Is Hulk Hogan The Last Ace In The Hole For TNA To Increase Ratings?

[FromTheSouth]

If you don't think Hogan is a draw, I think you are sadly mistaken. TNA caters to the smark crowd, and look at what this site did on day one of the announcement. The smark crowd went absolutely nuts over it. Everyone is excited about it. Even if he doesn't remain there long term, which I imagine he won't, he is making an impact on the short term. If he draws more viewers to the show to see AJ Styles, wouldn't you imagine that some of them would stay and see what else AJ can do.

I also imagine he will bring in quite a few viewers who have become disenfranchised with the WWE product. A bunch of former Hulkamaniacs are going to want to see what he can do. When tehy see that TNA resembles Attitude in many ways, they might stick around too.

Furthermore, getting the Hogan rub would be huge for guys like Hernandez and Morgan who continually beat on the smaller TNA roster. You could wheel Hogan's corpse out there to get pinned and the win would still mean more than a hundred straight victories over the X division.

I am a TNA fan. I love the show. I don't think they need to pull more aces out of their sleeves. They put on a good show. The characters have direction and the in-ring product is very good. The fact that their ratings do not fluctuate very much from week to week is a signal that they retain the viewers they gain, and Hogan will bring more in. They needed to make a bit of a splash to get some attention, and they did. I imagine they will keep a majority of the viewers they are about to gain.

But this still isn't the last splash they can make. The lighter schedule will always be a selling point to established WWE stars. Is it that much of a stretch to think that HBK, or even Cena, maybe even Jeff Hardy will, at some point, appear on the show? After Hogan elevated WCW past WWE, legacy building in the business took on a whole new identity. Why wouldn't some of tday's WWE stars feel that taking TNA past WWE would be an even bigger accomplishment? Wouldn't someone want to say that they made TNA the number one wrestling company in the world? By doing so, one could argue that tehy made a bigger impact that Hogan. Mick Foley said that once your body gives out, all that's left is the legacy you leave in the business. For the top guys, that is all that will matter to them once they have the money and the fame.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

FTS made a good point about the smark draw. When I came to WrestleZone that day and learned what happened, the various posts were through the roof. There were threads started that suggested that the Monday Night Wars were about to start up again or that Hogan coming to TNA was automatically going to put them on equal footing with the WWE in terms of ratings. And, for at least a few shows, ratings for Impact will go up when Hogan makes his debut.

I do think, however, that some are overestimating the exact impact that Hogan is going to have on TNA's ratings. To read some of the posts on this over the past few weeks, some are basically expecting Impact's audience to nearly double over a very short time and that's not going to happen. From what I've read, and I'm not saying that any of this is true or not cuz you know how stuff is off the net sometimes, Hogan is staying with TNA for an extended period of time and that's the source of a lot of worry for some fans and some TNA workers because nobody knows what Hogan plans to do. During interviews, Hogan has made a few comments along the lines of that he's going to "run TNA". "Run TNA" were his exact words. He's also supposed to have said that his role in TNA is basically the same role he had in WCW, only that it was "official" in TNA.

A lot of fans are hoping for the best and that Hogan's egocentric machinations don't come into play, that he's going to try and do what's best for TNA as a company and the other wrestlers working for the company rather than try to consistently use his clout to push his own agenda. I'd like to see Hogan be good for TNA as well, I'd love to see him give the rub to some young guys. But, Hogan has history working against him so who knows.

Do I think it'll be a bad sign of TNA can't draw consistently better ratings with Hogan on the roster? Yes, but that doesn't mean that it's the final ace in the hole for TNA. For the most part, the big names that TNA has attracted are guys that wrestling fans have known about for years AND are well past their prime in the ring. If TNA wants to be viewed as being a bit more competitive, then I think they'd have to be able to pull guys that are big stars, on the younger side and can still really go in the ring. People like John Cena, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, John Morrison, etc. are all big stars in the WWE right now and if TNA could draw those guys into their company, if those guys were to decide not to resign with the WWE and go to TNA instead, that would just look a lot more impressive to me than getting someone like Ric Flair at this point.

TNA's lighter schedule is something that's pretty tempting I'm sure. But, there's a LOT more money to be made in the WWE and that's why most of these young, big WWE stars aren't going anywhere anytime soon. TNA is going to have to grow and be able to generate a lot more money for that to happen.

