Dogpile Thread #627: TNA and Advertisers

[Con T.]

So, for now, let's just say that the rumors about TNA struggling to get advertisers is true. That companies don't want to advertise around TNA. And that isn't necessarily a damnation itself; I assume plenty of companies don't want to get in bed with WWE, many probably because of the stench of the Attitude Era.

But let's just say it is true, and that advertisers don't want any part of TNA.

Well boy, in hindsight, it really seems like a stupid idea to build an entire six month angle on a three hundred pound man threatening assault on a middle aged woman, donit? And it seems even more stupid to have gone through with it at all, considering TNA was already on tenuous ground with the only company that put up with them for more than one year. Gee, if only someone had some foresight, and someone realized all of the babyfaces cornering Dixie, circling around in some scene akin to Deliverance, Devon forcing himself on Dixie (which, to be fair, at least they understood that should probably not make air), and Bully physically assaulting a middle aged woman was a bad idea.

How could we have ever known, guys? How could we have known?!

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Good thing they have ROH coming in where one of their top stars is openly homophobic. Is Evan Bourne still setting a good example for the kids? Speaking of kids, is it safe to bring them backstage to a ROH show without them getting molested?

While I did not condone, let alone understand, let alone watch the Dixie angle climax if TNA is struggling to get advertising dollars the Dixie through a table spot is probably less than one percent of their problems.

 

[Con T.]

Good thing they have ROH coming in where one of their top stars is openly homophobic. Is Evan Bourne still setting a good example for the kids? Speaking of kids, is it safe to bring them backstage to a ROH show without them getting molested?

While I did not condone, let alone understand, let alone watch the Dixie angle climax if TNA is struggling to get advertising dollars the Dixie through a table spot is probably less than one percent of their problems.

Aside from the whole Brisco matter, everything you mentioned is backstage stuff; stuff that we know is fucked beyond belief, but as long as it doesn't get out to a bigger outlet, I doubt advertisers care fuck all.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure advertisers have plenty of reasons to not want their ads running on TNA. The name alone is probably just enough for most ad agencies who look at the surface level. But the optics of a man assaulting a woman (especially now) is not a good look for any ad agency. Which seems completely lost on TNA, who seemed to want to build this as the angle of the year.

 

[yur_momma]

oh i cant wait til the day when i can come to WZ and there wont even be a TNA section!

 

[Reflection]

oh i cant wait til the day when i can come to WZ and there wont even be a TNA section!

I'm sure you also can't wait for the day when Vinnie Mac starts a competition via WZ Forums where the biggest WWE Fanboy wins an opportunity to kneel down and open his mouth while Vince is j3rk!ng off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure advertisers have plenty of reasons to not want their ads running on TNA.

And I'm sure that it's only a rumor.

The name alone is probably just enough for most ad agencies who look at the surface level.

What's wrong with the name 'Impact Wrestling'? And what according to you, is the proportion of agencies that look just "at the surface level?"

But the optics of a man assaulting a woman (especially now) is not a good look for any ad agency. Which seems completely lost on TNA, who seemed to want to build this as the angle of the year.

I don't remember reading about any advertiser or Spike official having an issue with TNA because of Dixie going through a table. Fans were waiting for it to happen for a long time, and when it finally happened, the live audience loved it, the live commenters on WZ loved it (a rare sight), and I'm sure the TV audience loved it too. Claiming that kayfabe spot has anything to do with advertisers supposedly not wanting to advertise in their show over a year later, on another network, is just nitpicking. Might as well bring Mark Madden on board; he'll say that the Aries' balls/Christy's face incident has a role in it too.

 

[Rayne]

Might as well bring Mark Madden on board; he'll say that the Aries' balls/Christy's face incident has a role in it too.

That is a pretty excellent example of how professional wrestling fans are capable of completely ignoring stuff like an unscripted sexual assault on national television, because of course their favorite professional wrestling company wouldn't do a wrong thing.

Fifteen years after the fact, there are still people who insist that WCW was a healthy company taken down by obsessive television executives with an unexplainable desire to destroy professional wrestling. TNA's version of The Narrative will read not that TNA made a series of entirely predictable mistakes leading people to avoid doing business with them, but that TNA was a perfectly healthy and awesome company which was destroyed by liars and charlatans on the dirt sheets.

What's the status of that Narrative right now, anyways? Last I checked TNA had told DA to fake and leak a memo about TNA's cancellation, and then to further sell the bit, had them pay for and bring in another professional wrestling company to book-end TNA's programming. Man, the reveal on this work is going to be awesome.

 

[Con T.]

And I'm sure that it's only a rumor.

Yes, yes, we're all abundantly clear of your delusion, at this point.

What's wrong with the name 'Impact Wrestling'? And what according to you, is the proportion of agencies that look just "at the surface level?"

Impact Wrestling? No biggie.

TNA, on the other hand? Yeah, I'm sure as agencies aren't jumping on themselves to sponsor a company named TNA.

I don't remember reading about any advertiser or Spike official having an issue with TNA because of Dixie going through a table. Fans were waiting for it to happen for a long time, and when it finally happened, the live audience loved it, the live commenters on WZ loved it (a rare sight), and I'm sure the TV audience loved it too.

What fans love, and what as agencies love, are fairly different from one another. Call it a hunch, but seeing a middle aged woman assaulted (as a babyface spot, no less) couldn't have helped their already tenuous relationship with Spike.

Claiming that kayfabe spot has anything to do with advertisers supposedly not wanting to advertise in their show over a year later, on another network, is just nitpicking.

It really isn't, though. It's a brand issue. WWE has it, most wrestling companies do. The truth is, wrestling is seen as a low class sport.

