Wrestling Vs. Entertainment? TNA's future?

[My$terio_Fan]

Well many supporters and critics have all noted TNA's slow rise from going from a "Wrestling Company" to an "Entertainment Company?

When TNA stared out it was mainly a "wrestling show". Yes they have feuds, storylines, ect but you always thought that wrestling came first. It felt almost like an Indy/ROH like show where the main obective was show good wrestling matches.

Then watchers slowly started to notice a move more towards entertainment. While TNA still produced good matches everyone in a while, the entertainment aspect had widen. You got crazier storylines, "bigger" characters/personas, large amounts of comedy, ect.

TNA has slowly went from ROH where wrestling is the main obective, to a more WWE approach where entertainment, and overall experiences(celebrity angles, different movie/music tie ins, comedy angles and skits)seem more prominent then before.

So my question is what is better for TNA? A wrestling based show or an entertainment experience? While people will probably say both, I'd rather have a more "outside the box' answer.

People who want a more entertainment base program use WWE as an example how wrestling shows can be really successful by using different techniques. The will also bring up ROH and other indy feds that the majority of are more "Wrestling shows" and are performing in Bingo Halls and barely making a profit.

Then you have supporters of a 'pure wrestling show" arguing that TNA will never be bigger then the WWE if they continue to follow their footsteps replicating their movements 10x less effective. They will argue that UFC and other mix martial arts programs are huge right now, and a more "wrestling" based show could hop on that bandwagon and cater to both types of fans.

Entertainment vs, Wrestling? TNA's future is.....

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

As WWE has become more wrestling oriented these past 2 years, it only makes sense for TNA to differentiate itself by becoming more Entertainment-Oriented. That is what the wrestling fans, in my opinion, are absolutely starving for right now.

In essence, the two companies have switched roles over the years, with WWE becoming more similar to Ring of Honor by becoming more wrestling-focused, eliminating storylines, and toning down characters ..... while TNA is becoming more Entertainment-focused by doing more storylines and creating edgier characters. The wrestling-focused WWE is just not cutting it for a lot of fans at the moment and TNA has a real opportunity here.

If TNA can get their act together now with Dutch Mantel gone and presumably Jeff Jarrett on the way out, I really sense opportunity knocking for TNA to step up to the plate and provide the WWE alternative that fans are absolutely starving for.

Plus, Vince Russo will likely be promoted to Head Booker, who when he's hot and in the zone, is far better at producing Entertainment than straight up wrestling.

 

[RageBattle]

I think they are trying to find a balance, and just experimenting around now with the Jarrett issue, and Mantel gone (he was just wasting space though mostly). From Vince's perspective, he would react more to them being more entertainment biased, which is what he himself wants for the WWE, I'm sure.

 

[ProWrestling'sBrain]

To be honest, no one (or very little) will care about TNA if they go back to being a pure wrestling promotion. I mean who wants to watch a 2-hour show filled with staged wrestling? If they're going to watch staged wrestling then at least make the audience care about it by having good storylines and character development and have it all revolve around these "fight scenes"; that is what draws an audience. If people wants to watch ring action, they will watch UFC. If TNA can't provide legit competition then at least provide a different aspect that draws. That is why the entertainment aspect of wrestling is essential in the year 2009.

It's not the 80's where wrestling is portrayed as a sport.... back when a lot of people (young kids & adults) believed wrestling was real and there wasn't anything that could prove them wrong. With how exposed wrestling is, the internet and UFC, professional wrestling is pretty much nothing if the entertainment aspect is missing. A lot of these self proclaimed "smarks" might not agree with it but whether or not you want to admit it to yourself, that is the truth.

 

[El Cid]

U answered ur own question. u said wrestling based feds dont make good money. why would u make a business that doesnt make money. people... well smart people, realize wrestling is staged so u gotta make it more intersting wit da characters n plots. wrestling is a mans(or womens) soap opera. What they r doin is fine, what they need is more big name talent that isnt as old as wrestling itself.

 

[The Hiphopapotamus]

What way do I hope they go? Wrestling orientated. What way do I think they will go? Entertainment orientated. Unfortunately.

I watch wrestling for mainly wrestling. If I wanted to just watch endless promos,characters and storylines,I'd watch other shows. But I like action and excitement,and that's what got me into wrestling. Sure,storylines and characters are needed,but not as much as the actual in ring work. I love Ring of Honor,mainly because of the exceptional wrestling.It used to be the same for TNA,but they've started to decrease recently in that respect. But I don't like the WWE much,especially not Raw (I'm starting to like Smackdown) because the wrestling isn't as entertaining,in my opinion.TNA offers that middle ground,entertainment and wrestling.But I don't see that happening for a while.

TNA likes copying what others do. They take the old wrestlers. They take the old bookers. They're starting to mouldd into forms of WCW and WWE every week.The wrestlers like Nash and Steiner,have nothing left in thewrestling wise,so entertainment is the only way to go at the moment. And they think it works. Russo is the head booker,and he also thinks that entertainment will be successful.

I think that,untill the veterans begin to retire,like majority of the mafia bar Joe,Angle and Taz,TNA will continue to just become another entertainment company. But hopefully,when they all retire and give up their wrestling roles, WRESTLING might finally become the main focus...

