TNA is a stagnant pro wrestling promotion with mediocre ratings and a failing pay-per-view business. That much cannot be argued. However, they're consistently one of the highest rated programs on Spike TV, thereby keeping the company in relatively good standing with the network, though ad rates are still miniscule in comparison to what WWE and even UFC gets, even while TNA draws better ratings than some UFC programming on FX like The Ultimate Fighter (TUF).
Recently, Dixie Carter and Eric Bischoff met with executives at Spike to formulate a battle plan of sorts for the future. According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Carter wants to take TNA on the road more often but realizes it makes little to no sense financially, seeing as it costs "nearly $500,000 in total for them to tape on the road and they can't put the company through that kind of financial drain." The returns on such an investment wouldn't be enough to pull the trigger on doing so.
Instead, the big overhaul they've been teasing will come in a different look on TV. Not aesthetically, of course, though that would certainly help, but rather they've now resorted to silly gimmicks to try to pull ratings. The big one is that one episode of TNA per month will feature what they're calling an "Open Fight Night." The idea is that a non-TNA wrestler will get to choose a TNA star to have a match with and and three judges, along with Hulk Hogan, will decide if that person gets a contract. Also, the non-TNA wrestler can challenge whoever and that person must accept. Not only that but any member of the roster can issue a challenge for any title.
Leave it to TNA to fail miserably week in and week out because they use far too many silly gimmicks to come up with an answer that consists solely of adding another, even sillier gimmick.
Further details of the meeting between Carter, Bischoff and Spike TV include:
- There will apparently be more of a focus on younger talent and a downturn in ratings for this is expected. They've been saying this for so long, the "younger talent" have all gotten old.
- Carter wants a second television show because two hours of TV a week simply isn't enough. This despite how poorly "Reaction" did.
- TNA is in contact with Bellator on working on ways to help each other out. Once Bellator makes the move to Spike TV full time next year, we could see a great many changes to both products.
- Carter believes 12 pay-per-views a year are too many and they may be cutting down the schedule within the next two years. Kudos on this idea.
- TNA could do more international touring with up to 100-115 live events per year, 10-15 of which being overseas.
- Dixie believes Sting isn't going anywhere and he'll be back for the year 2013.
What do you think, Cagesiders? Is TNA poised to turn the corner in the next few years by implementing these proposed changes?