Will Impacts lack of momentum hurt the Jan 4 show?

[Rick Mad]

The last real Impact was on the 17th. We have the Knockouts/top 10 matches Impact on New Years, alright, but it isn't the kind of show that is A. going to be watched by mostly anyone and B. is going to hype people up for the Monday show.

If it wasnt for Christmas and the schedule hadn't been changed and they had Thursday to do a "go home" show for the Monday Impact, I think TNA would be in a MUCH better position right now. I know they're trying to get new viewers, so a go home show wouldnt matter much, but if I was already a casual TNA fan my excitement level wouldn't be too high at this point since the last time I saw any TNA programming was well over a week ago now. Raw tomorrow gets to hype me up for Bret, TNA is at a major disadvantage here.

What say you? Is this a nonfactor or a big deal?

[nonrev]

Knockouts receive the highest ratings per segment usually.

And they are adding on their top matches of the year including hopefully AJ/Joe/Daniels 2 and Wolf/Angle 1

I think they're trying to maximize their audience however they can to compete with everything else on the 31st.

[donners]

The last few mediocre-to-bad shows wouldn't have helped either.

However, 4 January is all about new viewers. Going by the ratings, they obviously haven't bothered tuning in yet, so a lack of momentum will make no difference to them. It's all about the live show.

[Kevin Hamilton]

I think it'll probably be a disappointment as far as 'game-changing' goes; BUT I think it'd be that way even if there was a month prior of great shows.

Even if it succeeds on a certain level, I don't think there's any way it garners the attention/viewers they're gonna want it to. But no, I don't think momentum is a big factor either way.

[Chuckie Finster]

It doesn't matter. The "HOLY SHIT IT'S BRET HART ON RAW!" factor will trump everything else.

If it was about momentum, TNA would be better off than Raw. Raw has sucked huge the last couple weeks.

[Mozenrath]

I don't imagine a lack of momentum helps, but at least this ought to seem "novel" to the fans. If they don't even get that, I don't hold out much hope for them impressing Spike enough for this sort of event to happen much in the future.

[Dave at the Movies]

I think TNA is already at a disadvantage. Trying to promote a show during a holiday period would be pretty hard. I honestly think the 4th is just to test the waters and see how they do against WWE. I still say TNA is still about 2 to 4 years away from getting into a good ratings war with WWE.

[thatguybayne]

Seems to be a lot of buzz surrounding this. not so much for Hogan but for the fact there will be first run wrestling head to head since the fateful night in 2001. I hope WWE pulling Bret Hart isn't enough to sway fans who've been adamant that January 4th will be thier chance to send a message to the WWE.

Then again things are as bad as they are cause fans aren't willing to send that message so probably not.

[hollywood]

You're assuming there's high expectations to begin with. And outside of Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter, I don't think anyone's got them.

[Red Impact]

Being up against a BCS bowl will hurt them more, I'd wager.

[Mozenrath]

Dec 28, 2009 13:28:18 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Being up against a BCS bowl will hurt them more, I'd wager.

Eh. The people who would be watching that would be watching it anyway. They would already be writing that off.

The problem comes when you look at TNA's fanbase. They get about a 1.0 lately, right? Even with the hubbub, it doesn't take away from the fact they already share fans with WWE, which normally isn't an issue since they don't run shows at the same time on a week to week basis. Bret Hart might be the dangling carrot to get many to give Raw a shot instead. That, or not tune in the entire show, going back and forth.

Will TNA beat Raw? Most doubt that and with good reason. Will it beat 1.3 or the like? Even that is in doubt, although doing so would be a victory in and of itself.

[Red Impact]

Dec 28, 2009 14:43:43 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

Dec 28, 2009 13:28:18 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

Being up against a BCS bowl will hurt them more, I'd wager.

Eh. The people who would be watching that would be watching it anyway. They would already be writing that off.

The problem comes when you look at TNA's fanbase. They get about a 1.0 lately, right? Even with the hubbub, it doesn't take away from the fact they already share fans with WWE, which normally isn't an issue since they don't run shows at the same time on a week to week basis. Bret Hart might be the dangling carrot to get many to give Raw a shot instead. That, or not tune in the entire show, going back and forth.

Will TNA beat Raw? Most doubt that and with good reason. Will it beat 1.3 or the like? Even that is in doubt, although doing so would be a victory in and of itself.

The problem with that is that this move is trying to attract new fans. If a bulk of those potential new fans are going to be watching a football game, they're not going to be around to choose between wrestling promotions. If TNA waited a week, they wouldn't have to contend with college football. That's why, to me, this seems like it's just bad timing. Both shows ratings are likely going to suffer, but TNA would have a better chance at building their audience had they waited for less outside competition.

[@TenaciousBe]

The "lack of momentum," for me personally, has just made me want this Jan 4 show more. I don't know about anyone else but I really missed having an Impact to watch this past week, and the upcoming week's being a special Knockout/yearly recap show is only going to make me want the next one more.

Either way, I'm all about seeing what they do with Hogan, and who else comes in that night. It's the first time in a long time I really feel like the night is a must-see.