For Sale: TNA Wrestling?!?

[hatehabsforever]

So according to the main page, "WWE Reportedly Makes A Bid To Purchase TNA". Now I have no idea as to the validity of this report, or if TNA Wrestling is even interested in selling its interests to anyone. But my question is simple. Why in the world would the folks at WWE have any interest whatsoever in purchasing the remnants of TNA?

I don't mean this to deteriorate into a TNA bashing session, but my point is simple. What does TNA have to offer that WWE could possibly want? WWE already has AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, and Austin Aries. James Storm and Eric Young have both appeared on NXT, and I would not be shocked at all to see either of them return there.

There are a bunch of guys currently prominent in TNA that left WWE, and I can't imagine WWE has much interest in reacquiring them, or they would have tried harder to keep them in the first place. Drew Galloway, Damian Sandow, the Hardy brothers, and a few others, how much would WWE be interested in spending to feature these guys?

I guess there's the TNA video library, but frankly I see little value in that either. And the depth of talent in WWE right now is so deep, and continues to get deeper as they acquire talent from all over the world. They really don't need any of the people on the TNA roster and if by chance they do, they can just acquire them piecemeal as they become available.

How much money would WWE actually be prepared to pay to acquire TNA Wrestling? Frankly, I can't imagine it would be very much.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

I've read a couple of reports from various sites that say WWE is one of a few companies who put in a bid. The reports have put the number around forty million dollars.

I know Corgan is hoping to have new ownership in by Bound for Glory, but being bought out probably isn't what he wanted.

 

[justinsayne]

I've read a couple of reports from various sites that say WWE is one of a few companies who put in a bid. The reports have put the number around forty million.

I know Corgan is hoping to have new ownership in by Bound for Glory, but being bought out probably isn't what he wanted.

Apparently Corgan put in a bid too.

While it would be nice to see TNA's video library show up on the Network, I kinda hope WWE doesn't buy out TNA. Despite it being a trainwreck of a company it still is giving guys & girls a place to go & wrestle on a weekly TV show outside of WWE.

 

[klunderbunker]

I've read a couple of reports from various sites that say WWE is one of a few companies who put in a bid. The reports have put the number around forty million.

I know Corgan is hoping to have new ownership in by Bound for Glory, but being bought out probably isn't what he wanted.

Meltzer said drop a zero off that total and it's more accurate.

TNA has next to no value. At the moment their big strength is their foreign deals but they still have to tour India by the end of the year to keep that India deal. With three and a half months to go before the end of the year, there's zero public word on it happening.

At the end of the day, TNA is in need of serious money to stay alive. The last report I read said the next set of tapings should cost between $600,000 - $800,000. Keep in mind that's just running the tapings and, at least in theory, doesn't include stuff like payroll. I know Corgan has money but how much of his personal fortune is he going to sink into this company just for the sake of putting on TV shows that about 350,000 people watch?

TNA is really just a TV show at this point with no house shows in years and two regular pay per views a month. They're on a network that gets very few viewers and nothing important as far as advertising revenue from that network. Yeah they have foreign revenue and some names but that's not enough to keep this company afloat long term, especially if that India money is in serious jeopardy.

Corgan seems like a nice guy and he's a celebrity who loves wrestling but he's a millionaire trying to fight off a billion dollar company. If Vince wants to buy TNA and the price is right (read as not $40 million, which no one is paying), Vince is going to get TNA. All that would matter to Vince is the tape library though and if he buys them, TNA is gone.

The problem for TNA is simple: they have almost no money and it costs to keep running TV. Corgan is willing to put money in but there's a limit to what he can afford. The company isn't going to last in its current state and then Vince can come in and buy whatever he wants on the cheap.

 

[ISkye]

TNA in like 2013 was basically making 13 million in profit to the cost of around at least 15 million dollars to keep it running. It's arguably in a worse state now, and despite the ratings at some of it's peak points over the years on Spike, they had few hours of TNA running on TV. So while it may of even attracted more people than Bellator or UFC at the time to those hours it was still pretty much nothing in comparison to the spread out draw of Bellator and UFC.

