Could TNA Introduce OVW Like Tough Enough?

[dwith]

No doubt that TNA made a good choice in this partnership with OVW. I say that should take it a step further, and announce the partnership with a new week 1 or 2 hour show. Make it kind of like WWE'S tough enough, where people can watch the wrestler's training to be star's on TNA'S flagship show IMPACT. Have special guest's weekly from IMPACT on the show with a couple of matches throughout the show. Fan's can get excited for some of the new talent that are training (to move up to IMPACT), and they wil already have a fan base following them from OVW.
I think it would also get someone of the trainee's used to being on camera, and tv for that matter. They could also have some of the IMPACT wrestler's grade them on their presence of their on screen character's.
I think it would make for a great 1 or 2 hour show weekly, and I know i would be watching it. Good way for fan's to watch it and say wow, these wrestler's really have to bust their asses to learn how to entertain us.

Also, who else besides me think's that KURT ANGLE should definately be a wrestling trainer for OVW? He has all the tool's to make any wrestler coming through OVW to learn a stellar amount of wrestling moves, and to perfect them..

 

[Krossbreed]

nah tna should use ovw the same way wwe did prepare talent off screen then call them up to the main roster. Its kinda cool though considering that John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista and Brock Lesnar all came through ovw and those 4 are the new generation of the wwe superstars that took wwe into the future.

All Tna should focus on now is making there tv product better, making impact live and doing more international tours where im sure they will draw allot more money than anything in the U.S.

 

[Lowdown]

No they shouldn't be another TE. OVW is basically the original FCW, and should be used as such. If you want it to be a televised show, then they could broadcast it the way WWE broadcasts FCW. Chances are though that it would only be shown maybe locally or regionally. Bottom line is it should be a regular wrestling program.

 

[dman1373]

i think that they are doing the same thing that roh is doing with ovw. So i don't think that ovw will be a subsidary. I think that they will just trade talent.

 

[Jason Saint]

OVW already has a weekly TV show being aired on the website. www.ovwrestling.com

 

[Rayne]

I just don't see TNA/IW having the support from Spike, or another network, for having a second show right now. Their flagship show is pulling in 1.1-1.2's, which is below expectations, but still acceptable. (Unless you're in that ever shrinking percentage that believes Panda Energy bankrolled a TNA/IW staff expansion, two national advertising campaigns and a set redesign so that they could gain one-tenth of a ratings point after two years.) A second show, which would become the B-show by default, would do worse. It costs TNA/IW a hefty amount to produce Impact, especially when compared to shows like "1,000 Ways To Die", which involve film editing and hiring extras for $8 an hour. If a second show isn't going to do significantly better than something you can produce for far cheaper, there's no reason for a network to pay for a second show. There aren't many more networks after Spike that still have visibility; from there, you'd go to stations which would have limited visibility, like Versus or G4. If it's hard for people to see your show, it's not going to last. (Hi, WWE Superstars!)

This was one of the prime reasons ReAction failed. (Still waiting on that show that SpikeTV executives promised people would replace ReAction, and failing that, still waiting for the few dozen people who gave me loads of shit for saying that they were being bluffed by television executives to meekly apologize. Not holding my breath on either.) It cost way more to produce then other programs, and the cost for SpikeTV wasn't worth it to keep the show going. (The time slot didn't help one bit either. Three hours of wrestling didn't work for Nitro, God only knows why people thought it would work for TNA/IW.) If it's not a good buy, no network will put it on television.

Now, be serious with yourselves. Impact is pulling in 1.2's with a mix of the ultra-famous, the once-famous, several performers who have long term exposure through TNA/IW, and several roster members people have hope in. What kind of ratings are you going to get with a show that- at best- has to rely on guest stars from the main program to provide any interest in what they're showing?

TNA/IW should be trying to expand their offerings, but a new television show just isn't in the cards for them right now. The honeymoon with Hogan and SpikeTV is over; TNA/IW shouldn't expect any freebies until they can show some cash.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Like Rayne said, TNA probably won't have the support of Spike to do another show. TNA has been consistently drawing in the low 1s in the ratings for close to 5 years now, with a show very rarely making it into the mid 1s. Generally speaking, TNA hasn't shown any consistent growth in their ratings since Kurt Angle signed with them. While TNA has established a devoted & hardcore following of fans, it'd take stronger numbers for Spike to agree to let TNA have another show on their network.

I suppose that TNA could always shop around and try other networks, but I'd guess that most of the networks that TNA would talk with probably wouldn't be interested. Impact Wrestling in and of itself doesn't draw stellar numbers and a Tough Enough type show would probably draw significantly less viewers than IW. For Tough Enough, Stone Cold Steve Austin was the draw of the show. Well him and the fact that the show is produced by WWE. TNA doesn't have nearly that level of star power or brand appeal at this particular time.

 

[Harrison_FTWpodcast]

I just don't see TNA/IW having the support from Spike, or another network, for having a second show right now. Their flagship show is pulling in 1.1-1.2's, which is below expectations, but still acceptable. (Unless you're in that ever shrinking percentage that believes Panda Energy bankrolled a TNA/IW staff expansion, two national advertising campaigns and a set redesign so that they could gain one-tenth of a ratings point after two years.) A second show, which would become the B-show by default, would do worse. It costs TNA/IW a hefty amount to produce Impact, especially when compared to shows like "1,000 Ways To Die", which involve film editing and hiring extras for $8 an hour.

Bolded is exactly why this has nearly zero chance of happening. Even if Spike was behind it, even if OVW could support it, and even if their talent was ready - cameras, lights, editing, tape, batteries, crew, etc; this costs money that TNA isn't ready to spend. Like Rayne said, Panda Energy dumped a ton of cash a couple of years ago and didn't see much in return. They're probably not going to invest in yet another show that may go nowhere when their initial product isn't exactly growing by leaps and bounds.

OVW has a long and stellar history of preparing talent for the TV stage. Now TNA can tap into that and draw an organization that produced some of the biggest names in wrestling today - why rock the boat for a negligible return?