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Post by Red Impact on Jan 5, 2014 14:20:45 GMT -5
Plus, what happened to the whole "WWE Channel" thing? IIRC, the most recent news was that it was going to be an online thing, sort of like Netflix instant, with access to everything online and free PPV's with a subscription. The likelihood that they'd ever get their own exclusive network that would be widely enough distributed to make it profitable to leave a major cable network is slim.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 14:48:01 GMT -5
Spike will keep TNA because they draw 1-1.5M viewers a week and will blindly shill Bellator at the expense of their own product if told to. If Spike can replace that with something else, then TNA becomes expendable, but until then, it doesn't benefit Spike to drop them.
Is TNA salvageable? Yes. As long as they have Spike, it is. Television drives TNA at this point. They have nothing else to go on. If they get a new owner that cares about the business and knows it well enough, then a chance to rebuild and rebrand the company is there. As is, with Dixie still in charge? I'm not confident.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 14:49:35 GMT -5
Forgetting that a lot of the examples in this thread were from a while back (with WWE and TV methods being different than now), and that Spike and WWE did not have a pleasant departure the first time around. Plus, what happened to the whole "WWE Channel" thing? The WWE Network is due to launch next Month as an online streaming service, rumored to be powered by the MLB's online streaming service, this coming Wednesday there is a WWE presentation in Las Vegas at the Entertainment and Electronics tradeshow that is believed to be the network launch. Also it looks as though WWE wants all it's program on the same companies channels (according to this news article) but all the rights are up at the same time, so they could easily negotiate a deal across all of Viacoms channels, if Viacom were up for it. Though the rumours seem to be Spike are just after Smackdown and not the other program (though perhaps the rest of the Viacom network could accommodate it - CMT has shown Hulk Hogans Celebrity Wrestling in the past and MTV have experimented with Wrestling Society X, Lucha Libra USA and WWE programming in the past) variety.com/2013/tv/news/wwe-aims-to-pin-down-rich-new-tv-rights-deals-exclusive-1200966579/If Universal accept the WWE's first offer however there would be no reason why they'd want to move anywhere else. I think they're setting up meetings with other channels to make NBC Universal think there is demand and accept the new (higher) fees.
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Post by gnr123 on Jan 5, 2014 15:28:49 GMT -5
They kind of remind me of late period ECW and WCW right now. Lots of uncertainty, rumors of being for sale, young guys getting pushed to the top of the card out of nowhere, lots of top/more expensive guys leaving, Rockstar Spud = the Musketeer, etc. Hopefully they can get it turned around and stay on, because nothing good will come from them going out of business.What good is there for them to be in business? What have they done that has changed or revolutionized? Who is a star in TNA, do they have any big name draws? They have 1 million people a week who watch the product (I have no clue why) and their attendance numbers are decent (at best). Does it give someone a place to work, yes. But, considering the rumor's going around that the indies pay better than TNA, and guys like Bobby Roode and Samoa Joe never amounting to anything, I say TNA was a terrible thing to happen to professional wrestling. And if it went out o business, you wouldn't see any remorse or sympathy from me. They done so much unnecessary, juvenile shit over the years that, if they go under, they deserve it.
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Push R Truth
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Post by Push R Truth on Jan 5, 2014 15:31:59 GMT -5
It ain't dead yet... but its bleeding heavily, is on fire and has late stage cancer.
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Post by Andrew is Good on Jan 5, 2014 15:45:57 GMT -5
Why would WWE not just hire the talent directly and not bother with buying TNA? The tape library and once again, the Network. That's the big reason. The network needs shows and they need video. They have a lot of it, but if you're going to be running the WWE Network, you can never have too much content. They also will need talent ready for TV instantly, story lines already in progress instead of doing a whole reset, etc. I do believe they'll be airing NXT, but for another television show, you still need a number of talents. Though, my guess is other contracted talent not used on WWE television currently might be stuck on TNA instead of sending them to NXT. If I was WWE, the only reason I'd be interested in TNA is having another show on the network with a consistent audience. The problem though is it may turn into another WCW, and the audience just disappears. And also, with the Smackdown deal, remember, WWE is looking to cash in. They want the money. And one reason Spike may want Smackdown is to be a lead in to the Viacom purchased Bellator MMA. Smackdown has more viewers then Impact, so while Impact was a good lead in, Smackdown would be a better one. Now of course, this all depends on if the price is right.
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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Jan 5, 2014 22:04:27 GMT -5
TNA is being held up by two really big pillars: Panda Energy and Spike TV. Losing either of those would be a death blow to the company.
Can they recover from not having the Impact Zone? Sure. They need to set up shop somewhere for a while and get costs under control. Once they do that, then we'll see. It's not great news at all, but it's much easier to find a venue than a blank checkbook and/or national TV deal.
