TNA has so much potential to be an alternative to WWE. The more I read Randy Ricci’s blog about his time in TNA and after watching the PPV last night, the more it pisses me off. Here’s what I think needs to happen to make TNA a viable product in today’s sports entertainment market:
1. Buyout Jeff Jarrett’s shares.
Note, I didn’t say fire Jeff Jarrett. He’s a star in this business. He may not implant many ass prints into the metal chairs in various TNA arenas, but he is an ex WWE and WCW star. He knows how to work and knows psychology. His best work is when he’s led by someone who is creative. Jeff is a power hound and is a “my way or the highway” kind of guy. He should not be in a position of power or “stroke” in this or any company. And please keep him babyface. He’s much more interesting as the “feel sorry for” babyface than his entire run as a heel during the first 6 years of the company.
2. Delegate Dixie Carter to the TNA offices.
Leave the wrestling to the wrestling people. Dixie has such a hard on for guys like Kurt Angle, Kevin Nash and Booker T. From what I’ve read and heard, there’s a reason why Dixie likes Kurt so much and it contributed to Karen being an “Ex” wife. We don’t need to see her face on TV, nor do we need her stupid ideas of electrified cages or Hollywood producers booking wrestling anymore.
3. Fire Vince Russo.
Enough with the “who’s side is who on” crap. Fire Russo, fire the Hollywood writers, fire everyone who hasn’t had at least 10 years in the business putting asses in seats. It’s obvious in both WWE and TNA that wrestling booked by Hollywood writers isn’t bringing any increase in ratings. Even ROH on little HDNet gets 0.8”s and there isn’t one Hollywood writer on that show.
Bring in new “bookers” to write the shows. Those bookers should NEVER be on screen unless the camera accidentally pans their way. Hire competent agents that understand ring psychology and timing for television. Make them earn their checks based on the ratings for their match over a period of time and how well the match is received by the fans, not the boys in the back. Guys like Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette, Les Thatcher, Jim Ross, Bill Watts, JJ Dillion, and even Jerry Jarrett would make great choices for the booking roles. Bring in guys like Tully Blanchard, Rick Martel, Terry Taylor (who is there, but not as an agent), Dutch Mantel, Mike Graham and others would make great agent types.
4. Start over from scratch.
Start over. Keep AJ Styles as World Heavyweight Champ and ODB as Women’s Champ. Those titles have lineages to maintain and are homegrown. I’m cool with them being champs. But drop all current storylines and gimmicks and start over. Build up meaningful feuds and programs leading to meaningful endings that make me want to see more. It’s simple really. Wrestler A, does something to Wrestler B. Wrestler B wants revenge. Wrestler A antagonizes. Wrestler B eventually gets revenge. Simple stuff.
5. Enough with the gimmicks already!
If I see another “Tampon on a pole match” or 4 way match, or Lethal Lockdown match with random participants with no real agenda, or Destination X match where the title isn’t really disputed by anyone, I’ll puke!
Every match on pay per view really doesn’t need to have a gimmick. With the right build, a match between Wrestler A and Wrestler B can be compelling enough without a “Colt 45 on a Pole” match. Leave the tazers, cattle prods, chairs, tables, ladders, dog cages, singapore canes, briefcases, sledgehammers and scepters at home please. They mean nothing in 2009 thanks to guys like Mick Foley, Raven, Ian Rotten, most of ECW and everyone in CZW.
6. Make your television sell the PPV’s
Currently TNA does this in reverse. They use the PPV’s to sell the shows on Spike. I assume this is because they get more from Spike than they make on the PPV sales after the cut to the providers. But that’s because no one wants to pay for a second rate Impact show. Seriously, an interview segment on a PPV? Really? Did we really need to pay 39.95 to see someone talk about their upcoming match on Impact?
Impact should be about getting the characters and the programs over. Never, ever show a PPV quality match on Impact again. If you want add heat to the AJ vs Kurt program for example, don’t let them wrestle, not even in a tag match. Bring AJ out for an promo. Kurt comes out and objects to what AJ is saying and maybe they scuffle. But that’s it. The anticipation should build to the PPV when people finally see who is the better man. Cornette and Heyman were both great at this. Cornette would use his SMW television brilliantly and his houses were huge without huge names to carry the show.
7. Reduce the number of PPV’s to 4 or 5 per year
The economy sucks. Sure, I make good coin. But I’m also a fan of UFC and WWE. There’s also a movie or two I like to enjoy with the wife every month as well. Did you know if I ordered every event that TNA, WWE, UFC, DGUSA and ROH offered in a month I would pay out over $180.00 per month. Just for PPV. I don’t know many normal middle class families that can afford that. I know fewer 18-34 year olds (target demographic) that can afford that per month.
Now, if you you can put 1-6 together and make me want to watch your PPV and see the thrilling conclusion to the programs you have built up I would be willing to pay the $40 to watch it every few months. Why do you think that season finales of network TV shows do so well? Because they have months and months of buildup to a final conclusion that people want to see. Dr. McDreamy doesn’t just get cancer the week before, no, he gets it about a month or two before and they build up to the finale so they can see if he lives or dies, AND if he gets to bang the hot nurse that has been telling him that she is his soulmate before he dies. Again, wrestling is really simple compared to this. That’s why it became popular on TV in the 50′s and 60′s in the first place.
8. Keep taping Impact at Universal, but take the PPV’s on the road
Taping at Universal is cheap. 26K a month is hella cheap for producing TV. The arena looks good on TV and the crowds are hot. But the PPV’s need to feel special, and taping them in the same building as your TV just looks second rate and feels like another episode of Impact. Take it on the road. There are a ton of 1000-6000 seat buildings all over the country in hot wrestling markets to put the PPV’s in. Don’t bother trying to run the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit. You won’t sell it out. You won’t come close. But buildings like The Budweiser center in Loveland, CO holds about 4300 and is near Denver, and the Nutter Center in Dayton holds about 5000. Perfect buildings with great atmospheres and fans. Also, keep taking TNA on the road in these towns and give them a hell of a show to bring them back.
9. Build up your homegrown talent
Guys like Joe, AJ, EY, The MCMG, Abyss, and Hernandez are the cornerstones of your company. People see Angle, Sting, Nash and Booker as WWE retreads. Sure, they are stars, but don’t sacrifice the cornerstones of the company to get people to watch. They should be used to enhance your homegrown talent. Good indy promoters know that when they bring in a name for a one-shot, they NEVER job their local star out to the name. It would kill the product. It’s killing the TNA product right now. TNA was best when the X-Division, AJ, Ron Killings and Abyss were the focal point of the show. Be the alternative, not the copycat of the competition.
Seriously. Wrestling is not that hard to book and produce for television. But the internal politics are what kill any wrestling company and it shows on camera. If TNA doesn’t make DRASTIC changes soon. WWE will be producing a “Rise and Fall of TNA” DVD in the next 5 years when Panda sells the rights to the footage to Vince after they give up on the company. We’re looking at WCW, circa 1997 to 2001 all over again here.
