iMPACT Rating

[dpg]

This week's edition of TNA iMPACT! scored a 1.1 cable rating.

www.gerweck.net

[destrucity]

Booker T's debut really bumped the rating

[angryfan]

So far, it would seem, nothing will bump it beyond a 1.1 for any sustained period beyond one week. Stability in ratings is all well and good, but from a business standpoint, I'm wondering why someone doesn't start handing out bitchslaps. See, here's what I know of business. If, I spend a large sum of money to raise both awareness of and interest in my company, and the result is that the same number of people show up to patronize my establishment as the week prior to my large investment, I view the large investment as, essentially, unnecessary.

TNA, however, seems to think that, hey, if one big sum of money to a "name star" gets us the same ratinsg we got without them, we should sign more "name stars" because that way we're assured that the interest remains at the same level it's been at for two years.

Simply put, if the sane number of people show up each week to watch the tapings, and the same number of people tune in to watch the show, then signing big name deals (half a million for Sting, presumably the same for Angle and probably in the same ballpark for Booker) will only serve to make any profits you turn go away faster. Every day, I buy an apple, and it tastes good. Now, one apple is plenty and fills me up, but I really think they help, so I start buying bigger, more expensive apples. I'm still full, only now, I have less money.

[@TenaciousBe]

So here's the question of questions -- what WILL bump that rating up significantly? They've gone to prime time, they've got the 2 hour show, and I really thought that would help. But apparently it's not. I know WWE is "the name brand" while TNA is like Flavorite, but why aren't more people buying into the product? Why aren't there more casual WWE fans dropping over on a Thursday night to check out "that other wrestling show?"

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

ibleedpurple said:

So here's the question of questions -- what WILL bump that rating up significantly? They've gone to prime time, they've got the 2 hour show, and I really thought that would help. But apparently it's not. I know WWE is "the name brand" while TNA is like Flavorite, but why aren't more people buying into the product? Why aren't there more casual WWE fans dropping over on a Thursday night to check out "that other wrestling show?"

I seriously think it's because TNA is simply not different enough than WWE. It's essentially a WWE-esque product, but with lower production value and lesser known wrestlers. Casual viewers don't feel like it's worth going out of their way to catch I would imagine.

I say this as someone who likes TNA too, and even though I like it oftentimes, I can really see why it is not "taking off".

[Rick Mad]

I think most current wrestling fans have already made up their mind on if they like TNA or not and so unless TNA drastically changes their show, no ones opinion is going to change. And I don't think this is a ripe time for people that aren't wrestling fans already to start liking it, most likely.

[Ace Diamond]

Well let's see, last time they brought in someone big they brought in someone not so big later.

So.

With Booker T not working, it's time to find out what Tatanka's up to.

[metylerca]

Ohhhh crap, a new thread is coming along.

[Red Impact]

There's no quick fix or instant permanent boost. It takes time to increase ratings and one debuting star, whether he be Kurt Angle or Booker T, won't do it. They haven't had the two hour slot for long, if a year down the line they're still pulling 1.1's, then I think there'd be a place to talk about what was going wrong. Now, I think it's too soon for the doom and gloom stuff about the product.

[Lenny: Smooth like Keith Stone]

TNA is going to continue to get 1.1's until it starts putting on a show that is very different than WWE. And I am not simply referring to having different guys in different storylines. That much is always gonna be there since it's a different promotion. I am referring to putting on a show with a different approach to wrestling altogether.

WCW didn't truly "take off" until they started doing things very differently than WWE and people took notice. WCW brought in all the cruiserweights, whereas WWE hardly did that style. Likewise the NWO was an original idea at the time -- the whole concept of a heel faction with loads of attitude trying to destroy the promotion from within and take it over was a totally new idea in America. Not to mention a heel Hulk Hogan was apparently EXACTLY what the world was ready for at that point, and it just plain worked. Back in 1992, 1993, and 1994 when WCW was basically just emulating WWE, they were not getting noticed.

[GiantGonzales]

As a one time hardcore wrestling fan turned casual viewer, the big thing that restrains my enthusiasm for TNA is the arena and ring - it looks cheap and there aren't enough fans in attendance.

[poi zen rana]

well i think one thing that will always effect ratings is the set mind people have about tna. you hear it from "journalists" who "report" on tna events. people have preconceived notions about the product that can't seem to be shaken. i actually think they get a hard time for a good deal of their angles just because every body has heard over and over how ridiculous tna is that they analyze tna much harder than the competition. people can say oh well wwe can get away with it because they have history but i think it is a bit of bias that tna is going to have to do astoundingly well to break.