On a wrestling show.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

To be honest, no one (or very little) will care about TNA if they go back to being a pure wrestling promotion. I mean who wants to watch a 2-hour show filled with staged wrestling? If they're going to watch staged wrestling then at least make the audience care about it by having good storylines and character development and have it all revolve around these "fight scenes"; that is what draws an audience. If people wants to watch ring action, they will watch UFC. If TNA can't provide legit competition then at least provide a different aspect that draws. That is why the entertainment aspect of wrestling is essential in the year 2009.

It's not the 80's where wrestling is portrayed as a sport.... back when a lot of people (young kids & adults) believed wrestling was real and there wasn't anything that could prove them wrong. With how exposed wrestling is, the internet and UFC, professional wrestling is pretty much nothing if the entertainment aspect is missing. A lot of these self proclaimed "smarks" might not agree with it but whether or not you want to admit it to yourself, that is the truth.

You would be very surprised.

Take a look at the post above this one. That breed of fan is very common on the Internet and they are the ones that in many respects, look at wrestling as a sport.

And the conflict online is between breeds of fan like you and I, and the Ring of Honor fans who want to look at wrestling as a sport, without promos and storylines. I prefer to look at my ideal wrestling product as an action/drama entertainment show, with perhaps some occasional comedy. And that is how I feel it should be marketed, as well. I think there is a greater chance of marketing it as an entertainment program, then it is at marketing it as a sport. Nobody is ever going to take a scripted athletic product seriously, as a sport. It's just not going to happen. I can see why smarks make the comparison to it being a sport, but the general public will never see it that way.

Even though I find it difficult to enjoy straight up scripted matches without a good plot to go with a feud, I can respect the fans that do. I just fail to believe that they represent the majority of the fanbase.

But that is why I feel they should have their own product, and people like us should have our own product. But the important thing is that the choice would be there if they were available. You can watch either one, or both, if you so choose.

 

[yoshi_doce2006]

I hope they keep it the way it is now. A healthy mix of both entertainment and wrestling all in one show. Five or six matches per show and a few promos to tie things together. Not overly entertainment, not overly wrestling. That is the way I like it and the way I hope it stays.

 

[ProWrestling'sBrain]

You would be very surprised.

Take a look at the post above this one. That breed of fan is very common on the Internet and they are the ones that in many respects, look at wrestling as a sport.

And the conflict online is between breeds of fan like you and I, and the Ring of Honor fans who want to look at wrestling as a sport, without promos and storylines. I prefer to look at my ideal wrestling product as an action/drama entertainment show, with perhaps some occasional comedy. And that is how I feel it should be marketed, as well. I think there is a greater chance of marketing it as an entertainment program, then it is at marketing it as a sport. Nobody is ever going to take a scripted athletic product seriously, as a sport. It's just not going to happen. I can see why smarks make the comparison to it being a sport, but the general public will never see it that way.

Even though I find it difficult to enjoy straight up scripted matches without a good plot to go with a feud, I can respect the fans that do. I just fail to believe that they represent the majority of the fanbase.

But that is why I feel they should have their own product, and people like us should have our own product. But the important thing is that the choice would be there if they were available. You can watch either one, or both, if you so choose.

Yeah I know what you mean but a company like TNA isn't looking to attract the minority. If it isn't obvious enough already, TNA wants to eventually become the next WCW so just focusing on wrestling alone won't get TNA to their goal/s. That is why the WWE did so lousy in the mid 90's. WCW was setting a new standard with better characters, storylines and the nWo while the WWE wasn't going as in-depth with storylines and they focused more on wrestling, which was hurting the company.... up until the Attitude era. It's kind of like saying imagine the Attitude era without the entertainment aspect; it's funny to look back and say wrestling's peak wasn't just credited to the actual wrestling. I guess that is why we have promotions like Ring Of Honor... small promotions that attracts the minority minus the business pressure of fitting in with pop culture. I used to treat wrestling as a sport like other hardcore fans but the entertainment aspect and the interesting characters is what drew me to this crazy word of professional wrestling. Sometimes I find it as an insult to label it or treat it as a sport simply because in reality it isn't and it makes wrestling look like a joke to many people. They eventually strike back saying "wrestling is a joke because it's a fake sport" while I have to repeat myself constantly by saying "how is wrestling fake if it is exactly what they portray their selves as; entertainment?" and "they don't claim to be a sport. only the fans say that". Not that my views are superior. Those are just my opinions. That's all.

As a big wrestling fan (I don't believe in labeling someone as a "mark") I'm all for spicing up a promotion with the entertainment aspect. I admit I'm guilty for bashing TNA in the past by saying it lost touch with it's self but I used to say that just because I didn't like TNA for other reasons and business moves. I guess the more I mature the less bias I am towards TNA. I mean I'm not a TNA supporter but occasional stuff like that preview for the upcoming iMPACT! with that big parking lot brawl with the police and everything actually made me excited for iMPACT! this week. Yes, this is coming from someone who isn't a TNA supporter. The more fans that are attracted to wrestling the more accepted it will become in pop culture. I mean who wouldn't like to wear a wrestling shirt in public and have people look up on you for that rather than feel like you're in your own little hole? That's what I miss about the Attitude era; it was actually cool to be a wrestling fan. Even if TNA brings that back, I'm all for that.