WWE pretty much made around 200 million at that time. Now with the spread of the roster with the Brand Split and more viewers on Smackdown and even more than Raw it pretty much generates more revenue than any giant RAW show could have while literally restoring faith and trying new things. So TNA is basically a money cut and most of the Pro-Wrestlers past or present are WWE guys in one way or another.

WWE Network had a projected 1.5 million paid subscriber count in july..So it could very well of gone up or down due to the Brand Split. They also still make enough money to continue make DVD's. Kind of seems like the last 2-3 years I have been watching they've been snatching people here and there and planting seeds throughout the globe to kind of move forward in the future. This creates longevity as opposed to a quick payout. Obviously a big difference as opposed to TNA ._."

So Panda Energy has 5 billion net worth wise. TNA no longer has really anyone that draws and pretty much nothing is to be made. Possibly why Dixie somehow disappeared. They bought TNA for $250,000 in 2001. They basically made the investment and got almost everything out of it, and Dixie really has nothing to lose. She could fund TNA for a hobby if she wanted to. She's 51 married and has two kids and just happened to step down recently.

They can basically cash out which they might soon and sell to WWE.

WWE has a lot more to gain given the 1.5 Million subscribers, plus the video library. Who is on the video library? Oh Aj Styles, Old Guys, People we've seen, etc.
Also Okada. Hiroshi Tanahashi. The Young Bucks. Jay Lethal. R-Truth. The last match of Macho Man Randy Savage. It's a lot more than you think it's worth if you look into it, and they get The Hardys, Lashley, Gail Kim, Abyss, Galloway, Mike Bennet, Storm, and EC3. Just the news or controversy is enough for WWE to benefit decently.

On paper is TNA really worth 40 Million to an investor? No. Is it worth it to WWE and Vince McMahon? Yup. Also why the company who owns ROH has placed a bid supposedly. If Dixie truly wanted to sell it for pure profit WWE is there, and they'd both win and move on with their lives despite the people under TNA contract at the moment. Besides that if she doesn't it doesn't bug her one bit, and that bank isn't getting any smaller.

Personally I don't care what fans want or who buys what, etc. The only thing I am concerned about in that scenario of the sell is the Pro-Wrestlers like Tyrus and others who haven't had the best luck with WWE. This would kind of destroy an intense competition pretty easily more than people think. TNA is pretty key after all this time.

Edit:

Corgan is willing to put money in but there's a limit to what he can afford. The company isn't going to last in its current state and then Vince can come in and buy whatever he wants on the cheap.

Yeah that'd be true if this was just a random single guy who is an investor. This is a long time pro-wrestling fan with a 50 million dollar net worth who happens to be president, and minority owner. Let's not rule out that he basically has friends a phone call away with more money than him who could invest or even lend to him. He's also been pitching ideas as the front man of a band and an author and much more since the 80's. I mean if he really wanted to he could attempt to do something considering he isn't active in really much else and isn't out of his grasp to obtain these investors, etc.

He really has nothing to lose at the age of nearly 50 who isn't doing much else at the moment.

 

[klunderbunker]

TNA in like 2013 was basically making 13 million in profit to the cost of around at least 15 million dollars to keep it running. It's arguably in a worse state now, and despite the ratings at some of it's peak points over the years on Spike, they had few hours of TNA running on TV. So while it may of even attracted more people than Bellator or UFC at the time to those hours it was still pretty much nothing in comparison to the spread out draw of Bellator and UFC.

WWE pretty much made around 200 million at that time. Now with the spread of the roster with the Brand Split and more viewers on Smackdown and even more than Raw it pretty much generates more revenue than any giant RAW show could have while literally restoring faith and trying new things. So TNA is basically a money cut and most of the Pro-Wrestlers past or present are WWE guys in one way or another.

WWE Network had a projected 1.5 million paid subscriber count in july..So it could very well of gone up or down due to the Brand Split. They also still make enough money to continue make DVD's. Kind of seems like the last 2-3 years I have been watching they've been snatching people here and there and planting seeds throughout the globe to kind of move forward in the future. This creates longevity as opposed to a quick payout. Obviously a big difference as opposed to TNA ._."

