Report: TNA Talking to Four Networks For New 2016 Television Home

[It's Damn Real!]

Source: PWInsider.com

While the status of TNA Wrestling’s status on Destination America has been oft-debated, there still is a good possibility Impact Wrestling airs on a new cable network in early 2016.

It’s being said that TNA might be talking to as many as four networks right now, although it’s not known which ones they are. TNA could be off of domestic television for a few weeks or a month, but they may find a new home for the beginning of next year.

It was noted that some executives have commented about TNA’s status, saying they will be on Destination America through the end of this year, and will have a new cable network home in 2016.

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/6274...WRESTLEZONE%29

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Bad as things may be product-wise, I think we can all agree (at least we should) that having TNA remain on air is the best business decision possible for pro wrestling. My money is on WGN, who were rumored to be one of the contenders coming out of the Spike decision to drop TNA the last time around. The Velocity network was the other, which is a Discovery Communications subsidiary, so fair to assume they're out this time around.

[klunderbunker]

WGN is as good as anything else because TNA can put on a lame product on any network. At the end of the day, they can blame it on whatever they want, but their ratings tend to suck because they put on a bad product that people don't want to watch. Unless they change up a lot of things, we're going to be having this same discussion in another nine months to a year.

[whoopin' ass]

The issue is that TNA needs a channel that is on basic cable like Spike. WGN is on most packages so it would be a good bet plus they had wrestling a couple years ago so it isn't a weird idea to have it again. I wonder though what kind of deal they are offering. You have to think if they are interested now then they were interested a year ago but TNA went to DA because they thought it was the best place. Are they going to get less money, are they going to get a bad timeslot? Given how much talent they have lost over the last several months, I can't see this as the networks now suddenly being interested so it makes me think these were old offers that they looked into again.

[Rayne]

I really can't agree that TNA continuing on the air in its present state is 'good' for professional wrestling.

TNA is a fucking train wreck right now; more of a train wreck then when they were dropped by Spike, more of a train wreck then they were after The Hulk and Eric show ended, more of a train wreck then during the Aces and Eights train wreck. They've had the past year to reinvigorate their product, but the crap they're putting out now is at best uninspired and at worst simply confusing. What has TNA done over the past two years that would suggest that the next two will be any different?

Meanwhile, a renaissance is taking place in the 'independents'. The desire for "not WWE" is just as strong as ever, but there's no point creating a high-production program (relative term) so long as TNA occupies that niche.

I'm not worried about TNA's performers; the talented ones will go out and find work, and the 2/3's of the TNA roster no one recognizes will have had their fifteen minutes. (TNA ladies- rough break. They are all Too Old to debut in the WWE, which seems to have 30 as their new unofficial hard cap.) I'm not worried about TNA's production team; they're mostly temp workers at this point on a 'work as needed' basis. Their old staffers have long ago left for other jobs in media with regular pay.

I could agree, and easily, with your statement if it appeared that TNA would do something with the opportunity. Right now it seems TNA is trying to get a new TV contract for the sake of saying they have a new TV contract. With TNA off the air- and sadly, this part takes time- the available talent and airspace will be around for someone else to make a go at #2; someone who has more ambition than to simply stay alive.

[theshadowranger]

If someone else was going to make a run for number 2 it would have already happened in the past 13 years. If someone is going to make a run then TNA doesn't have to die. There is plenty of good talent available to put on a great wrestling show if you have the resources.

[Rayne]

Someone WAS making a run at #2 for the past thirteen years. It was TNA. There is only so much space for professional wrestling on cable television. You can't simply say "I wanna be the #2 professional wrestling company in America", it requires a confluence of money and talent at just the right time. Just like TNA did in the early 2000's- the wreckage of WCW and ECW left several talented performers available, and the lack of a WWE alternative led people with money to invest it where they thought it could be successful.

Go back to 2009. TNA looks stronger than ever, having just signed Hulk Hogan, Jeff Hardy, fuck it, we all know the list. With two nationally televised promotions, why would someone put down the bankroll to compete with them? With what talent?