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Post by kamero00 on Jan 5, 2014 22:09:32 GMT -5
The Carter's are pretty rich. I think they'll be fine
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2014 22:29:29 GMT -5
They kind of remind me of late period ECW and WCW right now. Lots of uncertainty, rumors of being for sale, young guys getting pushed to the top of the card out of nowhere, lots of top/more expensive guys leaving, Rockstar Spud = the Musketeer, etc. Hopefully they can get it turned around and stay on, because nothing good will come from them going out of business.What good is there for them to be in business? What have they done that has changed or revolutionized? Who is a star in TNA, do they have any big name draws? They have 1 million people a week who watch the product (I have no clue why) and their attendance numbers are decent (at best). Does it give someone a place to work, yes. But, considering the rumor's going around that the indies pay better than TNA, and guys like Bobby Roode and Samoa Joe never amounting to anything, I say TNA was a terrible thing to happen to professional wrestling. And if it went out o business, you wouldn't see any remorse or sympathy from me. They done so much unnecessary, juvenile shit over the years that, if they go under, they deserve it. That's my problem with TNA right now. People look back negatively at 2013, but even with the Aces and Eights stuff, TNA looked like the 2nd biggest wrestling company in North America. They had Hogan, Sting, Hardy, Angle, Bully, Joe, Roode, Styles, Aries, etc. A mix of big names and homegrown talent. It was a place where guys rejected from the WWE could realistically go to. It was a place where big names that didn't want to retire yet could still get on national TV and get a paycheck. It served a purpose. Now? Other than EC3, how many guys would honestly benefit from being in TNA? Kenny King went to TNA and burned every bridge he could in the process, and he isn't getting TV time over Spud, Dixie, Bro Man's, etc. ROH guys are better off staying there, and WWE guys are better off going to ROH or Japan or any other non-televised indy in the U.S. since HHH doesn't appear to have anything against those guys (WWE seems to hate signing TNA guys). I'd hate to see TNA go under, but these past few months have pretty much eliminated any good will or usefulness the company had. It could fold tomorrow and guys like Aries, Joe, Daniels, Styles, etc, could make more money working the indys and be treated like a big deal at the same time. Roode might get to the WWE (he's one of the few TNA guys I could see WWE having interest in). TNA in 2012 and the beginning of 2013 looked like it was a legit alternative and a very important cog in the wrestling world. Now it is not, unfortunately, and their booking is just as terrible lately.
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Post by BlackoutCreature on Jan 5, 2014 22:38:53 GMT -5
Well the question is are the Carter's willing to indefinitely fund a company that shows no sign of ever turning a profit simply because there's a network willing to air it? I know Panda Energy is a private, but don't they have somebody they need to answer to at some level over this?
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Post by Hulkshi Tanahashi on Jan 5, 2014 23:04:34 GMT -5
Well, AJ Styles and Jeff Jarrett leaving aren't good signs. But, it can be salvaged. They just need a better owner. But, even with Dixie, I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to keep on going to 2015.
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metylerca
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Post by metylerca on Jan 5, 2014 23:53:36 GMT -5
They're on the edge but it's not completely hopeless. Unless the situation they're currently in doesn't begin to go their way, I can actually see them going down in 2014. I'm not saying I'd like this, but hey, at least there'd be room for a new #2. You never know.
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Sparkybob
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Post by Sparkybob on Jan 6, 2014 1:08:34 GMT -5
The Carter's are pretty rich. I think they'll be fine They can be as rich as possible, but no smart investor will keep throwing money at an investment that is bleeding money. They have a breaking point and if they don't have a tv deal, it becomes very hard to keep giving money to TNA.
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Post by ritt works hard fo da chickens on Jan 6, 2014 3:22:54 GMT -5
The Carter's are pretty rich. I think they'll be fine Not nearly as rich as Ted Turner. Well the question is are the Carter's willing to indefinitely fund a company that shows no sign of ever turning a profit simply because there's a network willing to air it? I know Panda Energy is a private, but don't they have somebody they need to answer to at some level over this? Ted Turner was willing to lose cash indefinetly. Didn't matter when network execs canned his pet project.
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Post by "Gentleman" AJ Powell on Jan 6, 2014 7:20:24 GMT -5
It's been gutshot and is bleeding out, it can be saved, but it's gonna take a lot.
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Sephiroth
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Post by Sephiroth on Jan 6, 2014 8:26:45 GMT -5
At this stage I am not even sure they can be saved, to be honest. Losing their central filming location at Universal is a serious blow; if they try to go back on the road permanent they will bleed themselves dry in no time. But I suppose that as long as the Carter family is willing to keep supporting Dixie in her dreams the company will always have some chance of survival.
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Post by Ryushinku on Jan 6, 2014 10:40:02 GMT -5
Yes. But it's not too late. It's not a terminal illness. It's a possibly terminal one, though, unless they act very smart very quick.
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Post by The Dark Order Inferno on Jan 6, 2014 10:53:52 GMT -5
TNA are bleeding heavily at this point, but they're not dead, as long as Spike and their other TV partners want them, they'll keep on going.
I see TNA wrestling being wound up soon though, with all assets being transferred to a new company while the liabilities remain with the shell of present day TNA, which will be shut as soon as the ongoing lawsuits are settled to prevent further crushing suits. The new Impact Wrestling Company will be sold on to whoever will take it, likely a small TV production company, and the Carters won't look back.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2014 11:19:09 GMT -5
I think someone competent could possibly help them to stabilize a bit, but in all honesty competence is asking a lot from TNA. All the same though, it's really hard to see how they can resolve their current situation - they have no money, a bare-bones roster where there's a decent chance that the two biggest stars they have will try to jump ship to WWE for the deal RVD has right now (well, Angle's crazy enough he'd probably want to do full-time, but Jeff would probably be all over that), and as it stands nowhere to tape the show at.
I do think TNA will make it through the year, though probably with a lot of cases of taping months ahead in advance just in the name of trying to save money any way they can, but I see them limping into 2015 and WWE buying them out then. Then at that point, I could see a few guys like Roode, Daniels, and Samoa Joe getting some token runs in NXT that likely go nowhere while most of the people from it are let go, but the main thing WWE would use them for would be the tape library. If anything, that probably has enough value to it the Carters would probably be best served just offering the company to WWE as it is since it's about the only way they're likely to make any money off of it as things stand.
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