Dixie Carter interview - talks about revenue ! of TNA!

[Marty2Hotty]

http://www.minyanville.com/articles/index/a/21368

Wrestling Bodyslams Recession
TAL PINCHEVSKY MAR 02, 2009 9:45 AM

Pro wrestling is enjoying some surprising success, with one upstart organization leading the way.

While the New York Yankees are having trouble selling $600,000 luxury boxes in their new stadium, the big-money world of professional sports is seeing fans find their way back to one of its guiltiest pleasures. That’s right, pro wrestling is back and it’s ready to run wild over you, brother. Ohhh, yeah!

The industry has come a long way from its 80s-era moments of infamy, such as this one:

“Wrestling is kind of a dirty word to a lot of people,” says Dixie Carter, the president of Total Nonstop Action (or TNA) Wrestling. “Here I am, a young woman not [originally] from the industry. I don’t represent the perception of wrestling.”

That she doesn't. A Dallas marketing and publicity veteran, the self-confessed wrestling philistine has built TNA into an entity whose numbers have absolutely defied prevailing economic trends. The league’s revenue has doubled every year since 2006, while their broadcast viewership on Viacom's (VIA) Spike TV has doubled in the past year.

TNA’s merchandise sales in December 2008 alone surpassed 2006's full-year sales - and at a time when salary caps in the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association were poised to drop.

Carter scoffs at the idea that wrestling is blue-collar, although TNA has positioned itself as an affordable sporting alternative. Its Family Plan ticket package for two adults and two children costs less than a night at the movies.

“At a time when people can’t buy expensive items, wrestling is a good way of suspending disbelief for just a minute,” says Carter. “It can be perceived as blue collar but if you look at our audience you have guys who work at a bank and grandmas and kids and guys getting their masters degree. It’s so much more diverse than people perceive it to be.”

While TNA has grown, industry leader World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) fourth-quarter net revenue dropped more than 5% -- to a still-impressive $125.4 million -- from the same period in 2007. Chalk this up, at least in part, to growing competition: UFC’s mixed-martial-arts showcase consistently breaks its own pay-per-view records with every broadcast. These figures, along with the success of The Wrestler, have even created a bizarre industry trickle-down phenomenon.

Despite reportedly marginal attendance figures, a wrestling organization called Ring of Honor recently announced a national TV deal through HDNet - and the Iron Shiek, a former wrestler whose career high happened more than 20 years ago, just signed a 3-year licensing deal for iPhone (AAPL) applications.

It all adds up to an industry growing despite an economy that's suffered more than its share of pile-drivers.

This is really good news and it's great to see viewership double and December 2008 sales in merchandise beat out 2006's full year of sales

It's also interesting to note that WWE's revenue is down. I think it's good to see TNA grow when all the naysayers and critics online were expecting TNA to die during their early stages, during 2003, and during 2004 as well.

Kudos and I hope MEM continues to live strong

Forgive me if this has already been posted

 

[MisterRob]

Its really great to see TNA growing and becoming more successful, even by small leaps and bounds. Its good for the business, much like seeing ROH getting a television deal, especially in a time of such economic turmoil. But the above is a little misleading..

I read an article from April of 2008 (which would basically be a year ago) which said the following, "TNA iMPACT!" has grown viewership of its original weekly episode airing to 1.5 million viewers on average per week, which more than doubles the original total average viewership from its debut shows on Spike TV in October 2005." (http://www.reuters.com) So, if thats the case.. in a year, if things have doubled, shouldn't the viewership be 3 million? Hence why I'm a little uncertain what to believe when it comes to these claims. And people really need to stop comparing the decrease in WWE's revenue with any increase in TNA's. TNA's a small nothing business which has nowhere but up to go, and should (and needs to) be growing otherwise they'll be dying. WWE's a huge corporation who will naturally be more effected by the economy because they have far more of an impact in it, especially in a business aspect, and they have nowhere to go but down. Its just not common sense to compare them, especially with the variables people are.

Let's hope TNA continues to grow, though. But more so, lets hope their product begins to improve!

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

http://www.minyanville.com/articles/index/a/21368



This is really good news and it's great to see viewership double and December 2008 sales in merchandise beat out 2006's full year of sales

It's also interesting to note that WWE's revenue is down. I think it's good to see TNA grow when all the naysayers and critics online were expecting TNA to die during their early stages, during 2003, and during 2004 as well.

Kudos and I hope MEM continues to live strong

Forgive me if this has already been posted

Why is that? Everyone's revenue is down. Have you seen the Economy, lately?

 

[jbwphoto1]

I keep stock tickers up while I'm at work and watch WWE stock daily. By this time the past two years, their stock was on the Wrestlemania climb to new all time highs. Not this year. This stock price is currently less than half of the 52 week high and dropping. With everyone giving The Wrestler credit for renewing interest in the sport and giving WWE in particle more mainstream coverage, I find this baffling even with the current economy because regardless of inflation or unemployment, major league sports still perform well. I once did a financial analysis report on this very thing. For TNA to show an increase in revenues at this time, is nothing short of great.

