Is TNA the worst wrestling promotion in history?

[tigerpride]

I disagree. I thought it was funny. She should know better

[Slasher]

I disagree. I thought it was funny. She should know better

Oh on that note that she should have known better I wholeheartedly agree with.

[Death From Above]

That sort of thing wouldn't be a good idea with the general populous never mind with TNA fans/people looking to troll Dixie Carter.

[Loss]

I wonder how many Designing Women jokes Dixie Carter has gotten throughout her life.

[Robert S]

Though it's mind numbingly stupid to fire him immediately after Destination X 2013, a show one year earlier he had vowed to wrestle on and become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, is it really any scummier than past mistreatment of TNA talent? At least he seems to have had his medical bills taken care of...

If they paid for his recovery is it really scummy at all?

[Bix]

Though it's mind numbingly stupid to fire him immediately after Destination X 2013, a show one year earlier he had vowed to wrestle on and become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, is it really any scummier than past mistreatment of TNA talent? At least he seems to have had his medical bills taken care of...

If they paid for his recovery is it really scummy at all?

 

If you say he'll always have a job in the company then yes, it is.

[sek69]

So after getting the #AskDixie hashtag hijacked by people making loltna jokes and just generally ripping the company apart, Dixie posted this on the TNA site:

 

Hi everyone,

In the 11+ years that I have been with TNA, I am still amazed by the passion of pro wrestling fans. That passion – both positive and negative – is remarkable and something that all of us at TNA values.

With that said, I asked for questions from you like I have done many times in the past, but I didn’t provide a timeframe by which I would answer you. I know I have frustrated you all, and I apologize. Beginning next week, each Thursday, I will answer legitimate questions from you on a weekly basis. I will not, however, address outrageous or hurtful questions/posts.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to provide perspective from inside TNA – where we stand and where, with support from our current and future fans around the globe, we are going. What is being shared with you now is what was shared with the IMPACT roster before our phenomenal Destination X show from Louisville, KY last week.

This has been a big year for TNA. We took IMPACT LIVE on the road, exactly where it needs to be – where you’ve asked us to be – in your backyard. We also changed our Pay-Per-View schedule, shifting from 12 to four live Pay-Per-View events each year, in order to increase the value of these events for you. To grow TNA, these are moves that needed to be made. And, part of changes like this, includes structural changes within TNA to align with this new business model.

 

Many of your comments and questions reference our recent roster changes. The relationship that fans have with wrestlers is unique and one of the many great aspects of the wrestling business. And, for this reason, releasing talent is never easy – not for you and not for us. But, bringing in fresh faces and the best wrestling talent in the world is what you expect, and what TNA will always strive to deliver. Recently, we have brought back some talent favorites (Sonjay Dutt, Petey Williams and Homicide), and you will continue to see this and new talent that we are excited to introduce you to in the coming months.

 

TNA has always been, and will continue to be, a place where you can interact with the superstars, whether in person at a live show or via social channels, like Twitter and Facebook. We are constantly exploring new and interesting ways to take this interaction to another level, and you will see this unfold in the coming months. I appreciate each of you taking the time to share your thoughts, opinions and ideas. Your input and feedback helps us create a better product. I hope you will join us when IMPACT LIVE comes to your area.

Yours,

 

Dixie

 

Remember guys, when you hear stories of low pay or mistreatment of wrestlers, IT'S ALL FOR YOU THE FANS~!

[Ricky Jackson]

Didn't Dixie court Heyman to take over the book 3-4 years ago? I wonder if he had accepted her offer would it have made any difference at all.

[Ditch]

Didn't Dixie court Heyman to take over the book 3-4 years ago? I wonder if he had accepted her offer would it have made any difference at all.

No. Even when TNA does something generally considered good the ratings don't budge (which goes for WWE as well...)

[kjh]

Ironically, given Heyman's rep, I actually think they would have lost a lot less money. He was a proponent for pushing younger guys and only keeping one major name from the past to be TNA's legend to give the new stars a rub. I would imagine pay-per-views and house shows would be doing better too. It's hard to see TNA not being in better shape under his stewardship, even though they would probably still be struggling.

[anarchistxx]

There isn't anything Heyman or anybody else can do to make TNA a company on the level of WWE, which is where they want to be. If they want to remain even halfway profitable they are going to have to phase out the guys on big contracts and start developing their own talent/poaching more from the indies. They somehow have a fairly established fanbase, and they seem the sort of fans who aren't simply watching for the big names (begs the question what exactly they are watching for), so they would survive a loss of the people considered 'stars'.