 

[johnbragg]

If he draws more viewers to the show to see AJ Styles, wouldn't you imagine that some of them would stay and see what else AJ can do.

But he didn't. The Hogan Announcement Show drew a 1.3, matching TNA's previous high. Which means that for all the smark-gasming going on pro and con, Hogan got people who were previously marginally interested in TNA but not regular viewers (like me) to tune in. (Practically) No one saw AJ Styles for the first time on Hogan Announcement Show day.

You could wheel Hogan's corpse out there to get pinned...

That's pretty close to what's going to happen. He's going to make Foley, Nash and Steiner look like Daniels, Styles and Angle.

The lighter schedule will always be a selling point to established WWE stars.

Not if TNA gets a second weekly show. Not if WWE lightens up the schedule on their established main eventers. Not if WWE decides to squash TNA like a bug.

Wouldn't someone want to say that they made TNA the number one wrestling
company in the world? By doing so, one could argue that tehy made a bigger impact that Hogan.

Well, if Hogan can't do it, and Angle couldn't do it, I'm pretty sure that the problem isn't lack of ability at the top of the TNA food chain. So no, I don't expect too many WWE champions will be risking their Hall of Fame shots, occassional guest appearances, etc. for a 2-3 year run with TNA.

 

[haristna]

No Hulk Hogan is not the Last Chance for TNA . For those say that TNA Has Tried Everything to Promote and to Increase its Ratings for 7 Years ,but it had NO Success , You are Wrong After there Weekly PPV Concept that Generated 10's of Thousands of Fans to watch its Product that was A almost Perfect Product for that Time . They Had a Deal with Fox Sports Network that iMPACT Scored a Avg. 0.2 Cable Rating from then to Today's Avg. 1.1 Rating they Increased Ratings by 110% . Hulk Hogan Said in a Interview that he will "run TNA" and TNA Will Spend Big Money here is the Link :http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/121318 . What TNA Needs to do is Clean-Up/Polish the Product/Develop Talent Better "Which Means Better Mic Skills" . And Air iMPACT More Frequently Outside of Orlando . Instead of Monthly PPVS Have 6-8 Big Events That all Air Outside of Orlando . Countinue to Push Young Stars like Eric Young,AJ Styles & Matt Morgan . Have Hulk Hogan in a GM type of Mode and Start to Phase out Old Stars like Kevin Nash,Scott Steiner & Sting . Once iMPACT Reaches Avg. 1.6 Ratings Move it to Monday Nights and once Reaches 1.8,1.9 Ratings on Monday Night Create a 2ND Show that Competes Head to Head With ECW on Syfy . I Think Hulk Hogan Will Improve & Expose TNA'S Ratings More something TNA Has to do is Have 20/30 More Minutes of Wrestling on there Programs

 

[FromTheSouth]

But he didn't. The Hogan Announcement Show drew a 1.3, matching TNA's previous high. Which means that for all the smark-gasming going on pro and con, Hogan got people who were previously marginally interested in TNA but not regular viewers (like me) to tune in. (Practically) No one saw AJ Styles for the first time on Hogan Announcement Show day.

So, they scored an all-time high rating and this is a bad thing? I agree that they should have had AJ wrestle on that show, however. But, missing that one detail, I tghink they are doing a good job. They mention him in every sdegment, so anyone who stops on the show until the next commercial is going to hear it. I assume he debuts at Turning Point. I am interested to see if the buyrate for that show exceed the rate of growth in viewership for the other shows.

That's pretty close to what's going to happen. He's going to make Foley, Nash and Steiner look like Daniels, Styles and Angle.

He has been putting over the young talent in every interview. I would hope that he learned his lesson from WCW. It's not like everything he did there was bad. Some of his behind the scenes maneuvering led to the company's downfall, but they only had so far to fall because of Hogan.

Not if TNA gets a second weekly show. Not if WWE lightens up the schedule on their established main eventers. Not if WWE decides to squash TNA like a bug.

Just because they add a show doesn't mean that it's going to become a nationally touring promotion. If they stick in the Impact Zone, what does it matter? It's not the wrestling that burns people out, it's the constant travel.