So Panda Energy has 5 billion net worth wise. TNA no longer has really anyone that draws and pretty much nothing is to be made. Possibly why Dixie somehow disappeared. They bought TNA for $250,000 in 2001. They basically made the investment and got almost everything out of it, and Dixie really has nothing to lose. She could fund TNA for a hobby if she wanted to. She's 51 married and has two kids and just happened to step down recently.

They can basically cash out which they might soon and sell to WWE.

WWE has a lot more to gain given the 1.5 Million subscribers, plus the video library. Who is on the video library? Oh Aj Styles, Old Guys, People we've seen, etc.
Also Okada. Hiroshi Tanahashi. The Young Bucks. Jay Lethal. R-Truth. The last match of Macho Man Randy Savage. It's a lot more than you think it's worth if you look into it, and they get The Hardys, Lashley, Gail Kim, Abyss, Galloway, Mike Bennet, Storm, and EC3. Just the news or controversy is enough for WWE to benefit decently.

On paper is TNA really worth 40 Million to an investor? No. Is it worth it to WWE and Vince McMahon? Yup. Also why the company who owns ROH has placed a bid supposedly. If Dixie truly wanted to sell it for pure profit WWE is there, and they'd both win and move on with their lives despite the people under TNA contract at the moment. Besides that if she doesn't it doesn't bug her one bit, and that bank isn't getting any smaller.

Personally I don't care what fans want or who buys what, etc. The only thing I am concerned about in that scenario of the sell is the Pro-Wrestlers like Tyrus and others who haven't had the best luck with WWE. This would kind of destroy an intense competition pretty easily more than people think. TNA is pretty key after all this time.

Edit:



Yeah that'd be true if this was just a random single guy who is an investor. This is a long time pro-wrestling fan with a 50 million dollar net worth who happens to be president, and minority owner. Let's not rule out that he basically has friends a phone call away with more money than him who could invest or even lend to him. He's also been pitching ideas as the front man of a band and an author and much more since the 80's. I mean if he really wanted to he could attempt to do something considering he isn't active in really much else and isn't out of his grasp to obtain these investors, etc.

He really has nothing to lose at the age of nearly 50 who isn't doing much else at the moment.

Actually Corgan said in an interview that he would be the sole investor if he buys it.

https://www.facebook.com/smashingpumpkins/videos/10154612473287642/

It's true that Corgan has money and time but how much money does it take to keep TNA running? If he's the sole investor like he says, his fortune isn't going to last forever.

 

[FromGlasgow]

Its such bad news if the WWE buys it, So wrestling choice now basically is WWE or nothing, Lack of competition isn't good for anyone, WWE was always at its best when competition was at its strongest like during the hulkamania era it was still competing against the NWA and last of the territories like world class and during the attitude era competing against WCW and ECW, I know the last couple of years had been bad in TNA and admitedly their not at their best at the moment but I always hoped it would turn around, So many great wrestlers we wont get to see again on mainstream tv we will now only see who the WWE wants us to see.
TNA has in my opinion has gotten a lot of undeserving bad publicity since it began but they have had so many great matches over the years and produced loads of new talent. Up untill a few years ago their X division and female division were I believe the best in the world at that time.
They have had on their roster some of the biggest names in wrestling ever. A few years ago I would have taken TNA main eventers like Kurt Angle, Sting and AJ Styles matches over WWE's main eventers like John Cena 5 knuckle shuffle dances across the ring and the dull every match the same Randy Orton anytime.

 

[ISkye]

Actually Corgan said in an interview that he would be the sole investor if he buys it.

https://www.facebook.com/smashingpumpkins/videos/10154612473287642/

It's true that Corgan has money and time but how much money does it take to keep TNA running? If he's the sole investor like he says, his fortune isn't going to last forever.

Yeah I kind of figured. Tried to add the what if rather than a 100% true statement x3. Yeah, but we'll see how it goes and what changes. It's possible to go in other directions despite what we speculate. I am interested to see if this actually does go anywhere, but you never know until it happens. It's kind of an if it's not the obvious answer it more than likely won't happen thing. :3

Corgan is an interesting guy kind of. He doesn't strike me like he would want to butt heads with someone unless he had to, but I have no idea why he'd pour money into TNA or even attempt to. The company that owns ROH apparently has bid off and on, but they don't seem to jump much.

