Good post Scotty, can't say I disagree with any of it per se`, just maybe a slightly different philosophy in one area. While it is true WCW beat the tar out of the WWF by signing up the big name established talent there came a point where they hit a brick wall. There wasn't anyone left to sign and they got a few extra years out of said talent and couldn't really go much further.
Some say it was an issue of WCW not creating new talent. I disagree. They created quite a bit of new talent. It was moreso an issue of alot of their fanbase was there TO see the established talent and to see who would jump next. That was what they were there for and the thrill that kept them tuned into WCW. Once everyone that could jump had jumped they hit a wall. That million or so fans left. Ultimately the WWF overtook them in the ratings as you are aware with a slightly tweaked version of the same philosophy. They took WCW lower card and midcard guys, rebranded them with cool new gimmicks and created a fun FRESH product.
In my opinion that's where TNA's future should lay. In some cases they have and have done a good job at it. Matt Morgan, Pope ect. The problem is for everytime they get it right they get it wrong 5 other times. They have a penchant they need to stop doing of bringing in lesser WWE talent then throwing a major title on them right off the bat. Then sitting and watching the ratings. Then scratching their head when the ratings go back to normal.
The Cena's and Orton's if possible would be a solution true, however so would going after the Dolph Zigglers, The Miz's, the Popes, the Lashleys (really dropped the ball on that one), the Tyson Kidd's, the Kofi's ect and rebranding them into a TNA brand product. Something fresh and new and DIFFERENT. Give fans young recognizable names that they see in a new light. Doesn't have to be main event pushes and world titles on day 1 or even ever for alot of the talent they could pilfer. It just needs to be faces that casual fans flipping over recognize, or recognize on a piece of merchandise and say "wow."
That's IMO how they should have been doing it since day 1. Then if you add in a Jeff Hardy who causes 500,000 extra fans to tune in they see something familiar yet different and something that'll catch their eye. Being WWE-Lite as they have been won't work. Sadly neither will luring away Orton or Cena, they both have 8+ years left on their contracts I do believe. Orton does for sure.