Well, if Hogan can't do it, and Angle couldn't do it, I'm pretty sure that the problem isn't lack of ability at the top of the TNA food chain. So no, I don't expect too many WWE champions will be risking their Hall of Fame shots, occassional guest appearances, etc. for a 2-3 year run with TNA.

Because Vince never takes anyone back after they go work for another company?

 

[johnbragg]

John Bragg said: The Hogan Announcement Show drew a 1.3, matching TNA's previous high.
FTS said: So, they scored an all-time high rating and this is a bad thing?

No, that's my point. They DIDN'T score an all time high. They MATCHED their all time high, which is not that far off from their average or from their low point. The lowest rating an Impact was I think an 0.8. That is their core, hell-or-high-water audience who will watch no matter what crapfest they have to endure. Category "Always Watch Impact"

There is another 0.5 or so who Sometimes Watch Impact. Some watch a little, some watch almost every episode. They are the difference between 0.8 and 1.3. They all tuned in.

Signing Hogan is aimed at the Never Watch Impact/What's Impact segment of the audience.

They didn't tune in.

Think about this from a non-wrestling fans perspective.

Compare Hogan to another mega-huge star. Britney Spears.

Look at it this way: Britney Spears has/had a recurring (twice, anyway) guest spot on How I Met Your Mother. Did YOU tune in? Probably not. Because you don't really give a crap about Britney Spears--even if you know her name, even if you know the tabloid headlines about her.

In terms of 2009 star power, Britney Spears makes Hulk Hogan look like a bucket of puke.

 

[FromTheSouth]

No, that's my point. They DIDN'T score an all time high. They MATCHED their all time high, which is not that far off from their average or from their low point. The lowest rating an Impact was I think an 0.8. That is their core, hell-or-high-water audience who will watch no matter what crapfest they have to endure. Category "Always Watch Impact"

There is another 0.5 or so who Sometimes Watch Impact. Some watch a little, some watch almost every episode. They are the difference between 0.8 and 1.3. They all tuned in.

Signing Hogan is aimed at the Never Watch Impact/What's Impact segment of the audience.

They didn't tune in.

Think about this from a non-wrestling fans perspective.

Compare Hogan to another mega-huge star. Britney Spears.

Look at it this way: Britney Spears has/had a recurring (twice, anyway) guest spot on How I Met Your Mother. Did YOU tune in? Probably not. Because you don't really give a crap about Britney Spears--even if you know her name, even if you know the tabloid headlines about her.

In terms of 2009 star power, Britney Spears makes Hulk Hogan look like a bucket of puke.

What was I thinking, with all of your made up numbers and assumption doubting you. I assume that the 1.3 and the .8 being the highest and lowest of the ratings is true, but since you ignore all mitigating factors and try to discern a trend from single ratings reports, you have no credibility. So, they tied an all time rating, which is exactly the same as getting an all time high rating. You're trying to argue semantics, and nto doing very well.

So, let's assume your made up .8 figure is even remotely correct. You're telling me that scoring 160% of that is a bad thing? This would be like WWE jumping from a 3.5 weekly rating to a 5.2. Half this board would masterbate to that number. You can't look at it in points, you have to look at it on percentage.

And your sitcom example was even worse than your made up numbers. Hogan has been on Larry King, among other high profile shows to promote TNA. Britney Spears, I doubt, even knows that she was on that show, and has never been on a talk show or news program to promote. I don't understand how you equate the two. Your analogy of a singer not popping raitngs for a TV show does not equate a wrestler on a wrestling show.

 

[johnbragg]

Just because they add a show doesn't mean that it's going to become a nationally touring promotion. If they stick in the Impact Zone, what does it matter? It's not the wrestling
that burns people out, it's the constant travel.

Doubling the amount of TV doubles the travel. Now, Kurt Angle flies in for a weekend, works 2-4 days, tapes 2-3 weeks of TV, and goes home for 2 weeks. Tape a show on the 1st that shows on the 4th, a show on the 2nd that shows on the 11th, fly home until the 15th.

With two shows a week, you have to tape every week, just like the WWE. Live on Monday, tape on Tuesday to show on Thursday.

Also remember that TNA is trying to do more house shows. That scheduling advantage starts to disappear.

Because Vince never takes anyone back after they go work for another company?

