Bubba The Love Sponge- valued asset or liability?

[Ambiguous Turd]

I want to revisit this debate, because I couldn't help but notice that Bubba is listed on the TNA Roster page as an active member. He said this week that he was finished with TNA, but I am not sure how true that is as he could likely be talked out of leaving by Hogan. Obviously, we are in the midst of a lawsuit being filed by Awesome Kong against Bubba. However, that talk over who was right and who was wrong in that situation is really not for the purpose of this thread.

What I would like to know is: Bubba has been around since January 4th and has appeared off and on. He made some controversial comments regarding Haiti which caused some feathers within TNA to be ruffled, due to their association with him.

Then, there was some talk that he was rather pompous backstage at the Impact tapings, which certainly can't be good for morale amongst the base of the talent.

At the same time, Bubba is a mark for Hulk Hogan and the wrestling business in general. And anyone that listens to his radio show even a handful of times can tell this. He likes being a part of the show and being around Hogan, and vice versa. Maybe it fills some sort of void in his life.

Something to consider is that Bubba's show does relatively decent ratings and having him with TNA clearly results in A LOT of free national advertising for the company. That has to make him a major asset for TNA.

So you get to play Dixie Carter in this thread.

On one hand, you have a person who flaunts his relationship with Hogan around with everyone, clearly only has a job with TNA because of Hogan, and is somewhat obnoxious in the backstage area .... and publicly makes some controversial comments over a variety of topics on a daily basis.

On the other hand, advertising for any company is an extremely expensive expenditure and having Bubba around results in a lot of free advertising and plugs on a daily basis during his radio show. He is bound to appeal to the same demo that TNA is trying to target. So he can only help attract more people to TNA and also, any publicity is considered good publicity by a lot of people, and with Bubba around, his affiliation with TNA is bound to get people buzzing over him and the product due to some of his comments.

To make matters worse, one of your top Knockouts hates Bubba.

So I want to put yourself out of a mindset of a fan, and I would like you to enter "business" mode. You are the President of TNA. What do you do? Do you fire Bubba and treat him as a liability that just isn't worth it, or do you treat him as a valuable asset that can bring a ton of promotion to the company?

 

[klunderbunker]

I fire him.

Bubba is the walking example of someone that is more trouble than he's worth. The thing I'm thinking is that like Sid says, he talks about wrestling a lot. Also from what I understand, Hogan is on his show a lot, so the plugs will be there already. yes you're getting extra plugs and advertising, but at the same time you have so many problems associated with him. the biggest two I see are that for one, the wrestlers don't seem to like him and two, the fans don't like him. At the end of the day, the fans are the most important thing. If they don't like him, he needs to go. Also, he's another salary they have to pay. In a place like TNA that doesn't have a huge budget, one salary can mean a lot. Get rid of him and give it to JB and Christy who are better at it and are far more liked.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Bubba is something of an asset to the company and he's a liability at the same time. It's true that he's a Hogan stooge or mark or whatever and that TNA can use all the free advertising that they can get. He talks about wrestling a lot and he seems to have Hulk Hogan on the show every other day and that's good for TNA.

On the flip side, however, just because Bubba is a fan of wrestling doesn't necessarily mean that he should be involved in pro wrestling. TNA is the #2 pro wrestling company in the world and Bubba himself as part of the roster is something that has been met with general negativity by just about anyone that I've talked to. I think the fans should be one of the key issues when it comes to something like this. TNA fans overall seem to hate the guy and feel that he's only been on iMPACT! because of his friendship with Hulk Hogan. He all but replaced JB and a lot of fans love the guy.

Another problem does involve talent. The incident with Awesome Kong is the most well known ans the most volatile. Bubba's comments and his reported backstage attitude came to a head with Kong and she went so far as to ask for a release from her contract. Based on what I've red, the vast majority of the TNA wrestlers have been in Kong's corner the whole way. Bubba's presence backstage doesn't seem to have been very good for morale.

So, when it's all said and done, most of the locker room has problems with the guy and the fans seem to downright hate him. To me, what he brings to the table is outweighed by what he doesn't and I think that's when it's time to go. I doubt very much that Hulk Hogan's friendship with the man is ended over this and he'll be back on his show soon enough, TNA will still get plugged while Bubba rants and raves about Kong and makes rude comments towards her and all this and that.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I'm surprised he hasn't been fired already to tell you the truth. I've listened to his radio show on and off for the past couple of years, and I don't think this guy is entertaining at all. I just think he's one of those people that gets a kick out of being a dick. The whole situation between Kong and Bubba should've been enough to get rid of this guy. Kong is one of the top talents in the entire company, while Bubba is a guy who CAN be re placed with someone else.