We're actually already seeing this process in motion right now, as companies like GFW and LU are forming in the wake of TNA's wreckage, much like XPW, IWA-MS and yes, TNA formed from the wake of WCW's wreckage. Some of these new promotions will suck, like XPW. However, eventually, talent, money and ambition will once again line up in professional wrestling- much like they did for TNA over a decade ago.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by Rayne

Someone WAS making a run at #2 for the past thirteen years. It was TNA. There is only so much space for professional wrestling on cable television. You can't simply say "I wanna be the #2 professional wrestling company in America", it requires a confluence of money and talent at just the right time. Just like TNA did in the early 2000's- the wreckage of WCW and ECW left several talented performers available, and the lack of a WWE alternative led people with money to invest it where they thought it could be successful.

Go back to 2009. TNA looks stronger than ever, having just signed Hulk Hogan, Jeff Hardy, fuck it, we all know the list. With two nationally televised promotions, why would someone put down the bankroll to compete with them? With what talent?

We're actually already seeing this process in motion right now, as companies like GFW and LU are forming in the wake of TNA's wreckage, much like XPW, IWA-MS and yes, TNA formed from the wake of WCW's wreckage. Some of these new promotions will suck, like XPW. However, eventually, talent, money and ambition will once again line up in professional wrestling- much like they did for TNA over a decade ago.

GFW STILL does not have a TV show. They taped content that is now 3 months old.

Lucha Underground is a TV show. Not a wrestling company and they are acting like a TV show. Having breaks in between seasons. And they BARELY got a second season. LU is not a long term investment.

I get it. You don't like TNA. But if there is a demand for a second promotion and fans are in need of one, then why hasn't ROH actually stepped up to the pate and become a second company? They are not. TNA is the second biggest company around here.

[Louis]

I would like to see TNA go to CMT or FSN1 or FSN2. I would prefer FSN because they seem to take any sports shows on their networks because they need programming to fill up as many hours as possible.

I still would not rule out a return to Spike TV as well.



if TNA snags a new TV deal, it won't be a bad thing.

Say what you will about them, but TNA always somehow, some way hangs in there.

[akathelaw]

Matt Hardy just won the World Championship and immediately vacated it because of lawyers. Matt Hardy isn't World Champion material anyway, so giving him a mercy title reign like this is probably the best you can do with him. The injunction story is horrible, it's confusing and a lame cover up for TNA's very real production woes. DestAm has TNA on life support tight now and can't wait to pull the plug. I wonder if they even care what the company is putting on their network.

GFW will take its spot.

[mlp420]

Originally Posted by Rayne

I really can't agree that TNA continuing on the air in its present state is 'good' for professional wrestling.

TNA is a fucking train wreck right now; more of a train wreck then when they were dropped by Spike, more of a train wreck then they were after The Hulk and Eric show ended, more of a train wreck then during the Aces and Eights train wreck. They've had the past year to reinvigorate their product, but the crap they're putting out now is at best uninspired and at worst simply confusing. What has TNA done over the past two years that would suggest that the next two will be any different?

Meanwhile, a renaissance is taking place in the 'independents'. The desire for "not WWE" is just as strong as ever, but there's no point creating a high-production program (relative term) so long as TNA occupies that niche.

I'm not worried about TNA's performers; the talented ones will go out and find work, and the 2/3's of the TNA roster no one recognizes will have had their fifteen minutes. (TNA ladies- rough break. They are all Too Old to debut in the WWE, which seems to have 30 as their new unofficial hard cap.) I'm not worried about TNA's production team; they're mostly temp workers at this point on a 'work as needed' basis. Their old staffers have long ago left for other jobs in media with regular pay.

I could agree, and easily, with your statement if it appeared that TNA would do something with the opportunity. Right now it seems TNA is trying to get a new TV contract for the sake of saying they have a new TV contract. With TNA off the air- and sadly, this part takes time- the available talent and airspace will be around for someone else to make a go at #2; someone who has more ambition than to simply stay alive.

That's a nice fairy tale but I'm not going to root against TNA based on a fantasy of someone with deep pockets coming along on his/her white horse to fund a wrestling company that will give us all our hearts desire. Especially when you compare the circumstances when TNA/ROH/XWF/WWA all launched to right now. Unlike WCW, if TNA closed there wouldn't be a massive market left behind. We're 14 years removed from that now.

EDIT: And by the way, Lucha Underground wasn't formed out of TNA's "wreckage". It's the latest in a long line of attempts to target the sizable Hispanic pro wrestling audience in the United States. We saw something similar with Lucha Libre USA on MTV2 a few years ago.