I think in this situation, Vince is in a position to say to his current top guys, if you go, you can't come back. Edge, HBK, Jericho, Show, Cena, Orton, Mysterio, Undertaker, Batista--You'll be signing autographs at conventions next to Randy Savage.

It would be a little different if a Carlito or a Shelton Benjamin jumped--they might do better in TNA and be worth chasing when they're a free agent again.

 

[FromTheSouth]

Doubling the amount of TV doubles the travel. Now, Kurt Angle flies in for a weekend, works 2-4 days, tapes 2-3 weeks of TV, and goes home for 2 weeks. Tape a show on the 1st that shows on the 4th, a show on the 2nd that shows on the 11th, fly home until the 15th.

With two shows a week, you have to tape every week, just like the WWE. Live on Monday, tape on Tuesday to show on Thursday.

Also remember that TNA is trying to do more house shows. That scheduling advantage starts to disappear.

Why would they not just schedule one extra day of taping? I don't understand why tehy couldn't tape two weeks of the new show on Monday and two weeks of Impact on Tuesday, and then send everyone home for two weeks. That sure seems simple to me.

And, I must've forgotten about all of those house shows that Nash does. You know, the tours that he's never on. Any top WWE star could easily demand that same treatment. Your argument fails.

I think in this situation, Vince is in a position to say to his current top guys, if you go, you can't come back. Edge, HBK, Jericho, Show, Cena, Orton, Mysterio, Undertaker, Batista--You'll be signing autographs at conventions next to Randy Savage.

It would be a little different if a Carlito or a Shelton Benjamin jumped--they might do better in TNA and be worth chasing when they're a free agent again.

You're wrong here. All of the guys you mentioned are draws. Vince has a short memory when people who make him money fuck him over, i.e. Hogan's return. Hogan almost put him out of business, and then, there he is, holding up the tag titles with Edge. Are you telling me that if his top draw went to TNA, amde himself an even bigger name, and wanted to come back, Vince would say no?

Besides, aren't there rumors of Angle coming back to WWE? Booker might be back soon. Steiner wants another run. Do you think Vince is going to turn them all away? Fuck no! These guys can draw.

Randy Savage is a different story. He fucked Stephanie, allegedly, when she was a youngin. Unless Cena is molesting his grandchildren, he would be welcomed back with open arms.

You base all your arguments on assumptions. Try using past history and facts sometime.

 

[johnbragg]

johnbragg: In terms of 2009 star power, Britney Spears makes Hulk Hogan look like a bucket of puke.

PEP3: Unless TNA is signing Britney, how in the hell does this even relate to this thread? You need to draw a better correlation, because you used two different examples that, in conjunction with one another, make no sense.

OK. Point one, Britney Spears is a bigger name now than Hulk Hogan is to a general audience. I don't think that part's debatable.

Point two: Advocates of the Hogan signing have been saying that Hogan has "mainstream star power." Since people know Hulk Hogan's name, that this will attract attention to TNA that is otherwise unavailable. And the idea is to use this attention to show off the TNA product and win new fans. Basically, "Come see Hulk Hogan, stay to see Styles and Joe and Angle." I think everyone understands that part.

Now, try to think about this from a non-wrestling fan's perspective. Because wrestling fans already know about TNA. It's been available on basic cable for a while. They have Angle, they have Sting and some other guys you know. Wrestling fans unhappy with the WWE product know about TNA.

So Hogan is there to use his name value to get new people in the door to check out TNA. The whole strategy rests on the idea that people will say "Hogan? I know Hogan!! I have to check out the show he's on!!"

What I'm saying is that non-wrestling fans KNOW Hogan. They just don't CARE.

Just like most of us KNOW Brittney Spears. We just don't CARE.

How I Met Your Mother used her as a guest star one week, CBS promoted the hell out of it. Raised the rating for a week. MAybe some of those people stuck, I don't know. They did it again a season or two later--brought the character back. Popped a rating.

And you had no clue it happened, right?

Because in 2009, you can't just bring in a "name," and expect millions of people to show up to watch what they're doing. No matter how big the name is/was, unless it's Barak Obama or Sarah Palin.

