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It has been a while, since I last wrote a column, so what better way to make a comeback and write about TNA’s move back to Thursday night, this week on Spike TV. In this week’s edition, I will break down, the reasons for their failures on Monday Night, the need to move back to Thursday nights and also the need to create something more compelling, to draw an audience to differentiate from WWE.
TNA Wrestling made the move to Monday nights on March 8th 2010, head to head with the WWE because on January 4th, they had a 3 hour TNA Impact special that drew the biggest audience in TNA history, doing a 1.4 rating. This led to TNA and Spike TV to do a deal, where TNA Impact would move to Monday nights, head to head with WWE. This would turn out to be the biggest mistake for the company.
TNA wrestling, knew they were up against from day one and knew the only way, they could be successful is to make sure, they did a great show every night and be different from the WWE. TNA failed on Monday Nights for a number of reasons, one being the timeslot they agreed with Spike, to go directly head to head with WWE RAW at the same time (9pm to 11pm). This did not allow for TNA to try and at least capture an audience, before WWE RAW started. This was found out in the first few episodes, where they drew some terrible numbers like a 0.6 rating. Then TNA moved timeslots, where they went on an hour earlier at 8pm, to try and improve its overall audience and give them a lead in before WWE RAW started. The ratings did slightly improve, but they were still below the average, they were once drawing on Spike TV, and hitting an all time low, 0.5 rating. This was the rating, where they went head to head with the WWE Draft (Annual Roster Shuffle show) a 3 hour show. The decision was made to end the so called, Monday Night Wars 2.
The reason for the failure in the ratings and the head to head battle is because TNA is not a well known wrestling promotion, after 8 years being in business, they don’t have a big brand awareness that WWE has. WCW back in the late 90’s, when they went head to head with WWE, on Monday nights was because they had a core audience that was strictly watching WCW and was successful in drawing an audience against WWE because of that. They also had an unlimited budget and at that stage, wrestling fans still liked to watch Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Sting and other big names from the 80’s. But the difference between WCW and TNA is that WCW was far superior to TNA and had a big fan base to draw lots of money and be able to compete with WWE. TNA cannot compete with WWE!
TNA also failed on Monday nights, because they are still living in the past tense. TNA is still using the wrestlers that were big names back in the 90’S, but now in 2010, they cannot draw, like they once did and can draw as much, as the basic average jobber. Hulk Hogan is the biggest name in wrestling history and is one of my favourites of all time, but in 2010, he cannot draw and viewers don’t really see him as someone, who can lead TNA at the age of 56. His appearances in TNA should be kept special, where he is used only once a month and wrestles one big match that makes sense to draw a one last big PPV buy rate that he can draw. Ric Flair is the same as Hulk Hogan, but at 61 years old, he should not be wrestling on free TV, in meaningless matches. I would assume a lot of wrestling fans, want Ric Flair to just be a manager and use his main strength, cutting a promo and putting over the younger talent.
TNA is also still not creating any compelling storylines, which is not drawing the audience and not creating much brand awareness, by being different to the WWE. When I watch TNA, I always ask the question, why is TNA different to WWE?
The answer to that question is nothing is different, but just a replica, but even worse. TNA is still producing, the same storylines that were done in the 90’s, like the NWO angle with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, but this time it is both of them in their 50’S, where no one really care’s and viewers just change channel, when they see them.
I am still a fan using these big names, but cannot be the main focus of the show, because they will not be around in 5 years, wrestling on the show. But use them, where they mean something, for example Ric Flair should be the manager of a new heel stable group, similar to the Four Horseman.
They also failed on Monday
nights because they were not pushing the younger talent, as correctly as they
should have been. They have been pushing the likes of AJ Styles, The Pope, Beer
Money and Abyss, but they have been made to look bad on TV, losing meaningless
matches and really not establishing their characters on TV. Examples include,
why is Beer Money aligned with Ric Flair?
What is the reason for Abyss, to fight for a WWE hall of fame ring? What is
Desmond Wolfe’s goal in TNA? (After being in TNA for 6 months, I still do not
know!).
TNA thought they could create a replica of the Monday Night Wars. They were beaten down, bruised and thrown in the trash. But they have been given another chance; TNA is moving back to Thursday nights, this week and have been given another opportunity to try and establish the audience, they lost, when they moved to Monday nights.
This was a big decision by Dixie Carter and Spike TV because it shows they are still committed to give TNA a chance and shows that Dixie Carter will not be pulling the plug anytime soon. TNA is not the most profitable wrestling company, and are really only still in existence because of Spike TV and Bob Carter.
I think they can still be a success and make some money on PPV. But they need to focus on what is important for wrestling? Bringing through the next set of stars, give them the centre stage, give them proper storylines that make sense and have viewers on the edge of their seats, making them comeback for more.
TNA can still use the older talent, but cannot be the main part of the show. TNA has the best roster, in its history, with some of the biggest names in wrestling and some of the most talented wrestlers in the world. Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, does have huge following’s and do think, with the move back to Thursday nights, they will tune in and see these two. Rob Van Dam needs to be the main focus of the show and have every main event heel, chase his TNA World Title. TNA has Kurt Angle, the best wrestler in the world and others like Mr Anderson, who can have some great matches, and great microphone work.
The TNA Impact show, third from last show on Monday, was the best show, they had produced in years. It had everything and felt TNA had turned a corner, making RVD, World Champion on that show. This is an example they need to follow, off course they can’t do it every week, but take samples of that show, that worked and use it to their advantage. Longer wrestling matches, less skits, more focus on the World Title, focus on the main wrestlers and not every squashed into meaningless roles.
It’s 2010, not 1996! TNA still has a chance!
Thanks for reading
Charlie Greenfield