[greate]

WCW didn't truly "take off" until they started doing things very differently than WWE and people took notice. WCW brought in all the cruiserweights, whereas WWE hardly did that style. Likewise the NWO was an original idea at the time -- the whole concept of a heel faction with loads of attitude trying to destroy the promotion from within and take it over was a totally new idea in America. Not to mention a heel Hulk Hogan was apparently EXACTLY what the world was ready for at that point, and it just plain worked. Back in 1992, 1993, and 1994 when WCW was basically just emulating WWE, they were not getting noticed.

wCw is not comparable to TNA in anyway, people knew wCw and there was much more interest in wrestling back then, wCw was ESTABLISHED but the thing that "took them off" like you say, was that they started booking......a good show plain and simple. TNA will ALWAYS be at the 1.1, it will NEVER change i addressed this in the other thread already. Mark my words, TNA will be at 1.1-1.2 forever. Actually thats a good sig idea.

[HMARK Center]

TNA's product is at the highest level it's been in two years, they've got some nice, big name talent that's still relevant and can go in the ring (Booker, Christian, Angle, etc.), and they've got a pretty dynamic core of younger workers, not to mention strong tag, cruiser, and women divisions to distinguish them a bit from WWE. There are still more than enough flaws in the programming, but it's by and large been very good.

And yet the ratings do not budge.

That has to tell you something; buying up names at this point isn't going to accomplish anything significant. TNA should just focus on continuing to make money back on the losses they incurred during the early years, which they're slowly but surely doing, continue to book a solid product as best they can, and to just plug away and see if they can put together a big time winning formula that really grabs the fans' attention.

In short: people aren't going to start tuning in, even with major acquisitions. It'll all be a matter of time, and some companies take years to fully get off the ground and flying. Whether or not TNA will is obviously unknowable right now.

That all said, I think TNA would benefit BIG TIME from advertising. You rarely see TNA commercials on Spike itself, so that needs to be upped. That said, TNA's probably about to get a little advertising boost with the upcoming video game and things like that. Maybe that'll start causing a TNA product commercial to pop up on another network (like how the SDvR commercials show up on Spike, even during Impact), and start getting the name out there.

So, yeah, at this point, I think all TNA can hope to do is look for bigger advertising exposure.

[CrazySting]

Hey, say what you want about impact but at least they've kept all they're viewers and havn't lost more than half since they started (ecw).

By cable standards tna is doing fine, the daily show gets something like 1.4 million viewers as well. And TNA is cheap programming for spike, which is why they will probably keep it around until the ratings get drastically low.

Of course, 'fine' might not quite cut it and I'm sure they're are things they could do to help to get themselves more exposure. Get Karen Angle on the cover of playboy or see if they can get more mainstream exposure for other superstars.

[comahan]

I read a column yesterday about TNA's recent successes. Though it might fit in with where the conversation has gone.




TNA has come off of two major successes in the past week, bolstering the company as the year comes to a close. First off, last Saturday "TNA iMPACT" was the forth most searched term on Yahoo, showing a high level of interest in the product. Although this does not necessarily translate into ratings, PPV buys, or merchandise buys, it is a form of free advertisement that TNA could use. The more their name appears in systems they have nothing to do with, the stronger they look overall despite weak cash flow.

Meanwhile, on Thanksgiving TNA presented a "Turkey Bowl" edition of TNA iMPACT that scored a 1.0 rating, even while going head-to-head with the Colts vs. Falcons game (which scored a 5.0 rating on the fledgling NFL Network). This has to be seen as an amazing accomplishment since all programming, especially wrestling, usually shreds 30-50% of its audience on a major holiday. TNA can only look at this a positive as it shows their core audience will tune in at any time. It reaffirms that they do have a core audience that they can turn to.

The next test for TNA is when they go head-to-head with ECW for one hour in December. Last time the two faced off, TNA dropped to a 0.6 rating against a Thursday edition of Raw, showing that they are sharing too much of the WWE audience, and that the WWE audience will pick WWE over TNA. Now it is time to see if those people have been converted to TNA fans, and if TNA can use its first hour to maintain viewers into the second.

Meanwhile, TNA is making plans for the next year as they continue to evolve the product. Right now, the company is trying to negotiate a one year extension with Sting. Although they would prefer to have him, it looks like TNA is letting him sit out the remainder of his contract so as to phase him out should he not return. At the same time, they are signing new talent including "Consequences" Creed and ODB, showing a commitment to new talent and the new women's division. They are also in negotiations with MMA star Bob Sapp, although no deal is pending. Still, it is a look for different talent and not rehashes of former WWE talent.