 

[FromTheSouth]

WWE draws three times the rating Impact does. There is enough a wrestling audience, who definitely cares who Hogan is. If they can get some of them to switch over, they become a problem for WWE.

TNA is going after WWE's audience, hoping this inspires WWE to acknowledge that they exist, thereby giving them the exposure they need within the wrestling audience.

No one is under the pretense that adding Hogan is going to make people who watch Friends start watching wrestling. They are going after a segment of the WWE audience. Once they get some of them, they can go after the mainstream. The ratings boom of the 90's started as a word of mouth campaign. Tna needs more mouths to utter the words, "You've got to see TNA," to their friends.

 

[Tank715]

IMO Hogan is dryed up and really wont help TNA's ratings all tht much. Unles they can get ahold of Stone Cold, the Rock, or someone like tht, TNA is fucked...another person just popped into my head...Goldberg. Not sure how many people still thnk about Goldberg, but tht would just help if he went to TNA. It would b out of no where and would b a huge surprise...but of course nowadays people would hear tht he was signed and would know already so it wouldnt b tht much of a surprise. Goldberg is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time and I would love to see him return...now whether or not he would go to TNA...

 

[johnbragg]

I don't understand why tehy couldn't tape two weeks of the new show on Monday and two weeks of Impact on Tuesday, and then send everyone home for two weeks. That sure seems simple to me.

Well, they don't tape two shows a day now, but maybe they would start doing four-hour tapings if they had a second show. I think it's more likely that they would move to a weekly schedule like WWE does and WCW did.

I said:

I think in this situation, Vince is in a position to say to his current top guys, if you go, you can't come back. Edge, HBK, Jericho, Show, Cena, Orton, Mysterio, Undertaker, Batista--You'll be signing autographs at conventions next to Randy Savage.

FTS said:

You're wrong here. All of the guys you mentioned are draws. Vince has a short memory when people who make him money fuck him over, i.e. Hogan's return.

These guys ain't Hogan. Hogan ain't Hogan anymore. If these guys are such big draws, tell me this--was WWE business suffering without Jericho and Big Show? Is it suffering without RVD and Booker? I'd say no, no it's not. Vince would like to have RVD, probably, because he's a top talent, a star. But he's not exactly held hostage to RVD's demands.

Are you telling me that if his top draw went to TNA, amde himself an even bigger name, and wanted to come back, Vince would say no?

If TNA's cornerstone was a free agent, then Vince would go after him. See Kurt Angle.

Besides, aren't there rumors of Angle coming back to WWE?

Yes, since TNA and Hogan are talking big about challenging Vince McMahon, there are rumors that Vince will take away the centerpiece of their roster.

Booker might be back soon.

Of Vince might tell him to stay home, to make the point to the rest of the WWE top tier.

Steiner wants another run.

So do Sid Vicious and Scott Hall. What's your point?

These guys can draw.

Is that why that college gym was two-thirds empty at Bound for Glory?

 

[johnbragg]

Drawing power is a myth.

A large point I've been trying to make is that we shouldn't be talking about this or that wrestler as a draw anymore, with very rare exceptions. To one degree or another, they are interchangeable parts in a machine. There are high and low quality parts, and that matters, but what produces revenues and ratings is the overall machine.

Creative direction, marketing, TV production, the other talent on the roster are huge factors in the performance of stars. Kurt Angle and Booker in WWE were headlining packed NBA stadiums. Angle and Booker in TNA, half-empty minor-league hockey halls. Same guy. Same talent. Same "drawing power." Different machine. Different outcome.

The star on top matters, just like everything else matters. Smackdown with Brock Lesnar as champion was doing better than Smackdown with JBL as champion did. But that doesn't mean that Lesnar could have walked into TNA and made much difference.

 

[burnout4200]

Ratings this and ratings that. The fact is people have been asking Kevin Nash where he's been and if he's retired. Even alot of WWE fans don't know TNA exists. TNA needs publicity even if they have to talk a wrestler into snapping out and killing his wife and child. They don't need to draw people at this stage. They just at least want their name on peoples mind and knowing of their existence. If they at least know about TNA I'm sure WWE will drive them to watching it with how their current product is. I'm in a local band and it's not much different than that at all. People can see you play at a show without ever knowing or hearing your name. If they saw you again they probably wouldn't know they've seen you before. If you get Ozzy/Hogan in your band/federation you give people something to remember you by. If Ozzy's in your band then you got a good band. If Hogan is in your federation then you got a damn good federation.

