TNA Impact posts strong rating to kick off the new year featuring Sting's return

After TNA's flagship program, Impact Wrestling, posted its lowest average ratings in six years in 2012, the promotion kicked off the new year by posting a solid rating last night (Jan. 3, 2013) on Spike TV.

The show scored a 1.14 rating for an average of 1.62 million viewers, the highest those numbers have been since late August of last year. The coveted male demographic rating remained mostly stagnant but any improvement is noteworthy.

The question is whether or not the show, which was heavily hyped with the return to the live format, the return of Sting, and the announcement of the "Wrestler of the Year," was good enough to hook viewers and keep them wanting more.

Unfortunately, that's probably not the case.

Two of the three major programs on the show, the Hogan family drama with Bully Ray and Aces and 8s, are terribly uninteresting. Even with the unmasking of yet another member of the Sons of Anarchy ripoff biker gang, it's doubtful WWE castoff Mike Knox is going to draw much more than flies.

Still, it was a good start to the year and Spike has to be happy with it considering Bellator is right around the corner and Impact Wrestling will be its lead-in.

For complete results and the live blog from Impact click here. For reactions to the show click here. And for a playlist of the entire show click here.