrestling fans back to the brand.
Reports indicate that tna is in a better financial situation than previous times, which is great, they need to spend the added investment money to better the brand. The production value of the show has to be made better. People won't care about your product until it seems important and it won't seem important until it looks top notch. The lighting, the arena, the camera production all have to give off the perception that tna is professional and a big deal because soon enough perception is reality. So many people trash tna without even watching it anymore because they saw enough of the low rate over produced ridiculousness before that they will always equate that to tna. Don Draper once said, "if you don't like what people are talking about then change the conversation". Tna needs to change the conversation and the best way to do this is improve the production by presenting something that people will equate quality with. Also, the commentary on the impact show is hurting the show.
DeAngelo Dinero is not a commentator and Josh Mathews cannot lead a team. He loses control of Pope (who is awful) and comes across like not only does he have something better to do but he might be doing it while announcing. He is so handicapped by Pope and doesn't have the ability to make the two of them a fluent tandem, his emotion seems so fake and phoned in, he doesn't help the matches flow together to tell a story (in his defense not all matches in tna do that) and from what I understand he is texting and tweeting while doing commentary! Which is the best way to describe him as a commentator: it seems like he is texting and tweeting during his job; like he is distant and distracted from what he is supposed to be doing and it effects his ability to even sub par work. But, what are the options at commentator for tna? I really don't think jim ross is interested but if you wanted to go with an outsider what about Joey Styles? Styles is a cult favorite who has tons of energy and emotion specializes in calling the action in the ring and lends credibility to the brand. A Joey Styles commentated show is probably more enjoyable than a non Joey Styles commentated show, especially in tna with a product he can get behind. Is Mike Tenay still with the company? Remember that tna had a completely serviceable lead commentator that they put on the shelf for Josh Mathews? Tenay called the action and led the broadcast in a very safe way but his name and knowledge gave credibility to what you were watching. He would be an excellent choice especially given the right color man to go back and forth with. Color commentators? What about Al Snow? The guy knows the brand, knows the product, knows the business and has proven he can be a character. I feel he may not have as many goofy catchphrases as Dinero but can be twice as entertaining and has the ability to offer insight that would add to the match which may help someone get over. If you wanted to stay in house for a lead commentator why not Jeremy Borash? Borash has a more intimate understanding of the brand than anyone else, he understands the characters, he is a neutral voice who has an inexpiable passion for tna, he can work with almost anyone and does a really good job.
Jeremy Borash replacing Josh Mathews would be a huge improvement that would make television better but I also bet would get the wrestlers over, stories over and brand over so much more than currently. If your new broadcast team is Jeremy Borash and Al Snow tna has spent zero extra dollars to improve their show (and they already did it by leaps and bounds) but they have to spend that money on the talent roster. The roster is not terrible but needs more familiar faces even for the die hard fans and the talent is out there. Wrestling Observer reported that Cody Rhodes has brokered a deal (not a contract) that allows him to work bot TNA and ROH television. This is excellent news for fans if tna is not afraid to broker more of these deals, but get them in writing. If I had my way, which I don't, I would try to convince ROH and TNA to merge; if these two companies combined resources they would have the perfect mix of serious technical grapplers, characters, comic relief and so much athletic talent that the sky could be the limit on the potential that brand could have. Maybe, with this
Cody Rhodes deal, ROH and TNA would be willing to work together a little bit. With the addition of Cody Rhodes, recently added Aron Rex (Damien Sandow) I would probably go after wrestlers that have not been with wwe for a little while. I would look at guys like Carlito, Chris Masters, and people that didn't sign deals with wwe during the CWC (to bolster the x division) offering them non-exclusive contracts so they pay can be less and the talent doesn't feel like they are being slighted. I would also really try to bring back MVP, I know he left tna for certain reasons, but MVP is a big time talent that has wrestled all over the world for the biggest promotions and has a multitude of knowledge to offer young wrestlers. He can still work, his name still has a lot of value, he can teach and he does a podcast, the VIP Lounge that gets exposure nationwide. I would offer MVP the keys to the castle from a future perspective and use him as in ring talent first but try to also transition into behind the scenes production and creative.