 

[Ben-Phillips]

Dude, on the TNA comment, I hate TNA, I hope TNA dies... Now... All it is is an outlet for talent to get mediocre exposure so their careers don't look like complete crap. Jay Lethal, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, etc. These names would never be big in WWE, no matter their gimmicks. If it's not those people, it's just the WCW/WWE has-beens. People don't realize that even AJ Styles and Samoa Joe fall into that category. Samoa Joe was given a developmental contract with WWF, he claims to have 'declined' because WWF wasn't for him. No, from my understanding, WWF withdrew the offer because Joe wanted more and he wasn't marketable enough to get over in the long run with the company. AJ Styles, was in WCW towards the end of the run, under the ring name 'Air Styles' and WWE never offered him a long-term contract because they, at the time, were even more into the typical wrestling image... Jacked up, big, muscular guys... So AJ helped build TNA.. Regardless, as for the stocks, I don't care, as long as WWE stays around I'll be happy. Lol

 

[The Reaction]

Dude, on the TNA comment, I hate TNA, I hope TNA dies... Now... All it is is an outlet for talent to get mediocre exposure so their careers don't look like complete crap. Jay Lethal, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, etc. These names would never be big in WWE, no matter their gimmicks. If it's not those people, it's just the WCW/WWE has-beens.

Wasn't the Attitude Era built on WCW rejects?

Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Hunter, Goldust, Marc Mero (to a certain extent), Jeff Jarrett, X-Pac, Jericho, Benoit, and Guerrero. Heck even before Attitude we had Diesel, Razor and Vader.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

Like it or not, TNA is actually doing pretty good right now. For the third week in a row they have attracted their most viewers. And while the progress is slow, any positive progress is great.

Also seeing a profit(no matter how small or large)is a good sign aswell. The company wouldn't be able to stay around too much longer if they weren't making money so it's nice they are. Right now TNA seems to be on a all time high, but hopefully they realize that they have to make sure they have a plan for the future so it doesn't end up like the next WCW.

So while the IWC seem to be hating TNA more and more saying it sucks and it is garbage, the numbers(both money and viewers)are saying different, at least for now.

 

[Slyfox696]

Basically, this confirms what I've been saying about TNA for a long time now. The more successful they become, the more people want to say they suck. The best thing TNA has ever done was throw off the shackles of small-time promotion and started promoting towards the actual wrestling fans who are willing to pay to attend shows and buy merch, and not the Internet Wrestling Community who steals shows, watches them for free, and still bitches.

Good job TNA. Continue to grow.

 

[Marty2Hotty]

i really like slyfox's comments because the iwc does steal shows, does do the most whining. what tna has to do is reach a larger fanbase (which they have done with the exposure of spike tv) and they have finally turned a profit

i also find it interestign that a lot of people dont want another promotion to go against wwe. maybe it's because TNA isn't afraid to often try things differently. the iwc just wants to back a promotion like ROH that will have ZERO chance of gaining mainstream popularitiy because in reality, that shit wont draw to the mainstream public because it's trash entertainment that only markets to a low brow audience.

at least TNA has succeeded in attracting that demographic they wanted as of late, and i hope they continue to grow

 

[MisterRob]

I think you're giving TNA way too much credit. Yes, they're turning a profit. Yes, they're successful right now. Yes, they're going strong and doing well for their product. But you and everyone else really needs to stop comparing them as competition to the WWE. They aren't, they have such a huge way to go before they're ever anywhere near that. They get a 1.3 at best, thats the same as WWE's ECW brand which has no major stars and isn't pushed as anything but a feeding ground, a farm league, for the main brands. There's nothing about TNA that's going against the WWE, so stop talking as if they're raising the bar and somehow ready to wage war against the WWE. Give them praise for what they are and what they've accomplished, but I really think people should keep things in perspective.

They're not gaining mainstream popularity as the next huge wrestling company ready to wage a Monday Night war against the WWE, and thats not a knock on TNA its just a fact. They have a long way to go in any popularity in the mainstream media, but its nice to see them at least profitable and still alive.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Basically, this confirms what I've been saying about TNA for a long time now. The more successful they become, the more people want to say they suck.

Maybe other people have issues, but not me. I'm sorry I don't fit neatly into this presumption that people hate things that are successful. I hate Burger King. It's not because they're successful, it's because their burgers taste like shit.

The reason I hate TNA - currently, at least - is because they single-handedly ruin my Saturday nights on a consistent basis. I don't care how successful they are.

The best thing TNA has ever done was throw off the shackles of small-time promotion and started promoting towards the actual wrestling fans who are willing to pay to attend shows and buy merch, and not the Internet Wrestling Community who steals shows, watches them for free, and still bitches.

Where do I fit? I live in England, so get everything for free anyway. I lie. I do pay for a digital subscription, which allows to watch TNA and the rest of Bravo's fine programming.

Good job TNA. Continue to grow.

My favourite part is how this justifies them continuing to serve up tripe like empty arena matches and poor-looking beatdowns.