If you had the book in TNA

[barryhorowitzlives]

how would you book things?

[hollywood]

The age-old question...

To keep it simple, I'd establish these rules and stick to them:

1) Make a decision to put a wrestler over and stick to it
2) Less run-ins, interference, and screwy finishes
3) Either come up with better homemade gimmicks, or just scrap them altogether and let wrestlers be themselves
3) Less "concept matches" (but to be fair, they've cut down on those quite a bit already)

[Deleted]

I wouldn't even want to book that promotion, because it needs to make $$ and pull a wide fan base. I like stuff like Chikara, which is an extremely niche product.

I'd just hand the keys over to someone who can write a show people will like (I'm not qualifying it with "wrestling" show for a reason).

First I'd wipe the slate clean. All current story lines are brought to a quick ending. After which Jim Cornette (or whoever) announces that TNA will be holding exhibition only matches for the next couple of weeks to quell the chaos in TNA. No fueds, no revenge mathces, no title matches - just wrestling.

I don't know who's writing all these hour-long detective type shows (Lie To Me, Bones, Psych, Monk, etc etc), but I'd get someone like him. Show him the characters he has to work with and their general history and see what he can do with a story. The story should last at least a year. Then I'd get someone who is experienced in terms of the matches themselves (Scott D. - whoever) and tell them to set up the matches to mirror what's going on in the story.

Now, during those two weeks of "exhibition matches," the new stories created by the writer will start to come out.

To be honest - the short verision is: Find someone who can write a TV show people will get hooked on (LOST, Law & Order) and then book the matches to enhance the story. It seems like WWE and TNA still book month to month or week to week.

This is a mistake. If you've got a great story then you have to stick with it so people have a chance to get emotionally invested in it.

They also seem to grab on to one thing, stick with it and drive it into the dirt.

This is also a mistake. The thing about a great story is that its constantly progressing. It ebbs and flows. Also, the story needs a through line of action to make it work. If the through line of action is, for example, "AJ Styles wants to destroy the MEM." That's very superficial. A good writer will flesh that out with Styles and whoever is booking the matches to fit the story.

They all need to sit down and talk with AJ about why his character wants to destroy the MEM. What does it mean to him? How far is he willing to go? What can he draw on in his past to make this more relevant? Why is he doing it?

Then write this down and make AJ & the match booker show those things in his matches. Maybe AJ becomes more reckless in each of his matches - he endangers the fans, the announcers, his tag team partners (if any).

That's a weak "for instance," but the point is that the writer needs to be strong and the wrestler and the match-maker needs to do everything they can to tell the story (and I'm not just talking about match psychology).

[BrodietheSlayer]

I would honestly keep a few things the same, but expand on or alter many other things. I would take a lot of the silly storylines away from the X-Division, and seriously try to re-establish that as the weekly showcase for some of the best wrestlers in the World. I would build up more solid challengers for Awesome Kong, so that division wasn't just two heavyweights and a bunch of "jobbers."

I would make a REALLY strong attempt to sign some of the Ex ECW guys.....the way I see it, WWECW is TNA's main realistic competition right now....why not blast WWE for what they did to ECW.....plus, TNA already has ex ECW guys in their roster.....a crazy extreme faction (perhaps led by Paul Heyman himself) would be a great Thrid party to mess things up in the whole "MEM/Frontline" storyline (Perhaps making sides more even for the Frontline, causing the MEM to fracture and split eventually).

I would keep Vince Russo......I would have Suicide turn out to be someone who wants to drastically alter things in TNA, and I would have his first target be Mr. "Death of WCW" himself....then Jarrett....then Angle.

I would also re-establish Joe as a major Hoss. TNA has done SO much damage in the last three years to what should be one of their "Flagship" guys.....rebuilding him would be a MAJOR project.


And that's just off the top of my head.....

[The Genesis of KoOS]

Keep things consistent with the mid-card. If you're going to push someone, push them, not yo-yo book them.

Change up the Main Event Mafia, have them realize that they need young guys who fit their mold and ideals. Then bring in Matt Morgan and Beer Money.

Then break Sting off from the group and have him be the "Father" of the Frontline. Him and AJ Styles can be the main faces of the group along with the MCMG .

Have Samoa Joe, Team 3D, and Abyss be tweeners who are just genuinely pissed off at both sides.

Revamp the Knockouts Division. Fire Rhaka Khan and Bolt, then bring in Sara Del Ray and Daizee Haze. Take the outfit off of Melissa and let her be herself, even if it's not as Cheerleader Melissa.