MVP has seen a lot of changes in pro wrestling and seems to be ahead of the curve socially and has a head for the wrestling business. I would offer a similar deal to Tommy Dreamer suggesting that he wrestle as he wants but would try to transition his house of hardcore as a developmental brand for tna so that they can start creating a farm system to continually build their future. Dreamer seems like a very smart guy and could offer young up and coming guys seasoning to be ready for the main brand, just like nxt without training wrestlers. Which leads to bringing back Bully Ray to television being he was the most over character in the last several years. Give bully the freedom to be Bully Ray and let him end his career as a top guy. Also, allow the Dudley Boys to create a pipeline from their wrestling school to tna. It seems to make sense that someone may train at the Dudley's school, gain experience at House of Hardcore and eventually debut in tna already knowing the systems, expectations and nuances of the promotion. TNA needs to use these veterans in the wrestling world (beyond my few suggestions) as behind the scene decision makers and creative minds because they came up at a time where wrestlers had freedom to learn what worked and what didn't work, had the passengers seat to the decision making and brand building of ecw, wcw and wwe at each brands zenith of success.
That is a resource that a lot of wrestlers share and I believe; based on interviews, perspective and reading, that the right guys have the ability to run a successful major wrestling brand. Tna needs to tap into that to create something special that will pull fans to their product and get they could get behind it. I would, however, put proven executives in executive non-wrestling positions.
The current creative, production and delivery of the tna brand needs adjusted. As massive as that sounds i don't think it is far fetched to fix and probably fairly soon. TNA doesn't really have house shows and only runs one live pay per view a year. All they have to focus on is television. So, you refocus the creative on simpler more realistic story that are meant to develop over time and build towards big shows. Allow certain aspects of the story to live organically and then react to the natural direction that the talent is given the freedom to take it. Allow the wrestlers to be wrestlers not actors. Give them bullet points and give them opportunities to get over with the crowd based on who they are and how believable they are. Giving freedom to wrestlers allows them to sink or swim; work with the sinkers and showcase the swimmers. Tighten up the in ring action by producing matches that do not push everyone towards crash and burn after crash and burn. Tna wrestles for the replays when they should be wrestling for the memorable match. Generate matches that tell stories, create emotion and allow the audience to be invested in everyone involved; not just your move now my move now your move and i dive then you dive and then film it like it is special. Like every week instead of tuning into a show I am watching an event. Focus on everything making sense and building so by the end of the match the crowd was emotionally invested and want to see the particular performers involved not just any other guy doing flips. Lastly, tna needs better television exposure! In the worst way.
I'm sure there are a lot of people that see pop tv as a good channel but tna needs to be on a reputable network to seem like a reputable wrestling promotion. I'm glad tna is able to be on tv but if anyone is satisfied with them being on pop tv then that person should be given up on and not part of the future. Being on that channel is embarrassing, being cancelled by Destination America is embarrassing, and frankly, tna can't afford anymore embarrassment. Someone should be working around the clock to get on a channel that people recognize that could offer them a good lead in and people are able to find so they can watch regularly.
If it feels like a big deal then the audience will believe it is a big deal, if the commentators make it sound like a big deal the audience will believe it is a big deal and if the brand makes the fans believe it is a big deal then it will actually be a big deal. I would build my tv following establishing a firm viewership growth before considering a traveling show but that has to become a goal. Aside from the revenue source house shows make you seem like a commodity that people are interested in and a great way to gauge the level of interest in performers and stories without crashing and burning on television. Finally, the ultimate goal has to be getting back to at least quarterly pay per views. Pay per views that can draw an audience creating a buzz for the next show and the next show. If in 5 years tna is putting on 12 live pay per views per year and there is interest that would be a true triumph. Tna success will certainly not happen overnight but the ship needs righted and it doesn't seem that incredibly far fetched that it could happen; but that is just this mark's remarks.
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