Sinclair isn't small, but I don't think they'd drop that much to obtain TNA. I don't see much value in TNA to anyone besides WWE. It's kind of just a we'll see what happens when it happens thing, Lol.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I'm not sure how much stock I put in this story. I read it earlier today and, according to the site, it was originally taken from a story run by the New York Post. I could see WWE being interested simply for the tape library, but I have trouble believing that TNA is worth $40 million. When WCW was going down the drain, it was still an infinitely more well known and more popular money brand than TNA has ever been and it wasn't even worth $40 million when WWE bought it, so I have a lot of trouble believing that TNA, which has never remotely been on the same level money wise as WCW, is worth that much when the company has been plagued by financial troubles for several years.

IF, by some miracle, TNA is worth $40 million and celebritynetworth.com is accurate, Corgan has a net worth of only $50 million. If he's the only investor, he's taking on one helluva financial burden that he doesn't have the resources to bear. For any reasonable human being $50 million is an insane amount of money, but it's not like the Smashing Pumpkins ever had the sort of worldwide, mainstream level of success of some recording artists; Beyonce, for example, is reportedly worth about 10 times what Corgan is.

Again, supposing that all of this is true and all this info is accurate, I don't see how Corgan could keep TNA going if he didn't simply take it back to basics by making it just another indie company like Resistance Pro Wrestling. As has been pointed out, TNA is essentially just a television show now that doesn't do monthly ppvs, doesn't do very many house shows and they're on a network that barely registers as a momentary blip on the radar, so all buying and running TNA, even as it currently is, on his own will only send Corgan rocketing into bankruptcy.

Corgan is a nice person from all accounts, always has been. I've seen interviews done with him and he's a humble, soft spoken guy that has a little bit of geek in him, like most wrestling fans, and it makes him easy to like, but it comes off like some sort of personal project that he thinks would be fun to own. But if TNA is really worth that much , if he isn't able to get some other investors to share the load and if he buys it himself, then TNA will go under quickly.

 

[Rayne]

As recently as last year I would have laughed off the idea of the WWE buying TNA; now, I don't the idea is that crazy. Unlikely, but not crazy.

There are two reasons why the WWE would want to buy TNA; the first is their tape library. Until recently, that would have been of little value to the WWE, but they've spent the past year going in big on performers who were a part of TNA's "golden era". AJ Styles is the world champion. Samoa Joe just carried NXT (it's own product now in the WWE universe, and not just a rookie training ground) for six months. Bobby Rooooooo is getting the big intro treatment. Eric Young is debuting soon. That tape library would help promote those performers as well as draw many people to the WWE Network. It's something you can justify spending $4 million on.

The other reason is pure business; a frequent way to eliminate future competition is to buy it out before it gets strong. TNA has a long tradition of fuck up in their past, but they're putting out a pretty decent product right now and people are starting to become aware of that. It's not inconceivable that TNA ends up getting picked up by a larger network in the future. There's only so much professional wrestling you can stand to watch in one week, and the WWE wants to be selling it to you.

A year ago, the WWE had no reason to buy TNA; right now it's not a crazy idea.

 

[rmp0012002]

Vince still wants to control wrestling in its entirety but doesn't get that competition is good. It's easier to put out a so-so product than to have to up your game.

 

[Navi]

Wow knew this day would come at some point but I thought they were actually doing a little better right now. With all the hubbub over the Hardy's and the Final Deletion they had people talking about them and not in a bad way.

Anyway like JH already said this Corgan chappy according to what you read about him is worth about 50M, so I can't see him spending 40M on a company that has been limping along for a long time.

Really would like to see ROH buy them, get a TV deal with a station other than POP TV, and maybe start to make their way back. I've never agreed with the notion that "if you watch the WWE, then you shouldn't be watching TNA". If you are a fan of wrestling then watch both shows.

Whether the story is true or not, would be a shame if they went away.