If Bubba was doing a great job at conducting interviews backstage or something else in TNA, then you could make the argument that because of his "star power" maybe TNA should just put up with his bullshit to a certain extent, but he doesn't. Bubba doesn't bring anything special to the table, and it's not like he's super famous, so why not get rid of him?

 

[wushady]

I agree that he is both a liability in some aspects and a asset in others. He gives the company free press as he is heard in many markets on regular radio and nation wide on satellite. However he still is very negative on his opinion of the product. He still has WWE guys come on his show Dibease JR, and Jericho were both on recently. That I'm sure TNA can't be happy about.


His comments on Haiti were wrong imo, and I don't agree with them. However it's his opinion and he has the right to say what he wants. TNA shouldn't fire him for that. What Kong did by attacking him was wrong and TNA should have punished her or even fired her for that.


I think both TNA and he would be better off if he left. I think his show is great I listen whenever I can, but as a wrestling interviewer he was horrible. You could tell he didn't want to be there and the person he was interviewing didn't like him either.

 

[De Mysteriis Dom Satanas]

He's a huge liability. Say what you want about his radio show being free publicity for TNA, but he's only heard on terrestrial in Palm Beach, and his show on Howie's channel on Sirius is just a replay of what he did that morning. He's a complete hack. The only reason he's even a name is because his mouth spent so much time sucking Stern's cock.

Besides, with all the supposed backstage heat on him, he's better off gone. TNA would be better off sending some of their guys to interview with Opie and Anthony or someone, who can give them good press and good radio. (Plus, Sam Roberts is always hilarious when he marks for Trips or Foley.)

 

[Svengoolie]

I like that I'm the one person that has voted him as an asset!

The thing about Bubba is that they put him in a lame role to start with and then he basically disappeared after the Kong incident. The man is really intriguing though and has a way with words (and making up words) that makes him fun to listen to. That's why he has a radio show that's pretty damn popular.

His tweet about Haiti had a poor choice of words and he should have known better, but his point was very true. When our country has this huge debt and unemployment that we're showing no progress towards getting out of, why do we have to send all this money their way? Why is it that when it's America sticking their heads into other people's business negatively (fighting terrorism) people shout that we aren't world police, but when something bad happens it's our job to help them?

That was Bubba's point. Now, with him spreading the word of TNA, it is good free advertisement and it also provides a good forum for wrestlers to go on and get a little more of their character out there. As for him on the show, he could be a really good backstage guy that actually gets involved with storylines if they give him the chance.

 

[JBSMan]

I see him as a total piece of utter fucking waste and wouldn't even consider bringing him into the wrestling business for one second.

The man hasn't got a breeze about wrestling, and on his FIRST DAY in the business he started publicly slagging off TNA. The whole "shock jock" thing is a pathetic life to live. Stern can do it because he's actually funny and possesses some degree of charisma. Bubba is just a run of the mill ignorant fat prick but the difference is he's an ignorant fat prick on the radio, therefore special somehow.

 

[jbailey1973]

Bubba is an asset.

First off, Bubba has been involved on the indi wrestling scene for years so this is not something he is doing just because he is friends with Hogan!

Secondly, Bubba is the 2nd Highest Rated Radio Host on Sirius XM (and has open access to the #1 Howard Stern). You add the potential 25 + million listeners to the listeners on his terrestrial show. He becomes a venue for major exposure and wide spread publicity for TNA.

As for him causing conflict backstage, Those complaining as I see are those threatened by Bubba's relationship with Hogan (Hogan was Bubba's Best Man at his wedding) and by the obvious power he could hold if TNA were ever smart enough to fully use him correctly.

Bubba might be controversial but i know he will never be boring which is what TNA needs to catch up to WWE.

 

[rkodeadman]

As far as I can see hes a waste of space in the tna locker room. They really don't need him because they have so many others to do interviews- what's wrong with Borash. Seriously hes done nothing wrong and is a good interviewer. Also, why keep somebody like this around if hes pissing people off backstage. Its like hes doing whole load of good so hes just negative.

Hes a serious liability and they should get him off the wage bill as quick as possible.

