Challenge UK Dropping TNA

[johnbragg]

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/769989-update-uk-tv-network-dropping-tna-wrestling#/slide/1

So TNA is down to Sony Six, POP TV and the Fight Network. And loses the only market where they could ever reliably sell tickets.

 

[realoldskoolfan]

TNA at this point has become the beloved family dog that's lost the use of its legs and has gone blind and deaf yet everybody refuses to take to the vet to put it out of its misery

 

[Dave]

Challenge isn't that big of a TV station in the UK, in all truth. But TNA might have been the only thing on it that they were churning out new episodes of. I guess that TNA just seems like too much of a risk right now because I always thought it did decent numbers for them. Maybe Challenge are dropping TNA before the inevitable liquidation comes and they have already put money into it? Who knows. Either way, it seems as though it is a bigger loss to TNA than it is to Challenge right now.

TNA sound as though they have something else lined up though. If it was one of the terrestrial channels in the UK, they might teach a whole new audience. We shall wait and see.

 

[Alex]

Challenge isn't that big of a TV station in the UK, in all truth. But TNA might have been the only thing on it that they were churning out new episodes of. I guess that TNA just seems like too much of a risk right now because I always thought it did decent numbers for them. Maybe Challenge are dropping TNA before the inevitable liquidation comes and they have already put money into it? Who knows. Either way, it seems as though it is a bigger loss to TNA than it is to Challenge right now.

TNA sound as though they have something else lined up though. If it was one of the terrestrial channels in the UK, they might teach a whole new audience. We shall wait and see.

If they could get on BBC 3 (which is an online only channel now) it might surprisingly do well but I doubt it ebcause A. BBC are run by old conservative guys and 2. I doubt TNA has the competence to go for something like that. They'd probably end up on Moviemix or some crap

 

[THTRobtaylor]

There's perhaps more to this.... World Of Sport is returning to TV soon on ITV for a special... there seems to suddenly be some appetite for wrestling on the biggest channels. BBC have done a lot of documentaries in recent years, covering ICW, Finn Balor's last days in Japan and NXT at Download... ITV being a commercial station have that lead in to the X-Factor etc... Wrestling would be a perfect Saturday tea-time/early evening show, much as Gladiators once was... provided they don't dumb it down like they tried a few years ago with Celebrity Wrestling...

It's only a special at this stage, but if it does well then it's not beyond the realms that there will be a return to some form of televised regular wrestling, probably not live... but it's not inconceivable.

Challenge might be freeing up funds to be involved in making that show... ITV probably won't throw tonnes of money at it, maybe enough for one "big name" but much as now The Fight Network are part of running TNA, Challenge could easily invest a bit into the infrastructure of the new World Of Sport venture...or whichever fed is actually running the shows... but they can't do that if they're throwing funds at TNA, who may well be gone anyway, leaving them with no product.

Wrestling on TV in the UK is gonna be British again in one way or another, if ITV don't want the whole show/season, Challenge will easily take it and do well from it.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

I love the explanation for this from TNA. They are blaming the spoilers getting out. Im sorry but when you Tape so much TV at a time which is WEEKS IN ADVANCE what do you think is going to happen? This is 2016 going into 2017 and there's a thing called the Internet. I know there has to be more to it but i just laughed out loud when i read that.

 

[harrythem]

When Challenge notices your 2016 production values are pissed all over by Bullseye....AND your compute graphics make Mr Chips on the Catchphrase re-reuns look cutting edge, then you can see why TNA got shit-canned by Challenge.

Although Gold could always use the old episodes of TNA as a kind of mad-cap replacement for Noels House Party (from TNA's random appearance/disappearance period)

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Ha... It's good but it's not right lol...

I think they have a legit shot at being on the ground floor of bringing proper UK wrestling back... tainting themselves with a sinking ship any longer than they have to will reduce credibility... TNA is now a millstone for them rather than a help. At worst case, if they did their own show... they already have good relationships with a lot of TNA talent... who will be looking for UK work outside of TNA. Give TNA that money or give it direct to talents like Magnus to get the ball rolling? Seems a no brainer to me.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Yeah, I mean, what can be said here that hasn't been said a thousand times already? Another revenue stream for a cash-strapped company struggling to pay their debts and their own wrestlers goes under and we're supposed to find a silver lining? There isn't one. This isn't good. Nothing is going good right now for TNA. Nothing.

