Could TNA's Problems End w/the Keep It Simple Stupid Formula

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

I was just thinking how people often say TNA's booking is too convoluted and all the supposed problems they have right now. If they just kept their booking simple could that at least be a huge step in the right direction if not be a cure all? I mean I doubt anything will be a cure all at this point, but if we're talking about one approach that may help them out considerably then this could be it.

[Deleted]

No, but that would be a good start. Unfortunately TNA can't even get that right most of the time.

[Snowman]

This seems to be what they have been doing since Hogan Left and aces and 8's ended. And the show has been much better for it

[mcmahonfan85]

no, but there is a possibility it could end with the Put Competent People In Charge formula

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

They been doing it and while has help they need to well not be just like the WWE. They are running the same kind of angle the WWE is. STOP COPYING THEM. WWE had the authority as heel power group. TNA as Dixie and here group. Both have a hand picked champion. Both had a undisputed title match. TNA about to air theirs. Yeah if you want fans to care how about not repeat the WWE. The problem is TNA will never be better or good enough to raise out of it because they need money.

So they can A. Sign guys they fans care about watching and keep the stars like AJ for example. B. Invest in a marketing team. C. Have the money to promote the show to be road ready. The reason why they can't sell a PPV is because they don't book them as meaningful events.

[kidglov3s]

I felt like they were close to doing this, and achieving success with it, in Summer 2012. I would like to hear of them trying that again.

If there's another BFG series I hope they simplify and streamline it, because that's as emblematic of this problem as anything else in their booking.

[Brood Lone Wolf Funker]

One of the bigger problems is figuring out the length of angles you have the Eric Young, Joseph Park saga that has been going on 18 months now

[Bad Moon]

I feel like TNA is always being pulled in a hundred different directions at all times, yet always ends up being WWE-lite anyway. It's been a miracle of a ropewalk between convoluted and boring. Any success they have is solely on the back of their talent and not of the production and booking.
I believe TNA can be more successful if they just find a brand identity and stick with it. WWE is the glitzy sports entertainment circus, ROH is old-school wrasslin the way God intended, Chikara is whacky fun times for the anime and 80s nostalgia crowd, CZW is hardcore violence, but WTF is TNA, except an offbrand WWE product?

[Dean-o]

TNA can run amazing angles and put on 5 star matches every week and they will probably still average the same rating consistently. What they need is to market themselves aggressively and correctly (And this doesn't mean put up 2 billboards in Stamford, CT around WWE Headquarters, cause they tried that a few years ago).

Ask casual wrestling fans what TNA is, I bet most of them couldn't answer, or just give you a vague overview on it.

[Deleted]

If TNA, from day 1, had just been a wrestling show with maybe 20 or 30 minutes of SE in a 2 hour show. No stupid crap of weird gimmicks. They would be the no 1 company right now.

[kidglov3s]

Jan 5, 2014 21:09:09 GMT -5 @torgaddon said:

If TNA, from day 1, had just been a wrestling show with maybe 20 or 30 minutes of SE in a 2 hour show. No stupid crap of weird gimmicks. They would be the no 1 company right now.

A half hour of Sam Elliott just won't do.

[Andrew is Good]

They lack a direction. Even with Magnus as a heel Dixie Carter's chosen one, he's going to be a mega over baby face in England. Now, they could do the Bret Hart deal where he's a heel in the States and a baby face in the UK, but the whole Dixie Carter issue also rears it's ugly head. If Dixie were out of the picture, Magnus could be the heel Champion, and still make a great baby face overseas.

Characters also need to be a bit more defined. Eric Young I feel is a lot better as a more serious person like he is now, but he needs to turn heel, as if he doesn't, he looks like a terrible friend. Same with James Storm, who comes across on television as a big baby.

Bring new guys in as well, like, something fresh. The indy scene is flooded with great talent, and TNA needs to use that to their advantage.

[Deleted]

Jan 5, 2014 22:30:58 GMT -5 kidglov3s said:

Jan 5, 2014 21:09:09 GMT -5 @torgaddon said:

If TNA, from day 1, had just been a wrestling show with maybe 20 or 30 minutes of SE in a 2 hour show. No stupid crap of weird gimmicks. They would be the no 1 company right now.

A half hour of Sam Elliott just won't do.

ok 3 questions

1. Who is Sam Elliot?

2. Is Sam a psychic?

3. If yes, Can Sam help me talk to my dead grandma?

On a serious note, Sports entertainment sucks hard 90% of the time, 30 minutes to break up the matches is plenty.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Booking is the least of TNA's problems. Their first priority should be a business and marketing overhaul.

[Red Impact]

That would rely on the premise that booking is the biggest issue. I think culture and name value are bigger, WWE has been around for so long, especially during times when it was much more significant, that it's basically become a cultural staple. The culture isn't right for a serious competitor, so anything else will be niche right now.

If you're content on being niche, you can make money doing it. But they made the business decisions of someone wanting to be a real competitor, and they just can't do that in this culture.

[lildude8218]

the problem is Dixie thinks the old saying is "Keep it Stupid, Simple"

[SOR]

The last time I watched TNA it was very simple and that was an issue for me.

Story line wise they need to think outside the box and stop going for the long 12 month angles. Build is good but it needs to be solid build. Having Joseph Park run around for over a year with the "Is he Abyss or not" story line is boring. Aces and Eights were boring. AJ on the road was boring. It's all boring and predictable like a bad Horror movie.

Talent wise everyone is very stale and have no depth to their characters at all. Your characters should be complex so your audience finds them interesting and becomes emotionally invested in them. "Hey, here's an arrogant British guy" doesn't make me want to buy a ticket and see him get his ass kicked.

[Cyno]

TNA's problems begin and end with Dixie Carter.

[molson5]

Jan 5, 2014 20:27:36 GMT -5 Dean-o said:

TNA can run amazing angles and put on 5 star matches every week and they will probably still average the same rating consistently. What they need is to market themselves aggressively and correctly (And this doesn't mean put up 2 billboards in Stamford, CT around WWE Headquarters, cause they tried that a few years ago).

Ask casual wrestling fans what TNA is, I bet most of them couldn't answer, or just give you a vague overview on it.

I was going to post something like this. Though I'm not sure if it's even possible for a good non-WWE wrestling show to do better ratings than TNA is right now. TNA's ratings don't really budge no matter what they do, and there's just so many entertainment options both on and off TV. Getting more than a million viewers to watch anything on cable TV is pretty good.

[Deleted]

Jan 5, 2014 19:17:23 GMT -5 mcmahonfan85 said:

no, but there is a possibility it could end with the Put Competent People In Charge formula

The PCP formula?



Great idea