 

[degenxr1]

I think he is an asset as I listen to him daily on Sirius and he is good for the house shows in Florida for his terrestrial markets. I believe they have no figured out how to use him yet. I think everyone had an idea how to bring him in and they needed tinkering. We all know he was working with jeff Jarrett for their supposed air shoot--and that is the trademark of the Hogan/Bischoff regime--so I say let time sort it out.

 

[egreed]

Like the person before me said, Bubba is with Sirius. Bubba has Florida locked down. Sirius is Howard Stern. Bubba makes a call to Gary Dell' Abate, Stern's producer, and says "have Howard mention I'm with TNA, the next show is blah, blah, blah" and you got the Northwest thinking about TNA. Awesome Kong and Bubba were discussed at length already on the Howard show and that alone probably made some of his audience tune in. So I say keep him since the coattails of the King Of All Media can be a profitable ride.

 

[The Doctor]

Bubba is an asset...but not as a contracted member of the company. His radio show gives TNA a ton of free press and is an excellent way to advertise TNA, but as a member of the TNA roster, he's dreadful. The fans don't like him, the talent doesn't like him, and he isn't a very good backstage interviewer.

The best thing to do would be to go back in time and never hire him in the first place, since the radio show helped get the word of TNA to the masses, but hiring him has caused some obviously ruffled feathers, and now a lawsuit that can cause some extremely bad press. If there was a way to release him while still being on good terms and having him promote TNA on his show, I would go that course immediately.

 

[Louie Music]

Way too much of a liability.

I think we all agree he gives the company a good push with his radio show(s), but we really havent seen a big spike (no pun) in TNA's ratings to prove his pushes for the company have really paid off.

I've seen a few with "Bubba Army" signs on TNA, but those are his few hard core fans.

Do you really think he can do a better job than JB? I vote no, in fact, no way in hell. JB is like the next generation Mean Gene.

If Hogan wants to continue using Bubba on TNA, then he should start from scratch and bring in Bubba for certain PPVs, make it something to be called "special" and work it from there.

 

[jaxx]

Wow, I can't believe some of you actually believe Bubba is an asset. The thread said to look at this from a business stand point, not as a fan. Now if I'm Dixie, this fat no talent crap is off my roster and out of my company yesterday! All publicity is not good publicity! Bubba has offended sooooo many people with his comments about Haiti and I understand what some of you are saying about the U.S. always feeling the need to intervene, but this was a catastrophic event that happened. A lot of people died and more would die without aide. Could you really sit back and watch people die when you know you could help by just donating first aide and tents for the homeless, or a dollar for food and water.

No real human being with a conscious could sit back and watch that, but back to my point. Now news outlets are picking up the story about kong, bubba, and her lawsuit. This is not good in no way for my company. I'm getting bad press because of this guy and he's alienating my fans who I need to survive. He's also not liked by my employees back stage because of his snooty attitude and I'm trying to make the backstage atmosphere fun and friendly. He's undoing everything I'm trying to implement, so I have no choice but to cut ties with him and do damage control. I'm not losing one of my top female talents for him, I don't care who he is friends with.

 

[The Doctor]

Wow, I can't believe some of you actually believe Bubba is an asset. The thread said to look at this from a business stand point, not as a fan.

And that is what many of us are doing. Bubba's radio show gives TNA a ton of press for free. However, a lot of the fans dislike him actually being on the show. If anything, you're the one looking at it as a fan.

Now if I'm Dixie, this fat no talent crap is off my roster and out of my company yesterday! All publicity is not good publicity!

Bubba has given TNA good publicity in the past. He works on a national radio show where he talks about wrestling, a lot.

Bubba has offended sooooo many people with his comments about Haiti

This is true. But answer me this, looking at it from a business standpoint: If there was a way for you to get someone to go on their radio show that is listened to by a lot of people and advertise your show, would you do it?

From a purely business standpoint, Bubba is an asset. However, the rest of your post is true as well. As a contracted member of the company, Bubba is harassing talent and alienating fans. That is why I believe he is an asset but NOT as a member of the TNA roster.

Firing him is not the right thing to do, as Bubba would probably bitch and moan about TNA on his show, or worse never mention them again, therefore causing TNA to lose a big chunk of advertising. He needs to be let go in the nicest way possible, on the best terms.