Haze, ODB, Roxxi, and Melissa as the main faces. Kong, Del Ray, Wilde, Sky, and Love as the main heels.

[Sir Woodrow]

I would make Kurt Angle not talk for a year.

Joe Vs AJ. whoever loses Kevin Nash leaves TNA stipulation.

Not have Kong be Knockout champ for a year.

Stop having Abyss be such a damn pussy.

[EJS]

It would be this book:

[Andrew is Good]

I actually enjoy posts like these to be honest.

-More clean finishes. Non-finishes are ok, hell I've defended the use of them in Adam Pearce's booking of ROH. But, it's like, TNA is way out in one direction with non-finishes, and Gabe's ROH was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Get it in the middle.

-This is just a general thing, but all handicap matches would be almost totally eliminated. If one takes place, the one person will rarely win, and if that person wins, it would take place every couple of years. You can establish the fact that the odds are against someone when they will consistently win handicap matches. WWE is starting to pick up on this with Triple H losing one, albeit to the Big Show and Vladamir Kozlov.

-The main event mafia would gather it's own group of hitmen, and people they see may have some potential, kinda ripping off an idea from above.

-Gimmick matches will rarely take place on Impact. Lockdown would only feature the gimmicky cage matches that are traditionally on the show, like Lethal Lockdown. I actually like that concept. However, no gimmicks on top of gimmicks. No matches where they are wearing two completely different hats. A cage match is fine.

-I would establish main pay per views besides Bound for Glory. They would be Lockdown, Slammiversery, Bound for Glory and maybe one other. But those three definitely.

-X-Division would be re-established, but of course, psychology will be put forth on the wrestlers more then anything. If the wrestlers don't put on good X-Division matches with psychology, they will be fired, and I would bring in guys who could do that.

-Backstage segments. No one gets to reply to something said right after it happens. I would keep the Rough Cuts segments because I like them. Also, if there is a roughcuts segment on someone, I will actually PUT HIM ON THE SHOW. They did that with Kiyoshi recently, and he didn't even wrestler on the show. What the hell?

[Cela]

Pretty much take it back partially to the style before they debuted on Spike. Basically stop focusing so much on stupid gimmicks and bizarre twists and more on Wrestling quality that the other major brand couldn't match.

[bretclark]

Feb 13, 2009 13:43:46 GMT -5 hollywood said:

The age-old question...

To keep it simple, I'd establish these rules and stick to them:

1) Make a decision to put a wrestler over and stick to it
2) Less run-ins, interference, and screwy finishes
3) Either come up with better homemade gimmicks, or just scrap them altogether and let wrestlers be themselves
3) Less "concept matches" (but to be fair, they've cut down on those quite a bit already)

I second this notion, the house will come to order now.

- bretclark

[The Genesis of KoOS]

Oh yeah...NO ROLL UP FINISHES ON PPVS!

[Joekishi]

i'd make it a sitcom. really that's where russo/Mantel/Jarrett are going with it.

But i'd actually make it funny and it wouldn't be as episodic.

right now TNA feels like an episode of Family Guy, a bunch of randomness, a few quaint moments, and references to the eighties/nineties.

I'd try to make it more along the lines of a complete mess like Robot Chicken.

[Cyno]

- Like AiG said, more clean finishes. We don't need all clean finishes all the time, but some clean finishes for iMPACT! main events would be nice.

- Less silly gimmick matches. Stick with the basics: steel cage, hardcore, triple threat, gauntlet, fatal four way. Ultimate X and King of the Mountain would be special occasions like they are now. But no more reverse battle royals. Keep handicap matches to a minimum. No more pole matches.

- Drop Feast or Fired. It's a dumb idea made only worse by its winners doing absolutely nothing with the cases.

- Make Awesome Kong vulnerable. She's been booked too strongly, and the entire women's division is a joke because of it.

- On that note, make some goddamn faces for the women's division already. We have Roxxi, Taylor, and ODB (and maybe Madison Rayne), and that's it (no, "Gov. Palin" doesn't count unless Daffney becomes a regular wrestler). Hemme's injured, so that doesn't help, but still. On the heel side of things, you have Kong, Bolt, Khan, Saeed, and the Beautiful People (and maybe Val, but she doesn't wrestle). Heels outnumber faces 2 to 1. If Rayne joins the BP, that's 7 heels to 3 faces. Worse yet is that the heels are organized into 2 stables. The Knockouts are in desperate need of a face turn if the division's going to remain interesting.