 

[rbv13]

I understand Sinclair is getting into the sports network game and is in need of programming but I'm just baffled by the notion of them spending millions on TNA. It just seems the logical thing to do would be improving and expanded their current wrestling investment. Maybe Sinclair is thinking of backing the TNA pony and unloading ROH. In any case the entire story seems like BS.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

The only way I'm OK with TNA being sold is under two scenarios:

1. Sinclair Group purchases TNA and the brand merges with ROH under the ROH banner. It would serve as a shot in the arm to the ROH talent roster, and the roster combination along with the video library would be a significant get.

2. Billy Corgan purchases TNA and it's business as usual. The product is actually quite good right now, minus the occasional hiccup and despite their propensity to tape weeks/months in advance.

While I can understand WWE bidding, I can't support it. And not because of my own personal feelings about McMahon or WWE as a company. The reason I can't support it is because we've lived this before (well, some of us have), and when WWE buys the competition, it's never a good thing for anyone other than WWE. It'll put too many hard-working people out of business for a pretty poor reason (the video library).

 

[Harthan]

The story itself is probably garbage, but it's easy to imagine the WWE with interest. Network subscriptions and DVD sales constitute a big chunk of business, and they've clearly worked toward acquiring video libraries in the past because of this exact reason. There's obvious incentive to want the TNA video library above all else - many wrestlers already in the Hall of Fame or that are clearly bound for it spent a huge chunk of time in TNA, not to mention people that are leaders of the New Era (AJ Styles) or that are at the forefront of NXT (Joe, Roode, Aries, Young...). There's certainly reason to believe old episodes of Impact going up on the Network, or an AJ Styles retrospective including TNA and WWE material, would be worth a good bit of money to the WWE.

I have literally no idea if it's worth 40 million, but I trust Meltzer more than any other source on whether it is. At any rate I'd imagine the WWE to certainly be bidding at this point, but I also don't think they're overly incentivized to push very hard - they know they'll probable get another shot down the road if they don't get it now, so why overbid?

 

[d_henderson1810]

So according to the main page, "WWE Reportedly Makes A Bid To Purchase TNA". Now I have no idea as to the validity of this report, or if TNA Wrestling is even interested in selling its interests to anyone. But my question is simple. Why in the world would the folks at WWE have any interest whatsoever in purchasing the remnants of TNA?

I don't mean this to deteriorate into a TNA bashing session, but my point is simple. What does TNA have to offer that WWE could possibly want? WWE already has AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, and Austin Aries. James Storm and Eric Young have both appeared on NXT, and I would not be shocked at all to see either of them return there.

There are a bunch of guys currently prominent in TNA that left WWE, and I can't imagine WWE has much interest in reacquiring them, or they would have tried harder to keep them in the first place. Drew Galloway, Damian Sandow, the Hardy brothers, and a few others, how much would WWE be interested in spending to feature these guys?

I guess there's the TNA video library, but frankly I see little value in that either. And the depth of talent in WWE right now is so deep, and continues to get deeper as they acquire talent from all over the world. They really don't need any of the people on the TNA roster and if by chance they do, they can just acquire them piecemeal as they become available.

How much money would WWE actually be prepared to pay to acquire TNA Wrestling? Frankly, I can't imagine it would be very much.

I can see value in WWE purchasing WWE's library.

Firstly, it is extra content for the Network. As well as WWE, there is WCW, ECW, NXT, World Class, Smoky Mountain, NWA and other terrorials which have content on the Network.

I can see WWE including all the TNA PPVs in the section where you can watch all the past WWE, WCW and ECW PPVs.

Secondly, they want the TNA footage for HoFs, video packages etc.

Imagine, many years down the track, A.J. Styles has retired, and had a great career in WWE. He is announced to be inducted into the WWE HoF. What better way to announce it than a video package, highlighting his entire career, and this includes footage of him in TNA, then Japan, then WWE. But TNA is a vital part of his career (and is what initally launched him). You can't leave that out and have a video package of his career give him justice.

Or imagine if Kurt Angle comes back to WWE, and eventually goes into the HoF. Not only would you show his accomplishments in WWE, but in TNA as well.

Also, WWE might be interested in some talent. Matt and Jeff Hardy's stocks have suddenly gone up with the "Broken" Matt/Brother Nero angle, they have a WWE fanbase already, and I am sure that WWE would have fun with the Willow character.

