The Current State of TNA Wrestling
Wrestling fans always want one thing: competition. The verbal sparrings of 2 heated superstars, the incredible back and forth action of 2 elite performers putting on a classic match and the competition between two rival promotions make fans want to tune in to see some great wrestling action. Recently, TNA wrestling has tried to supply some competition for wrestling’s most notorious promotion, the WWE. Unfortunately, financial mishandlings have handicapped TNA in their effort to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
TNA provides wrestling fans with some stellar in-ring action from some fantastic, talented wrestlers like Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Autin Aries, Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels and the icon, Sting. Their current roster boasts some of the biggest names in wrestling like Jeff Hardy, and Hulk Hogan, Chavo Guererro and Bully Ray as well as incredible talents like Kenny King, Kazarian, Mr. Anderson, Magnus, Chris Sabin and Abyss. With their roster and some intriguing storylines like the Aces and Eights and the high-flying athletes of the X-division, TNA has all that it needs to succeed. However, the cost of some talents and taking their flagship show, Impact Wrestling, on the road has forced TNA to lose money. Because of this, they started to cut their roster. People like Tara, Matt Morgan, Madison Rayne, Crimson and Gutcheck competitors like Christian York and Joey Ryan are no longer with the company. This hurts business as these talented wrestlers had a following may have taken some fans away from the product. TNA has tried their best to compete, but have failed to capture an audience and keep them with the company long enough to maintain viewership.
Was taking Impact on the road a good move? Sure. Bringing your show to a live audience is a great idea, if you have the resources. With falling ratings and live shows that don’t sell out, TNA needed to keep their show in one place to increase their viewership to attract new fans. Even doing their shows live from a different venue every month would do the company good. However, having guys like Tito Ortiz coming in and taking spots from other guys, that is not a smart monetary maneuver. Here are a few ideas for what TNA can do to better themselves…
1) Focus on the X-division- Bringing in older names is a great idea to bring in focus back to the X- division. Guys like Petey Williams, Sonjay Dutt, Homicide and Greg Marichuiolo bring in a great work ethic. They don’t have to keep them under a full time contract, pay them on a day by day basis and let them work elsewhere. By giving people more high flying action, you may bring back in the viewers you lost when the X division was basically non-existant.
2) Bring in a Hardcore division- wrestling fans love hardcore wrestling. By bringing in guys who can wrestle that style weekly, TNA can be the place where hardcore wrestling get revitalized on national TV. A hadcore title could benefit them by having the only hardcore division out of the big companies.
3) Keep the big surprise gimmick for big suprises only- The Tito Ortiz saga is only the latest chapter in Dixie Carter tweeting that something epic will happen only for it to be something lackluster. Leave guys who don’t belong in wrestling out of wrestling unless it’s mutually beneficial to your company. Bring in new talent that will help your roster, not take away from it.
4) Hire someone to find out what the fans want: The internet is a fantastic resource for wrestling companies. So many people write what the want to see in wrestling. By hiring a person to do nothing but read twitter, facebook and popular wrestling blogs, TNA can get a sense of what fans want and give it to them. This works in 2 great ways… by giving fans what they want, TNA is no longer accountable for bad decision, it was the fans idea so they can’t complain about anybody but themselves. This also leaves TNA in a position to tell fans, “we give you what you want… your in control”.
TNA has an incredible roster of talented men and women. If they can develop these talents more and give them the best quality of booking, there is no doubt in my mind that TNA could get to a point where it could give the WWE a run for it’s money. TNA needs to expand their thought process and uncover what they want to be, the second biggest company in wrestling or a threat to the WWE. Chances are that TNA won’t get it together, but if they do it will be quite the interesting run. I just hope it’s not too late.