On the same end, Spike is showing more confidence in TNA as they may run a special for TNA's tour of Mexico/Japan and have added Kurt and Karen Angle to the Game Show Awards. Rumors are also circulating that TNA is in talks with ABC and CBS about network programming as the writers strike continues. Since TNA writers are non-union, there is no need to worry about wrestling not having original programming.

Others have started to notice TNA as well. The Miami Herald recently wrote an article about Booker T, which is not that unusual. But Forbes Magazine—a business magazine much like the Journal you are reading—named Gail Kim one as one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the country. Forbes knowing who Gail Kim is and representing TNA to the business community is another huge feather it the cap for TNA.

All and all, TNA is entering a very successful time in the company, and it will be interesting to see if they can ride the wave and capitalize on all that is happening, or if there lack of overhead, processes, and experience holds them back again.

Credit: 411mania



As slightly mentioned, they're also going other places right now. They're sending talent to work at NJPW, and have a big show planned over there on 1/4, I believe. They are doing dates in Canada and Mexico later this month, the Mexican dates also involving big stars from down there. And they have announced that the PPV in 2 months will be in South Carolina, and that they will likely hold one in Boston later on. So at least they're trying to get their product out there more than just in the Orlando area.

[Mr. Backlund]

I still think TNA's entire business model is completely flawed. They've been built to grow too fast, plain and simple. It's very rarely you can have something like a TNA show up and say they're the true alternative and suddenly change everyone's minds about their viewing habits. For some pretty obvious reasons, the founders of TNA wanted a platform for wrestlers not in the WWE to perform and didn't bother building organically, instead throwing money at it and expecting immediate results. It may have given them a recognizable roster (to a degree and, in some cases, a fault) and attention from a cable channel, but the fan base is very limited and those that are actually watching are doing little to spread the word or buy TNA products.

However, the simple fact may be that the product TNA is offering is not something that more people want to turn in to than what they've already captured. It'd make sense, as nothing changes the ratings, regardless of talent, time slot, or what have you. Hate the WWE all you want (and I won't defend it, trust me), but they are a marketing machine and at least target a large audience of desirable consumers and can get them to tune in and buy product. TNA seems to have the same people tuning in every week that don't buy PPVs or any product that's not in the bargain bin.

Sometimes the right answer is the simplest, TNA's not going to grow any further in its current state.

[CrazySting]

People are going too hard on TNA, I think. For a relatively new company they have done astoundingly well (prime time slot on spike, holding their own in the ratings). I don't know whether that's because TNA are that good, or people are so eager for an alternative to WWE, they will accept anything.

And TNA aren't in the same postion of WCW as having Ted Turner's huge chequebook either. Panda energy have money, but not that much and it can't all go towards TNA.

[Michael Coello]

TNA needs to advertise. By Themselves. Not depending on a few fans or street team members. Commercials and ads and billboards and......everything! They don't even put the small paper ads in the DVD cases! WTF?!

And not to the internet. Defiantly not the net. TNA gets a lot of hate around the net for practically every little thing or big thing they do, some deserved and some not (The ring, the fans, the building, the presentation, the announcers, the seriousness, the comedy, not pushing this new guy, not pushing this old guy, pushing this old guy, pushing that young guy, trying the same things, trying something different, blah, blah, blah). A person is turned off before he even has to watch a minute of it when you got people rolling their emoticon eyes at something every week. A couple of internet writers don't make it any easier, either, with them just yelling and bashing everything in news or reviews, and I'm not just thinking about Alvarez, either.

*sigh* At least the rating went up from the last week...

[poi zen rana]

sinister1 said:

TNA needs to advertise. By Themselves. Not depending on a few fans or street team members. Commercials and ads and billboards and......everything! They don't even put the small paper ads in the DVD cases! WTF?!

And not to the internet. Defiantly not the net. TNA gets a lot of hate around the net for practically every little thing or big thing they do, some deserved and some not (The ring, the fans, the building, the presentation, the announcers, the seriousness, the comedy, not pushing this new guy, not pushing this old guy, pushing this old guy, pushing that young guy, trying the same things, trying something different, blah, blah, blah). A person is turned off before he even has to watch a minute of it when you got people rolling their emoticon eyes at something every week. A couple of internet writers don't make it any easier, either, with them just yelling and bashing everything in news or reviews, and I'm not just thinking about Alvarez, either.

*sigh* At least the rating went up from the last week...

that pretty much sums up my feelings as well. i never gave tna a try for a long time because i believed the antihype.