When Total Nonstop Action debuted on AMC two months ago, it was the largest platform that the organization had in more than a decade since it was booted from Spike TV after network executives found out that Vince Russo was still secretly working for the company after he sent an e mail to PWInsider reporter, Mike Johnson that was meant for announcer Mike Tenay.
How the promotion survived in the years that followed was a small miracle, as it was the subject of a tax lien in the state of Tennessee, as well as a lawsuit when Dixie Carter tried to swindle Billy Corgan to pay for her vanity project, before it was rescued from the brink of collapse by Anthem. The Canadian group wanted to retain the highest-rated program on the Fight Network, and Anthem is a billion dollar corporation so much like Bob Carter’s Panda Energy before he pulled the plug on the project to make his daughter a TV star, they could keep the wrestling league afloat indefinitely after the initial purchase in 2016.
The company had some very embarrassing years, including the ill-fated Global Force Wrestling merger and Alberto Del Rio’s disastrous title reign. That’s not to mention Tessa Blanchard refusing to drop the world title and keeping the belt in Mexico until it was sent back to the office via mail. Throughout that time, somehow there were still diehard TNA fans that followed the product that produced shows in front of very small crowds. Any claim that there was quality for the organization was completely coincidental, it was so far under the radar that it didn’t matter. The Pursuit Channel offered lead-in programming of literally ice fishing from Poland so Anthem bought HD Net to give the TNA brand more of a presence on American television, but that channel had minimal television clearance, especially compared to WWE or AEW so it was still difficult to consider TNA a major promotion in the modern era.
Obviously, the NXT crossover, which had more to do with WWE being forced to pay Major League Wrestling $20 million as a part of anti-trust lawsuit than anything else, was an upside for TNA, as it opened the door for the previously mentioned AMC deal.
That being said, there’s a difference between the opportunity to expand, and getting the pieces of the puzzle in place to be able to truly expand.
The debut on AMC drew a level of criticism for a broadcast that had too many promos and not enough wrestling. In short, despite producing television for years, the current regime still had a difficult time putting a coherent show on the air, especially when did it very little to sell that weekend’s Genesis pay-per-view. Reportedly, the show drew 173,000 viewers, and the topic of discussion around it was mostly negative. In truth, despite the bigger platform and more overall depth to the roster, TNA as an entity still seems like its either the minor league where a performer goes in hopes to get noticed elsewhere or the place a veteran can go to wind down their career to make some decent money before they hang up their boots. That’s not to say that there’s not talent there, but rather to point out that nothing that happens in TNA truly shifts the dynamics of the industry.
True to that notion, the television program during the time since it debut on AMC has been a mixed bag. AJ Francis vs. Rich Swann several weeks ago wasn’t exactly “must see” TV, but last week’s Nic Nemeth/Leo Slater main event helped the show garner an estimated 249,000 viewers. That means that there has been an increase in viewers since the debut, but the question remains, will any of this translate into something that truly matters in the grand scheme of things?
As with anything else, the barometer for success is ultimately the revenue a venture can generate to yield a profit. The buy rate for the Genesis PPV hasn’t been made public, but I bring up the TNA television show, specifically the increase in viewers, to point out that it’s crucial for the month of TV left before the next pay-per-view, Rebellion to be effective at selling the show to the AMC audience. Given that Genesis was only two days after the debut episode of Impact on AMC, the success or lack thereof to sell the Rebellion event on AMC is the first realistic determination of if TNA can monetize the platform.
It might sound trivial, but with the horrendous amount of inflation, the continued uncertainty around the economy, and the recent surge in gas prices because of the conflict with Iran, it’s going to be exponentially more difficult to get fans to spend money on wrestling, which is a potential problem for any organization, not just TNA. Aside from the absurd ticket prices, there’s a reason that Wrestlemania still only has half a house sold about a month before the biggest show of the year. It’s something that I’ve written about before, when essentials become more expensive, entertainment is one of the first things to get cut from the budget, especially when there are several other relatively cheap entertainment options available through the advancement of modern technology. A Netflix subscription still costs less than a $40 TNA pay-per-view.
TNA’s Rebellion will be held at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland the week before Wrestlemania, and with the $30 price tag that it costs for an ESPN subscription, running a PPV the same month as WWE’s signature event could also impact the buy rate. In fact, with Rebellion on traditional pay-per-view, it’s actually more expensive to watch it than WM this year.
Because of that, I can’t expect Rebellion to sell well on PPV. Keep in mind, AEW Dynasty is the day after the TNA show. Again, it might sound trivial, but there’s undoubtedly still competition for those PPV dollars, and that’s a more difficult sell across the board because of the previously mentioned economic crunch. How long is the conflict in Iran going to last? How much are gas prices going to go up? Are groceries going to stay this expensive? Those are all questions that make it a lot easier for consumers to not to purchase a $40 PPV from the third wrestling company in America.
Again, that’s not to say that there isn’t talent on the roster. Mike Santana has done tremendously well and proved how much Tony Khan missed the boat on him. Leon Slater is destined for bigger things in his career, probably outside of TNA. Bear Bronson has a major upside to potentially become a star in TNA. A lot of the hurdles for the company are outside the realm of pro wrestling, which is why getting things right on the show is that much more important.
This is where the competition of the industry becomes the focal point. Sure, the working agreement with the WWE helped TNA a lot, but lending the developmental crew of NXT to TNA isn’t designed to draw big numbers. If those NXT stars did, they would be on the main roster already. Right now, Impact drew about a third of the typical NXT rating so it’s not as though WWE fans will automatically watch the show if NXT stars are there. Mostly importantly, the industry is led by what the WWE does, and to a much lesser extent, what happens in AEW. The dynamics of that were flipped in 2019, but it’s a much different business today, especially after the TKO merger. You have to wonder, if there really a place for a third national promotion in the United States? That’s not a jab, but rather a question based on the logistics of the modern era. As mentioned prior, there are a slew of entertainment options that have already make it more difficult for pro wrestling to draw numbers. The internet was still minimal during the heyday of the Attitude era and smart phones didn’t exist for a decade. Now, every podcast, Youtube video, streaming service, and expanded cable channel takes a portion of viewers. That simply wasn’t the case when the WWF and WCW competed for ratings each week. If Anthem Entertainment can make a profit with TNA then it’s a successful business venture, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the brand will become a contender in the sports entertainment industry.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