 

Unfortunately there just isn't a big enough niche for a second wrestling company. Remember, most fans of the WWE today don't even remember a WCW or ECW - they have grown up on the idea that there is just one wrestling company, that WWE IS wrestling. They aren't clamoring for another Monday Night War or whatever. Even if a multi-billionaire oil sheik started a wrestling company and poached John Cena he'd have a job competing with the WWE. The quality of the TNA product is almost irrelevant.

 

Of course, it doesn't help that TNA isn't particularly different to WWE, and indeed actively strives to cover the same ground. They should be pushing themselves as an alternative, as a different type of product, because they sure aren't going to woo any fans away from the WWE by just being a watered down lite version. Give themselves a proper brand, a proper identity, something that sets them apart. Try and change the whole dynamic of what a professional wrestling show is. I wish they had the balls to do that.

 

We also changed our Pay-Per-View schedule, shifting from 12 to four live Pay-Per-View events each year,

When did this happen? Seems a good move. Are they still running the twelve events with eight of them free to air? Or is it just three months of television leading up to the PPV?

[sek69]

They started this year with less PPVs. They did a big ass taping over a couple of weekends and the other 8 shows are aired internationally and put on PPV for no one to watch. TV builds to the four remaining, which they actually have been doing a decent job of. The problem with TNA is pretty much no one is aware they exist. Every ex WWE guy who's in TNA has stories of running into fans and being asked "when are you going to come back to wrestling?".

[TravJ1979]

If I cared enough to share my views on TNA I would probably be labeled as a defender/apologist, at least 2004-2008, but as I watch 2009 for my decades project it is apparent this is when the wheels completely fell off.

 

I would peg Bound For Glory 2008 as the end of TNA being a decent to good product, but Sting winning the title (and the end of Joe being anything important + that insane fucking stair bump ... but that is a topic for another thread) and rise of the Main Event Mafia was nail in the coffin.

 

Main Event Mafia vs. Frontline, no wait ... Originals is the New Blood vs. Millionaires Club redux and just as awful.

 

Not sure what my point is, but through August 2009 I only have four TNA matches pegged for re-watch while in comparison, WWE is up to like 15. I doubt I'll even get 10 matches by years end.

 

Victory Road and Hardcore Justice 2009 are two of the worst fucking PPV's I've ever seen. I usually don't post to comment, but at the end of Nash vs. Foley for the legends title I found myself saying aloud, "FUCKING AWFUL!. JUST FUCKING AWFUL!" I am the only one home, but was compelled to verbalize it because it sucked so bad, as has the PPV.

 

No real point ... rambling much like my thoughts, but 2009 TNA is GOD. FUCKING. AWFUL. Surpassed only by 2000 WCW in terms of the decade. Commonalities? Vince Russo, writer. (Head writer just before the two PPV's I mentioned, hmm.)

 

EDIT: Reading this back, I didn't mean to be all Bryan Alvarez, "MINUS FIVE STARS!" (Ironically, said while he was reviewing the same material) but this time he wasn't too far off.

[Alucard]

Victory Road and Hardcore Justice 2009 are two of the worst fucking PPV's I've ever seen. I usually don't post to comment, but at the end of Nash vs. Foley for the legends title I found myself saying aloud, "FUCKING AWFUL!. JUST FUCKING AWFUL!" I am the only one home, but was compelled to verbalize it because it sucked so bad, as has the PPV.

I always enjoyed that match as a crazy old guys blood brawl, thought it was at least fun in that sense aside from the awkward finish.

[Johnny Guitar]

There isn't anything Heyman or anybody else can do to make TNA a company on the level of WWE, which is where they want to be. If they want to remain even halfway profitable they are going to have to phase out the guys on big contracts and start developing their own talent/poaching more from the indies. They somehow have a fairly established fanbase, and they seem the sort of fans who aren't simply watching for the big names (begs the question what exactly they are watching for), so they would survive a loss of the people considered 'stars'.

 

Unfortunately there just isn't a big enough niche for a second wrestling company. Remember, most fans of the WWE today don't even remember a WCW or ECW - they have grown up on the idea that there is just one wrestling company, that WWE IS wrestling. They aren't clamoring for another Monday Night War or whatever. Even if a multi-billionaire oil sheik started a wrestling company and poached John Cena he'd have a job competing with the WWE. The quality of the TNA product is almost irrelevant.