Hogan isn't TNA's last ace in the hole. UFC is huge right now. Bring in a stable with names like Tito Ortiz, Kimbo Slice, Randy Coture, Brock Lesnar, and Chuck Liddel, among others, and watch ratings sky rocket.

 

[Tastycles]

No, Hogan is a ratings spike maker, not a level raising kind of guy. If and when Hogan ever makes a TNA ring, one of two things will happen. The first is that he won't be around at Impact very often, in which case he won't be on the show to change the ratings. This seems likely judging by his movements so far. The second is that he will turn out and dominate proceedings. This may work for the long term, but no matter who is the champion, fans won't buy a long term aging one. Just look at how shit all of Sting's TNA reigns have been as well as Foley's for cast iron proof. Hogan isn't a company man and never has been, so I cannot see him help TNA to maintain a consistently high ratings profile. What I can see, potentially, is their PPV buyrate increasing, but I don't think Hogan is the key to the 2.0 promised land.

 

[NSL]

Unless TNA can pull off bringing in Steve Austin or The Rock, I would have to say that "It's Now or Never" for them.

So typical of a WWE mod

Hogan is an "ace in the hole" for ratings, but I doubt he's the "last" ace in the hole. His signing gave them a jump for the one week, and his appearing on TV is bound to do the same. That is where the problems start.

This will either change their entire product, giving them higher ratings, while alienating their core, and then they die off slowly but surely. Or, it will give them big ratings, expose their true product to the masses, and after a month or so of big ratings, they die quickly.

For there to be continued ratings success, and not endanger the company, they need to figure out exactly how to mold the product for a massive audience, while sticking with what has made them the cult phenomenon they are. It won't be easy, and a little slip either way could be drastic. This is going to be an interesting few months.

 

[johnbragg]

Hogan is the last ace in the hole, because he is the last possibility for TNA's historic strategy of bringing in "big names" to attract attention ever working.

Kevin Nash and Scott Hall and Randy Savage and Jeff Hardy and DDP didn't do it. Hermie Sadler didn't do it. Raven and Rhino as champs didn't do it. Booker and Steiner didn't do it. The Dudleys didn't do it. Angle and Christian didn't do it. Foley and Taz didn't do it. Lashley didn't/won't do it.

Pacman Jones didn't do it. Danny Bonadouchebag didn't do it.

If "bring in a name and people will pay attention and love the product we have today" is ever going to work, Hogan is it. There is no bigger mainstream name in pro wrestling. Rock and Austin and Cena are younger and can do more, but not bigger names.

Hulk Hogan is the last stand for TNA's PT Barnum strategy of suckering people through the gates. When PT Barnum did it, he took their money on the way in and then moved on to a different town. He wasn't relying on repeat business or loyal fandom.

TNA fans and wrestling fans have to hope that when Project Hogan crashes it doesn't cause either Panda Dallas or Spike to pull the plug and write off their losses.

 

[NSL]

Hogan is the last ace in the hole, because he is the last possibility for TNA's historic strategy of bringing in "big names" to attract attention ever working.

You say this like none of the homegrown guys have drawing power. If AJ Styles gets a lengthy run with the belt, and proves to be better than everyone else in the company, it would be just as big of a help. He's bounced between main eventer and mid-carder for far too long, and hopefully this is really his chance to take the reins.

 

[johnbragg]

Originally Posted by johnbragg View Post
Hogan is the last ace in the hole, because he is the last possibility for TNA's historic strategy of bringing in "big names" to attract attention ever working.

You say this like none of the homegrown guys have drawing power. If AJ Styles gets a lengthy run with the belt, and proves to be better than everyone else in the company, it would be just as big of a help.

That's a completely different strategy of building from within, a strategy that TNA has never followed for more than a few months at a time before. Before Hogan it was the Main Event Mafia. Before that it was Planet Jarrett. Before that it was the Kings of Wrestling.

TNA has always, it seems to me, tried to bring in big names rather than try to develop their product. An AJ Styles run with the belt would be a great step, if it's not overshadowed by a 56-year old near-cripple.