Doing things like that spot only helped further that belief, for execs.

Might as well bring Mark Madden on board; he'll say that the Aries' balls/Christy's face incident has a role in it too.

So, I take it you're condoning sexual harassment of a woman on national television? Kinda sounds like that's what you're doing

 

[ABMorales787]

You'd think CHIKARA would rule the world by this point, huh?

 

[Reflection]

That is a pretty excellent example of how professional wrestling fans are capable of completely ignoring stuff like an unscripted sexual assault on national television, because of course their favorite professional wrestling company wouldn't do a wrong thing.

No, it was an example of how internet wrestling fans and critics are capable of excessively dissecting things and blowing them out of proportion. What Aries did wasn't smart, but that incident was not big enough to warrant a firing (like many were demanding), or problems with advertisers (inb4 someone implied that here). Moreover, since it was "unscripted," the "favorite professional wrestling company" didn't have a role in it. Furthermore, it wasn't a legitimate sexual assault; he was merely playing the role of a nasty person and trying to make his nature seem more believable. Thankfully, TV executives and advertisers have the ability to look upon things less minutely, but with more maturity than most of us.

What's the status of that Narrative right now, anyways? Last I checked TNA had told DA to fake and leak a memo about TNA's cancellation, and then to further sell the bit, had them pay for and bring in another professional wrestling company to book-end TNA's programming. Man, the reveal on this work is going to be awesome.

As of now, the planned narrative is quite simple and reads as follows:
"In May 2015, many gullible internet fans were very excited upon hearing the news of Destination America's supposed cancellation of Impact Wrestling, for it would take their beloved WWE even closer to a complete monopoly on the pro-wrestling business. However, due to their very short attention span, they completely ignored the fact that the rumor originally came from Dave Meltzer, the guru of false wrestling rumors. Impact Wrestling is still alive and thriving in Destination America, along with its rival-turned-ally company Ring Of Honor."

TNA, on the other hand? Yeah, I'm sure as agencies aren't jumping on themselves to sponsor a company named TNA.

TNA stands for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Only perverts would think otherwise. A pervert would say WWE stands for World's Wildest Enemas, and ROH for ****** Oral and Handjob. It doesn't matter what perverts think.

Yes, yes, we're all abundantly clear of your delusion, at this point.

By the way, here is an example of a false report by Meltzer getting busted, from less than 24 hours ago:

This is the man you are believing over your fellow smark-in-arms?

 

[Nate DaMac]

 

[Lee]

TNA stands for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Only perverts would think otherwise. A pervert would say WWE stands for World's Wildest Enemas, and ROH for ****** Oral and Handjob. It doesn't matter what perverts think.

But TNA is regularly used. It's like having Brilliant Jousting on channel 69.

 

[Rayne]

 

[klunderbunker]

Over at a blog I post on, the current argument is that if TNA hadn't lost so many of their fans over the years and been such a horribly run company, the advertising situation would be exactly the same as it is now and they would still be on Destination America because Spike just didn't want them around. You know, because a network with a show drawing a big audience and a well run company is just going to drop it because. Why because? Just because.

 

[Alastor]

Over at a blog I post on, the current argument is that if TNA hadn't lost so many of their fans over the years and been such a horribly run company, the advertising situation would be exactly the same as it is now and they would still be on Destination America because Spike just didn't want them around. You know, because a network with a show drawing a big audience and a well run company is just going to drop it because. Why because? Just because.

They might not be too far off either. Wrestling at the end of the day is fake fighting in a real life setting. Advertisers can't hide behind supporting sportsmanship or supporting elite abilities of the athletes/players in real competitive sports. They also can't hide behind it's fiction or artistry as the general public is more willing to accept dumb scripted shows as art than wrestling.

Wrestling is in the same market as reality shows. WWE is the dancing with the stars level for advertising. TNA was probably at the level of Tough Enough but with a production cost of a Kardashian show.

 

[klunderbunker]

So in other words, if the audience was higher, their advertisers would view them in a better light.

 

[Alastor]

Yes but they wouldn't attract enough of them.

 

[klunderbunker]

They'd attract a lot more though and be in a much better position.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Not sure how the NFL survives with all these noble corporations and the strict moral advertising agencies they work with.

The stupid shit TNA has done on screen is stupid but it isn't what is getting them canceled. If they are really getting canceled.

 

[Con T.]

Not sure how the NFL survives with all these noble corporations and the strict moral advertising agencies they work with.

The stupid shit TNA has done on screen is stupid but it isn't what is getting them canceled. If they are really getting canceled.

the NFL is a shitty corporation, filled with dipshits with a horrendous moral compass.

The NFL is also raking money in by the billions, which I'm sure you're getting to (that TNA isn't making money). When you're the NFL, and have a product that people will drag themselves through glass to watch, advertisers give zero fucks. When you're a second rate promotion of a perceived low class sport, you can't get away with the same crimes as the NFL.

Unfair? Sure. But when did we ever expect the world to be fair?

 

[#tamale]

What I'm understanding is that whole angle last year was done in vain. It did not attract new viewers or sponsors. The NFL and Floyd Mayweather can get away with it because they are money making machines so ad agencies will ignore their flaws because at the end of the day, it's about making money.

TNA can't do this. WWE can't even do this. That whole stunt did nothing to help TNA, but they did it anyway and they blame everyone else for their misfortunes.

 

[ABMorales787]

Is there any major business that isn't shitty?

 

[Nate DaMac]

So about last night...

 

[Lee]

Did James Storm really kill Mickie James in the show or did I make that up?

 

[Starkist]

Nope, she's deader than dead.