 

Of course, it doesn't help that TNA isn't particularly different to WWE, and indeed actively strives to cover the same ground. They should be pushing themselves as an alternative, as a different type of product, because they sure aren't going to woo any fans away from the WWE by just being a watered down lite version. Give themselves a proper brand, a proper identity, something that sets them apart. Try and change the whole dynamic of what a professional wrestling show is. I wish they had the balls to do that.

 

We also changed our Pay-Per-View schedule, shifting from 12 to four live Pay-Per-View events each year,

When did this happen? Seems a good move. Are they still running the twelve events with eight of them free to air? Or is it just three months of television leading up to the PPV?

 

I don't think most rational people ever really wanted a company on the level of WWE. They just wanted a promotion that learned from the mistakes of WCW and ECW,and utilized the decent talent that existed and still exists outside of Vince's

world. Because there was clearly a fan base to draw from.

[EricR]

They should be pushing themselves as an alternative, as a different type of product

Well, they DO push themselves as a different type of product. The problem is that whenever they con people into watching, those people instantly notice that it's a worse version of WWE's product.

[cowboy hats]

And how quickly we forget about the six sided ring. What else did you want them to do?

[Guest Staples]

And how quickly we forget about the six sided ring. What else did you want them to do?

Something more than a cosmetic difference? The only thing they did with the six sided ring was make it difficult for the ex-WWE guys to run the ropes.

 

Also:

 

WTF. Good for him to get a job and all, but what's the point of the mask if he's cutting promos without it? I get the alter-ego thing ala Cactus Jack and Mankind, but they're doing it really poorly.

[Bix]

And how quickly we forget about the six sided ring. What else did you want them to do?

Something more than a cosmetic difference? The only thing they did with the six sided ring was make it difficult for the ex-WWE guys to run the ropes.

 

Also:

 

WTF. Good for him to get a job and all, but what's the point of the mask if he's cutting promos without it? I get the alter-ego thing ala Cactus Jack and Mankind, but they're doing it really poorly.

 

From the promo it seems like the idea is closer to The Patriot's WWF run. "This is Del Wilkes, but he wrestles as The Patriot because the mask is a symbol of blah blah blah..."

[Blehschmidt]

So TNA actually get's a bit of buzz going with the August 1st mystery man video hitting the internet a few days ago. They play it up all night on Impact, and then the big reveal is.........

 

 

 

 

 

Tito Ortiz

 

 

 

Can this company please just go out of business already.

[rovert]

The video and reaction to the reveal is giddy geat:

[Stiva]

So TNA actually get's a bit of buzz going with the August 1st mystery man video hitting the internet a few days ago. They play it up all night on Impact, and then the big reveal is.........

 

 

 

 

 

Tito Ortiz

 

 

 

Can this company please just go out of business already.

Regal avatar strikes again! TNA is so goddamn awesome at constantly surpassing your own low expectations.

[rovert]

TNA on a roll:

 

 

 

After impact ya? Alcohol or drugs?

TNA star Kurt Angle was arrested on a Driving While Intoxicated charge early Friday morning in Texas. The arrest occurred after the TNA Impact TV tapings in Wichita Falls, Tex.

 

Angle was booked about an hour outside of Wichita Falls in Decatur, Texas at the Wise County Jail.

 

According to jail records, Angle was charged with his second DWI offense and released on $2,000 bond. After posting bond, local authorities will schedule a trial date to determine Angle's punishment, if any.

 

In September 2011, Angle was arrested on a Driving Under the Influence charge in Virginia. Angle was eventually fined $1,500 when the case went before a judge.

PWTorch

 

WCCW levels of back to back to back bad news

[Sidebottom]

 

I miss this Kurt Angle

[RazorbladeKiss87]

The video and reaction to the reveal is giddy geat:

 

I try to be positive about TNA usually as I think the wrestling on their shows, for the most part, has been at least good and sometimes approaching great but this is just too much. I'm not sure who had the best reactions. Mr. Kennedy was great, scratching his head like he had a dandruff problem. The quick cuts made it even more over the top. The segment went on for way too long after the reveal. I don't know if there's anything positive I can say about this. I guess the portion before the reveal wasn't terrible but man, that ending made everything suck.