- Let the X-Division guys go out there and actually show off some wrestling. Giving them "characters" has really done nothing to legitimize the division. Instead of being over on only their wrestling ability, these guys are not really over at all. Out of everyone in the X Division, I think only the MCMG and Shiek Abdul Bashir are over in any meaningful way. And it's because they keep it simple. MCMG has a very basic gimmick that works and gets them reactions. Bashir has a classic heel persona that really gets him heat. The others have more outlandish gimmicks and the crowd can't be bothered to cheer for them. The X Division is a far cry from what it was in 2005 and early 2006 when AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe were getting the crowds on their feet, even overshadowing the main event.

- Speaking of main events, turn Sting back face already. He already kinda is, but have him quit the Mafia outright. You can actually make a pretty compelling redemption storyline out of it. And having only Angle, Steiner, Nash, and Booker and adding a new up-and-coming heel or two "handpicked for greatness" (Beer Money and Matt Morgan being two of the more obvious candidates) would help get them completely over as heels again.

[GaTechGrad]

Feb 13, 2009 17:58:30 GMT -5 BrodietheSlayer said:

I would keep Vince Russo......I would have Suicide turn out to be someone who wants to drastically alter things in TNA, and I would have his first target be Mr. "Death of WCW" himself....then Jarrett....then Angle.

Suicide vs Jarrett. If Jarrett wins, then Suicide has to take off his mask. If Suicide wins, then Jarrett has to relinquish control of TNA to him. The match ends with Jarrett hitting the Stroke on Suicide.


Let's do the Scooby Doo ending!

The TNA Frontline comes out and restrains Suicide, allowing Jarrett to pull of the mask. To everyone's surprise, it was Vince Russo under the Suicide mask all along. Russo explains that his plan was to revive the Sports Entertainment Extreme faction to take complete control of TNA. Then Russo exclaims, "I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling TNA Frontline kids!"

[series09]

My booking style:

- Kurt Angle defeats Sting to become TNA World Champion.

- Sting is quickly kicked out of MEM thereafter, MEM doesn't need him anymore since Kurt has the belt.

- Kurt loses the belt on his first defense (to Brother Ray) due to Sting's interference

- Sting becomes leader of the Frontline

- Jay Lethal joins the MEM, since they truly believe he is the Macho Man Randy Savage. Shark Boy becomes "Stone Frozen", removes the shark costume, shaves his head bald and drinks cans of ginger ale, sticks up his pinky finger at people, then joins the MEM since they also believe he is the actual Texas Rattlesnake.

- After losing the Legends belt to AJ Styles, Booker T smashes it to pieces, being a sore loser.

- Jim Cornette throws his support behind the MEM screwing Brother Ray out of the belt (Scott Steiner wins it), Jeff Jarrett discovers Cornette was bribed, then fires him. Cornette is then hired by the MEM as its manager (he hits people with tennis rackets to help MEM win matches).

- Shane Sewell becomes the ref of his own matches, when he pins, he slaps the ring himself for the 1-2-3 win. He wins most of his matches since he doesn't count his opponent's pins (he can only lose by submission). Sewell is also immune to DQs and countouts, he may even count to 10 really fast to count out his opponent. He may also DQ his opponent for fun.

- Awesome Kong's finisher is changed to the Banzai Drop.

- ODB rubs people's faces into her bare butt like Rikishi used to.

[Sir Woodrow]

I would make Don West a heel colour commentator.

Imagine how overbearing he would be if he was a self righteous heel commentator/ringside spokesman for MEM.

[BrodietheSlayer]

Feb 14, 2009 17:10:08 GMT -5 GaTechGrad said:

Feb 13, 2009 17:58:30 GMT -5 BrodietheSlayer said:

I would keep Vince Russo......I would have Suicide turn out to be someone who wants to drastically alter things in TNA, and I would have his first target be Mr. "Death of WCW" himself....then Jarrett....then Angle.

Suicide vs Jarrett. If Jarrett wins, then Suicide has to take off his mask. If Suicide wins, then Jarrett has to relinquish control of TNA to him. The match ends with Jarrett hitting the Stroke on Suicide.


Let's do the Scooby Doo ending!