There are others like EC3 and others who WWE might want to use down in TNA, and would get some value from.

If WWE buys TNA, I would be interested to look over the TNA footage on the Network.

 

[kenvin100]

Vince still wants to control wrestling in its entirety but doesn't get that competition is good. It's easier to put out a so-so product than to have to up your game.

In this case, TNA honestly dug its own grave. IT had the same guys in WCW who pushed that company down the drain in Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and a bunch of other old geezers who hogged the spotlight. I personally don't watch TNA but by viewing YouTube clips of Dixie Carter, she clearly wasn't fit to run this company to begin with. I don't know the whole situation to what led to Jeff Jarrett leaving but I think that was a loss as he had much more experience which led to the company's past success.

With a company that's struggling to find TV time (I couldn't tell you what channel TNA is on in Canada), the primary cornerstones working with WWE, and the constant struggles to pay employees on time, perhaps it is time to pull the plug. If no one buys the company, TNA will file for bankruptcy and will result in a loss of jobs. Should Vince buy out the library, there's a chance some talent will work (or return) to WWE saving some jobs. The situation for TNA employees suck but is it what it is. All the best to Cody and Eden Rhodes who have signed (rumored?) with TNA.

 

[johnbragg]

First of all, the $40M number is not from a source, it's the NY Post's "back of the envelope" calculation based on WWE's price-earnings ratio (2x) and a $20M estimate of TNA/Impact's annual revenues. Even if the $20M revenue number is real, I don't know that you use the same PE calculation for WWE and TNA--it's like valuing the family-owned downtown grocery store based on Walmart's PE ratio.

What WWE gets out of owning TNA, compared to a year or two ago?
1. The tape library.
With Styles and Joe thriving in WWE, the TNA library might be worth a little more than it was a year ago. Using TNA footage for an AJ Styles career-so-far retrospective is now worth...something.
2. The TNA trademark.
With Styles, Joe, Aries, Roode, Storm and Young all in the WWE system, a "TNA faction" storyline is at least an option. Exactly how that works between Raw, SD and NXT, who knows. Does it make any money? Who knows.
3. Adding a fourth brand?
With TNA's roster, schedule and international reach, do you send them out as a second-string "Global Impact" international touring group? UK twice a year and wherever else on the globe can't quite justify a full WWE tour?
4. The ONO's. There is apparently some market, somewhere, for unique wrestling content that's not storyline-driven and not live. With WWE's talent base, could you upgrade the ONOs into a real revenue stream?

And of course dumping the TNA weekly PPVs, Impacts and monthly PPVs and ONOs on the WWE Network mountain of footage.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

The only way i would see the carter's sell the company to sinclair or WWE would be if Dixie is tired of running a wrestling company or they are in such bad shape that they don't have a choice but to sell everything and closed it down because let's face it, if WWE buys TNA, they are pretty much just buying it for the video library so that when it'S time to do a aj styles DVD compilation, they would have his matches from TNA to put on it.

In Vince's eyes, TNA never was competition, it was just another indy fed that was trying to beat vince, so it wouldn't be like he would buy is competition like he did with WCW. For him, it'S just another tape library to buy and to use for the wwe network and i'm sure they're is a market for some of the earlier TNA stuff.

But again, Dixie loves being on tv and while Billy Corgan is trying to buy TNA from them, she'S still want to keep a majority part of the company because she still want to be a on air character, so the chance of TNA going to sinclair broadcasting or even WWE are non existant right now and i pretty sure that if WWE waits a couple of years, they might get TNA for a even lower price that they we're willing to pay now.

 

[rbv13]

The video library is a hot topic within this story. There is obviously a lot of potential value there. Everyone keeps mentioning future WWE stars who've worked TNA but seem to be forgetting the cash cows they are currently sitting on. Sting and the Dudley Boyz would become renewed targets of interest via DVDs and Network Specials. Having the TNA library then adds so much more worth in someone like Kurt Angle. Some of his best work was in TNA and this could propel the company into bringing him back. Hell, with the TNA footage Christian goes from questionable to legit HOFer. Just a thought.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

Hell, with the TNA footage Christian goes from questionable to legit HOFer. Just a thought.

