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Source: Despite denials, Spike TV unlikely to renew deal with TNA http://www.cagesideseats.com/tna-impact/2014/7/28/5945827/source-despite-denials-spike-tv-unlikely-to-renew-deal-with-tna

One of the problems TNA has in getting a TV deal elsewhere at such short notice is that all of the stars that TV executives might have heard of have been driven off by their savage cost cutting (Hogan, Flair, Sting, etc.), already wanted to leave the company (Angle) or will be looking to WWE for a life jacket (Jeff Hardy, presumably).

Is there value in Impact as a WWE Network exclusive show?

What did Bix and Bryan say about it on WOL? Bix commented that Bryan's non-answer was suitably cryptic.

WWE sues CM Punk?

Sting finally signs with WWE?

Not too surprising given that all Gedo & Jado G-1s have ended with almost everybody in both blocks still in the hunt to qualify for the finals on the final night of the tournament. Okada was due a loss and it makes up for Anderson jobbing to Archer & Tenzan.

The creative team has definitely grown massively over the last 15 years. It used to be just Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara directly pitching ideas at Vince McMahon's home. They wrote the whole scripts for Monday Night Raw (and Smackdown briefly) on their own. Now, you have a whole team of writers for each show, some of whom work mainly from home and others who are always on the road (enough to fill a corporate jet!). There's also a hierarchy that makes it very difficult for new voices to be heard. It's hard to see there being fundamental change in WWE until Vince McMahon steps down, Triple H gets complete control, removes Vince's old guard (like Kevin Dunn and Michael Hayes) and brings fresh blood in. Of course, many of the same problems will still be there in the long run.

It's worth noting that WWE attracted more young fans when they went out of their way to be politically incorrect and target the male 18-39 demographic than they do today. Make the product cool again and the kids audience will grow, if anything.

I'm not sold it's the right time to turn John Cena, but... I think Roman Reigns would have a much better shot of becoming a successful heir to his throne if he was the cool kick ass assassin to slay heel Superman Cena. I have my doubts about the Brock program.

Or he's probably making more money doing Japan and indy dates without the depressing non-existent TNA house show audiences to work in front of. But that wouldn't be a very PC thing to say. Listening to the comments Styles made, it sounds like New Japan is his priority now and they don't want any of their wrestlers working for TNA after Vince Russo buried Yujiro Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito and Kazuchika Okada.

Umaga coped pretty well after his winning streak was ended by John Cena, until injuries and drug problems caught up with him.

I'm sure WWE would be willing to rehire Angle in a company ambassador role and occasional TV character, but not as a wrestler. Angle clearing his medicals is a big if, anyway, especially if the stories are true that he failed a UFC physical several years ago.

I don't think you can fully understand Inoki's character if you don't really get his pro wrestling background or touch on the scandals both inside and outside the business.

I think when the decision was being made Steamboat wouldn't have been on anyone's radar, as his first major push came in the summer of 1977. He came a year or two too late.

That's true, but I doubt that agreement would apply for very long if Spike TV cancelled TNA and allowed their deal to expire.

It would make sense that Spike TV hasn't re-signed with TNA yet, as they're considering going with Jarrett.

I blame Jeff Jarrett (another person who manipulated Dixie) a lot for the Monday Night Massacre, even though he was out of power by that point, as he was strongly of the belief if they got on Monday Nights it would kick start another wrestling boom and constantly pushed that idea to her for years.

The booking backs that up as Backlund was already being groomed on TV for his eventual title run several months before Graham won the strap.

1999 was arguably worse, as that's when Russo's influence in the WWF peaked and WCW was a cesspit from May 1999 onwards.

I think it's worth remembering that Pat Patterson himself made jokes about his real life sexuality in promos as far back as the mid 60s in the San Francisco territory, at a time when promos weren't scripted. There's no evidence that he cared about the public knowing about his sexuality, as he never denied it when he was falsely accused of getting Murray Hodgson fired for turning down his sexual advances. This wasn't Gorilla Monsoon making fun of a married man's experience with the go-behind takedown. Personally when I think of hateful Jim Ross commentary I think more of his burials of Paul Heyman as a manager, which were much more vicious and nasty.

Regarding Ken Patera, he made his televised debut in the WWWF on October 26th, 1976, only six weeks before Bob Backlund did, so the issue of the previous heel run could have been removed by bringing him in straight as a babyface and doing the same 15-18 month build to him winning the title.

Spike TV hates Vince Russo, were kept in the dark by TNA about his rehiring: http://www.cagesideseats.com/tna-impact/2014/7/20/5920175/spike-tv-hates-vince-russo-tna This is just bafflingly stupid stuff.

From the file marked "stockholders are crazy":

Yes. Given the timing, it does seem like he's playing the sympathy card again.