The TNA Frontline comes out and restrains Suicide, allowing Jarrett to pull of the mask. To everyone's surprise, it was Vince Russo under the Suicide mask all along. Russo explains that his plan was to revive the Sports Entertainment Extreme faction to take complete control of TNA. Then Russo exclaims, "I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling TNA Frontline kids!"

Nice ;D....and that would actually be a pretty funny ending if TNA decided to reboot after Russo quit.

[BrodietheSlayer]

Feb 14, 2009 23:45:15 GMT -5 BrodietheSlayer said:

Feb 14, 2009 17:10:08 GMT -5 GaTechGrad said:

Suicide vs Jarrett. If Jarrett wins, then Suicide has to take off his mask. If Suicide wins, then Jarrett has to relinquish control of TNA to him. The match ends with Jarrett hitting the Stroke on Suicide.


Let's do the Scooby Doo ending!

The TNA Frontline comes out and restrains Suicide, allowing Jarrett to pull of the mask. To everyone's surprise, it was Vince Russo under the Suicide mask all along. Russo explains that his plan was to revive the Sports Entertainment Extreme faction to take complete control of TNA. Then Russo exclaims, "I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling TNA Frontline kids!"

Nice ;D....and that would actually be a pretty funny ending if TNA decided to reboot after Russo quit.

Sorry, I just got the image in my head of the MEM running through multiple doors like the original Scooby Gang would in the first Scooby Doo series, complete with bad 60s songs.

"Little Mary Sunshine.....she's all right for me...."

[Toates Madhackrviper]

Feb 13, 2009 18:12:58 GMT -5 The Genesis of KoOS said:

Keep things consistent with the mid-card. If you're going to push someone, push them, not yo-yo book them.

Change up the Main Event Mafia, have them realize that they need young guys who fit their mold and ideals. Then bring in Matt Morgan and Beer Money.

Then break Sting off from the group and have him be the "Father" of the Frontline. Him and AJ Styles can be the main faces of the group along with the MCMG .

Have Samoa Joe, Team 3D, and Abyss be tweeners who are just genuinely pissed off at both sides.

Revamp the Knockouts Division. Fire Rhaka Khan and Bolt, then bring in Sara Del Ray and Daizee Haze. Take the outfit off of Melissa and let her be herself, even if it's not as Cheerleader Melissa.

Haze, ODB, Roxxi, and Melissa as the main faces. Kong, Del Ray, Wilde, Sky, and Love as the main heels.

Awww, you so killed it when you fired Bolt

I'll get mine a little later, I just HAD to point out how terrible firing Bolt is

[Toates Madhackrviper]

Alright

Main Event Mafia Storyline: Bring back Daniels NOW. Push him hard as the one true threat to the main event mafia. Have him, Joe, a now face Sting, LAX, Motor City Machine Guns, Sojo Bolt [they need their own Knockout and she fits the bill] and Abyss form a tweener stable

To whomever first thought of adding Beer Money and Matt Morgan to the main event mafia, good plan. Throw Kiyoshi in their too, maybe Sheik A-B also. O, and A Knockout who isn't Sharmell too, maybe the Beautiful People [sans Kip... or maybe even not sans Kip if they can make me see Kip seriously again] could work.

Frontline pretty much sticks with who it has, but really solidify the group and try to de-bury them to make the stable wars interesting. Restablish that ODB is a member so that all major divisions have a member for the feudings

-Other Stuff_

Have Kong get engrossed in some non-title feud after dropping the belt to... well anyone really. Break up the Kongterauge, keep Khan but have her valet someone again or put her in intensive training. And yes, take the friggen outfit off Melissa.

Rename the Legends belt something where undercard guys can legitimately hold it without it looking stupid.

Keep Feast or Fired, to whomever said get rid of it, but utilize it better.

Establish some of the younger guys who can take over the main event later on. Joe and AJ, as much as I never really liked them, are obvious, but also Hernandez, the MCMGs, ect

Eventually end the Main Event Mafia storyline, if you can get that tweener stable stuff to work [and it seems Joe's nation of violence might be going that route] you can get a few more months of it, but eventually it's going to get to the point where it's going to get old. Don't let it be like the nWO. Kill it and let the members do other stuff eventually.

Get rid of Don West. Yeah, he's in my mark banner, that's a joke though. Seriously, get rid of him. Tenay too really. Have Nash or Foley eventually take the job of color, maybe both for all I care.

Drop the Suicide gimmick, just pretend it never happened

Hire some new people, anyone who's in my mark banner who's not currently employed on TV will work.