And in my last post I forgot about Jenna Whatever and Johnny Fairplay.

 

[burnout4200]

They've had their Ace in the hole for awhile now. It's called The X-Division. I know, I know, blah blah blah, it hasn't worked so far. Very few people know it exists. TNA doesn't have the best advertising package and 10 minutes of TV time isn't going to convince a non-mark. Luchadores were a large part of WCW's success and I'm liking this newer style alot more than Lucha Libre. Wrestling has evolved and noone knows it because the style is barely allowed on WWE Television. People need to see the real evolution.

I also stand by my point in my previous post even more so than my X-Division point. MMA is so huge that a stable of well known MMA veterans entering TNA would boost ratings alot more than Hogan can. Especially if they came off as Anti Sports Entertainment. Once some of those bigger names retire I'm sure they'll be getting phone calls from pro wrestling companies. They'll be trying because those guys might be the last ace in the hole for any company.

 

[HBK-aholic]

Hogan is in no way the thing that will boost TNA’s ratings to match the WWE’s. No one factor will - and no one person can make a company. As much as bashing WWE is the cool thing to do at the moment, their product is so superior to TNA it really isn’t questionable.

Hogan will bring publicity to the show, and that may help them gain some new viewers, but what will make them stay is a lot more important than one man, no matter who he is. They need to make sure these next few months are the best wrestling they’ve ever put on and they need to make sure they hook viewers in when they watch for the first time.

 

[NSL]

Hogan will bring publicity to the show, and that may help them gain some new viewers, but what will make them stay is a lot more important than one man, no matter who he is. They need to make sure these next few months are the best wrestling they’ve ever put on and they need to make sure they hook viewers in when they watch for the first time.

Bingo. Yahtzee. Close thread. Let's go home folks.

Hogan will spike the ratings, that's a no-brainer. What TNA needs to figure out is how to get their product out there for the masses, and hope that whatever they do when Hogan is not on TV, is enough to keep people attracted once he leaves, and get the buzz going to bring in new people.

No company will live off good ratings for 3 months. They will live off a sustained increase, as long they can keep a quality product going. This will take some patience though, as a mix of what they have, and what they change will be the biggest factor. A slight variance too far either way, and they're toast.

 

[mayhem]

Jim Cornette recently predicted that TNA could close within 2 years by the TNA Presidents father if they cannot get closer to the WWE. With Hogan coming in and Bischoff you'd think this would be the final pairing that could give TNA that boost to go onto compete with the WWE especially Hogan who is arguably the biggest ever attraction to the wrestling business as a superstar.

Kurt Angle, Sting, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Nash, Mick Foley, Booker T, Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, Christian Cage etc haven't been able to get TNAs ratings beyond a 1.3 at best and most of these names are veterans, left or aren't long terms established names.

TNA President Dixie Carter stated that their aim is to be the biggest wrestling organisation in the world and if Hogan cannot take TNA to the next level and causes unrest backstage with his status what do you think Bob Carter would do with TNA as he is financing it?

 

[jamesman22]

Hulk Hogan may be able to take TNA to the next level and be able to raise their ranking But it amy only be temporary. He is well past his prime and Its like seeing Jim Duggan come out to wrestle in the WWE. Yeah he is a legend but still, he should be retired because his best days are behind him. Just like someone had previously mentioned, he is like an old chevy muscle car. Sure he was unbeatable in the past and everyone liked him, but this is a new generation now, and there are wrestlers who could put him to shame. Our generation got the brunt of him, the good side, now him being in TNA is like run-off. Do people really want to see that now?
And isn't his wrestling gimmick trademarked in the WWE? Wouldn't he have to create a new wrestling persona? It was to my knowledge that The WWE owns whatever their wrestlers do. Isn't that why Mr. Kennedy couldn't use his Kennedy KENNEDY!!!!!!! gimmick?
Anyways, To the TNA fans that may have never ever seen him wrestle it will be a treat, but to me, it will be like beating a dead horse. Hulkamania may have run wild back then, but since his family has gone and messed up so much like him having that messy divorce and his son nearly killing someone else in a car accident leaving him with half a head, and dating someone who looks like his daughter, its like he has strayed so far away from WWE, and any other wrestling company, this may be a useless attempt at getting TNA better ratings.