 

[gd]

I'm not sure if I would call Bubba a liability, but he is completely worthless at best. Really, what's the point of bringing in a guy to do the same thing JB was doing, excpet for this new guys isn't as good at it and is more or less an annoying prick who brings nothing positive to the company? Obviously, Bubba wouldn't be there without Hogan. However, being friends with Hogan shouldn't give anyway a free pass into the company. Bubba is useless. Get rid of him.

 

[Kenny Powers]

As far as business is concerned, at the end of the day Bubba doesn't bring that much to the table. TNA wrestlers were on Bubba's show long before Hogan came to TNA, and their ratings have been the same. Any person who brings down the morale of the wrestlers and spouts out hate filled messages daily isn't an asset to the company.

The fans especially could care less about him. I think the majority of fans who listen to Bubba aren't TNA fans either. The man clearly doesn't want to be involved in a wrestling organization if he can't say what he wants to say. I don't think Bubba is going to lose any sleep over not being involved with TNA since he makes ten times more money doing radio then he ever could in TNA.

I would let the wrestlers go on his radio show if they wanted to, but there is no reason for him to be a part of the roster. Also, if he wanted to support and advertise TNA with Hogan away from the Impact Zone that would be fine too.

 

[wushady]

He's a huge liability. Say what you want about his radio show being free publicity for TNA, but he's only heard on terrestrial in Palm Beach, and his show on Howie's channel on Sirius is just a replay of what he did that morning. He's a complete hack. The only reason he's even a name is because his mouth spent so much time sucking Stern's cock.

Besides, with all the supposed backstage heat on him, he's better off gone. TNA would be better off sending some of their guys to interview with Opie and Anthony or someone, who can give them good press and good radio. (Plus, Sam Roberts is always hilarious when he marks for Trips or Foley.)

He's on 7 major markets on terrestrial radio Tampa is his home market. He just picked up Palm Beach recently. He does one live show a week on sirius. it doesn't matter if it's live or not it's still heard nation wide.

 

[cinderboy]

With so many old school wrestlers coming in and the original wrestlers getting lesser airtime, they should be managing the chaos first, and could do without sponge going around talking trash.

 

[shattered dreams]

If he was used sparingly and the vast majority of the partnership was to use his radio platform then it could still work. The problem is you cannot have a backstage interviewer who does not respect every single wrestler and really the business itself. It is a formula for disaster. To use him every week in such a role is a liability. He does have a ton of heat on him now which could be used in an interesting way in the short-term if he is willing to cooperate and be a team player.

 

[K_VonFong]

BUBBA THE FAT NASTY MOLDY VOMIT SPONGE

Bubba brings nothing to TNA. I agree with what was said before, he's not nesacarily a liablility, but he's worthless to the company. He DOES NOT increase or help ratings for TNA. A vast majority of his listeners (I can't believe he has any at all) are not pro wrestling fans. In fact, most of his fans are such ignorant, annoying, pieces of pale trash that the world would be a much better place if they were all taken to the back of the barn and shot in the head.

Hogan and Bischoff have a done a decent job with TNA so far. But one thing Hogan's obviously done is find work for his friends. The Nast Boyz? Bubba? Its time to turn the channel when they come on. I havent watched one segment with the Nasty Boyz, talk about worthless. Almost as worthless as Bubba.

Bubba is annoying, stupid, and lacking anything resembling talent. PLEASE do not give him a prominant role on the show. Too many people are turned away from Bubba. He's certainly not worth the risk....at all....there will be no reward....only people turning the channel.

 

[K_VonFong]

Look at the poll results above if you want more proof why Bubba sucks.
When 90% of people polled think that you are a liability, thats certainly not a good thing. Hell, I'm surprised, shocked actually, that even 10% of people can tolerate Bubba at all. Just thinking about him right now makes me sick. Excuse me, I need to vomit.

 

[Tastycles]

I have no idea how popular his radio show is, but unless it is astronomically popular, the odd plug here and there isn't worth the trouble. I thought Bubba playing the role of Hogan's friend was quite a nice spot on this week's show, but it truly wasn't worth keeping him around permantly for. There are plenty of knobends in wrestling, and that's not the reason TNA should steer clear prima face. The problem is that Bubba is too big to be an interviewer. He's bigger than a lot of the roster, which means that he isn't serving his purpose of making them look menacing, and his journalistic talents aren't good enough to compensate. Bubba is a liability because he offers nothing but negativity.