 

[johnbragg]

Yeah, I mean, what can be said here that hasn't been said a thousand times already? Another revenue stream for a cash-strapped company struggling to pay their debts and their own wrestlers goes under and we're supposed to find a silver lining? There isn't one. This isn't good. Nothing is going good right now for TNA. Nothing.

I think the Brit fans are seeing a silver lining because they think Challenge will take the money they were paying TNA and launch a UK promotion. I don't think Challenge was paying TNA enough to support a promotion, but I dunno.

 

[rmp0012002]

This is why I don't understand all these companies still paying millions to TNA for a subpar product and it's a rerun by the time the U.K. gets it. Does India get the same delayed programming?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Well, that's fine for UK fans, but this affects TNA in a purely negative sense. There is no silver lining for them.

 

[johnbragg]

This is why I don't understand all these companies still paying millions to TNA for a subpar product and it's a rerun by the time the U.K. gets it. Does India get the same delayed programming?

I'm pretty confident that the money Challenge was paying TNA to show their TV shows and tour the UK once a year (I'm assuming that Challenge ate some of those costs) was much less than the cost of Challenge setting up a UK promotion.

The whole idea of showing TNA is that it's cost-effective programming.

 

[ShinChan]

Does India get the same delayed programming?

Yes, mostly. Like the past week's episode was airing yesterday against the highlights of Raw. There's no fixed time period. Sometimes after 5 days of airing or even a week.

But the two PPVs were surely live. Sony Six has bunch of other stuff to show.

I don't know why but it shows Greatest Of All Matches more than the weekly episodes.

 

[stingray11214]

With the rise of Progress, What Culture and Insane Championship Wrestling, Challenge is probably looking to back one of those rising British promotions, which means they may have to spend less to get them than they do for TNA. What Culture's stock is rising meteorically right now. Some great shows they have been having.

 

[TDFG]

Not too sure who the alternative channels for airing TNA would be. There's a channel called 'Dave' which might show their stuff but other than that not too many channels are interested in Wrestling.

As for Challenge, who knows what they're next step will be.

 

[Jonyboyuk2]

Well it is not a shock. The very first time I saw TNA on Challenge I was excited then after 5 minutes of watching the crazy booking (Russo was in charge) I felt it was poor.
It is sad that there are not many other wrestling businesses in the USA that can at least have a TV deal. However, TNA had one and they produced awful tv.

 

[GhettoV1]

Why TNA never attempted to get Impact Wrestling on Ion or Bounce TV at least their viewing homes are more than Destination America and Pop TV.

 

[therock]

I love the explanation for this from TNA. They are blaming the spoilers getting out. Im sorry but when you Tape so much TV at a time which is WEEKS IN ADVANCE what do you think is going to happen? This is 2016 going into 2017 and there's a thing called the Internet. I know there has to be more to it but i just laughed out loud when i read that.

The spoilers are not the problem here, it fact people in United Kindom can watch TNA couple of hours after it air in the United States on the internet (Ads free on Friday morning).

The user has two options and wait until Sunday night or wait a couple of hours after it air in United states and watch on the internet.

I'm From Australia and we used to have TNA on Foxtel on Saturday nights and the fact is I could go online a couple of hours after it air in the United States or wait couple days to watch on Main Event or Fox 8 .

Note: spoilers are not the problem reason why: In Australia were about 3months behind in United states with the Bold and Beautiful and people still watch here in Australia even the fact you can read spoilers of the show on CBS website.

The problem with TNA is following:

• No Many people care about pro wrestling and sports entertainment is way much better and that why Hulk Hogan and his team stuff up
• 6 sided ring - why are they using this ring - it looks crap on tv and they should go back to 4 sides
• pro wrestling has too many old people - TNA needs bring younger people into the company and not 40 + people - You do not see too Michael Jordan playing NBA do you?
• what happen to the fireworks at the start of the show?

 

[Navi]

Why TNA never attempted to get Impact Wrestling on Ion or Bounce TV at least their viewing homes are more than Destination America and Pop TV.

The bigger question is why can't they get on a channel that most people would have access too. I have never heard about any of the channels that you mentioned and I don't think any of them are available here in Toronto.

If you want people to watch the product then it has to be readily available for them to see it. We get Spike and about 300 other channels for them to pick from. There are lot's of sports channels out there, I'm sure they could have tried to get air time on one of them.

Who's fault is it that TNA can only get a channel that no one has ever heard of to air their show? Not the viewers. What they have done is to cut their viewer base to almost nothing. When a company does that then it's always going to turn out bad for them.