TNA is restructuring their wrestlers' contracts, getting rid of monthly guarantees

The latest evidence that TNA is preparing for an uncertain future where their programming is likely cancelled by Destination America in late September and no replacement deal has been found yet, is that TNA are currently in the process of restructuring the contracts of most of their wrestlers still on monthly guarantees, according to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com.

TNA wants to replace those contracts with per-appearance deals, which means that if TNA do not run any shows in a given month (currently they have no shows scheduled in August) they will not have to pay the talent who accept these new agreements any money.

Apparently as a sweetener to giving up the security of a guaranteed monthly paycheck, TNA are offering them a little more money than they would usually make for one appearance, with the spin being that if the company starts running many more shows in the future, then the wrestlers would end up making more money than they had been doing. Of course, with TNA virtually eliminating all house shows from their schedule this year and no signs that they'll change that practice in the foreseeable future, the likelihood of their wrestlers benefitting financially from this new arrangement is negligible.

The reaction from wrestlers to this move was that they weren't "thrilled" about the idea for obvious reasons. This could lead to even more performers leaving TNA this summer, and who can blame them, as TNA are reneging on agreements signed in good faith in the not too distant past. It's unknown whether MVP's decision to leave the company late last week was related to this development, but it wouldn't be surprising if it did play a part in his departure.

The only wrestlers believed to be unaffected by TNA's attempted widespread contract restructuring are the few big names the company still has under long-term deals like Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy whose loss would make it much more difficult to pitch Impact to other television networks.

Although this strategy can be seen as a necessary downsizing exercise as the company continues its transition from being a full-time touring wrestling promotion to one that just produces a television show for international markets, a more cynical view is that it also gives the Carter family the flexibility of quickly selling TNA or closing it down if they are unable to land a new domestic television deal and decide against bankrolling the company anymore, without being on the hook for a whole roster full of lengthy guaranteed contracts.