There are plenty of guys in various wrestling halls of fame who weren't a 10th as well known or accomplished a 10th of what Christian did. Being partners with Edge and winning the WWF Tag Team Championship 7 times with him is reason enough to induct him. If only the very tippity top of the heap are inducted, as some fans foolishly think it should, then there aren't but a very small handful of guys left in all of wrestling history for WWE to induct. In WWE, Christian was a 9 time Tag Team Champion, 4 time Intercontinental Champion, 2 time World Heavyweight Champion, 2 time ECW Champion and he won the European, Hardcore & Light Heavyweight Championships 1 time each. It's a hall of fame worthy career with or without TNA's tape library.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Up until just recently, there would have been zero reason for WWE to buy TNA. TNA is nowhere near as successful as WCW was or as popular as ECW was. The main reason they were the #2 federation was due to lack of other competition, and I use the word "competition" for lack of better words here. TNA is not competition for WWE and we saw that in TNA's failed attempt at starting a second Monday Night War which ended in WWE slaughtering them in short time until TNA retreated back to their original schedule.... and that was back when they were at their best! I'm genuinely shocked that they have lasted as long as they have after so many years of stupid decisions turned me off of their product for good. Why Vince and the WWE would ever want to buy them made no sense. Until recently.

Then Sting came to the WWE at Survivor Series in 2014. Then AJ Styles came to the WWE at the Royal Rumble. Others like Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, and more. With the sudden increase of TNA talent joining the WWE, now the idea of them buying TNA does not seem like such a crazy idea anymore. The biggest reason has already been mentioned. A new chapter of content to add to the WWE Network library under a TNA banner. When AJ Styles and Stone Cold did the unthinkable, talking about TNA on a WWE Podcast, it was a legitimate shocker. Stone Cold got away with that because he's Stone Cold. If WWE bought TNA then these parts of wrestlers' careers can freely be discussed and used as footage. Sting DVD's are incomplete without TNA. Same will go for Styles/Roode/Joe/Aries/etc later down the line. So additional WWE Network content is a great reason.

What other reason could there be though? WCW was true competition. ECW was popular. TNA is neither. How would this purchase be handled is the question that should be raised. Would they buried in a second Invasion angle even worse than the original? Would Impact get launched as a clear "C Brand" like WWE's version of ECW was? I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to see "WWE Impact" as the new jobber show and I certainly have no interest in seeing a second Invasion. Not after what they did to WCW and ECW in those purchases. Then let's talk championships. Having the TNA Championship could possibly be cool, if it doesn't devolve into a jobber belt or a glorified midcard title like the ECW Championship did. There's no reason to have the Knockouts Championship when you already have the Raw Women's and Smackdown Women's Championships.

At the end of the day I would support WWE buying TNA should that even happen, I would just be concerned about what happens to the TNA brand going forward. WWE getting a TNA chapter on the Network is great. Having to re-live what happened to WCW and ECW again for TNA, not so great. Last but not least it would leave ROH and Lucha Underground as the only other major brands left. If anything, despite stupid past decisions, TNA should stick around to further prevent WWE from having a true monopoly even though they basically already do.

 

[HORRORHOLIC]

Other than the video library, one reason for WWE to buy TNA is it takes away one of the major places where WWE wrestlers can go to if they wanna leave.

 

[Azane]

Other than the video library, one reason for WWE to buy TNA is it takes away one of the major places where WWE wrestlers can go to if they wanna leave.

Ya, this is something to expand upon, How much cheaper can WWE negotiate contracts if the typical "2nd best" is taken away? People have the looming chance of making a living at TNA, now they either move halfway across the world and become gaijins in New Japan, or Ring of Honor, which is an even further step down the ladder, and people have less to fall back on within the contract scheme and accept a slightly worse contract (either in date restrictions or pay).

Just off that fact alone, WWE could recoup half of it's buyout on it's under and mid card contracts in a few years.

 

[GhettoV1]

I think if TNA isn't in Billy Corgan's hands by October 1 then Bound by Glory will be their last PPV.