If WWE bought TNA, could TNA stay alive?

[babinko]

When WWF bought WCW there was money to be made. The WCW brand still could have lived yet Vince wanted to bury them completely. With this on-going battle of TNA and their tv contact, it's a possibility that TNA might be facing some hard times. So lets look at the Hypothetical yet Plausible situation:

WWE buys TNA

Instead of nitpicking guys from TNA and putting them on an already packed WWE roster, why not keep TNA running as is. Let TNA compete with WWE. Paul Heyman and Jim Ross could be sent to TNA and are told to run the company the way they want it. Build the audience, do the booking, bring the ratings. Compete from within. Whatever profits TNA makes goes to WWE anyways. Don't do some crossover show. Let the corporate office compete with each other.

It makes me think of the company Procter and Gamble. Example: they own Zest and Old Spice. Both are body washes. Two different products that compete against each other yet still owned by one company.

If WWE wants to monopolize the wrestling market (which that have that strangle hold) why not try doing this with TNA so that way it keeps mainstream wrestling alive.

Anyone understand what I'm getting at? Let the products stand alone yet compete under the same corporation. Let them be different products.

TNA also could be its own company yet still have pay per views shown on the WWE Network. The wrestling fan will almost be getting a PPV every two weeks to watch on Sunday. Again, No crossovers, let the companies run as if they don't acknowledge each other.

Any Thoughts on this?

 

[Slash-LN]

Who would pick up Impact? Network wise.

And if WWE is shedding as many expenses as we're being told then is this really a smart move?

Would they have the money to invest in another show where they have to pay talent and production and all of that stuff?

I don't think having the TNA library would get as much income coming in as the money they would probably have to put out to keep the brand alive.

In theory I guess it would be an okay idea but overall it probably wouldn't work.

 

[lil steroid meat]

Haha I was just about to make this thread. I feel like this is what they should have done with WCW instead of doing the brand split. They are in an even better position now though, because of the WWE Network. They wouldn't have to sell it to a TV network. They can make WWE Network the ESPN of pro-wrestling.

This would be an ideal scenario. Let the companies run separately as far as booking and production. Heyman could run it, and Ross would be a welcome addition too.

You can keep some of the younger TNA talent; of course keep the Hardy's/Angle's/MVP's/Lashley's/Anderson's; add in some of the lesser used guys on the main WWE roster; and bring up a few NXT guys and you have a really nice alternative product. Again, keep the creative teams COMPLETELY separate. Even have a different set from the HD one used by Raw/ME/Smackdown. Separate video games. Don't even acknowledge each other's existence on TV.

And it would increase the value of the network because it not only adds new weekly content, but it adds one more PPV a month. And the new programming opportunities don't even stop at the new weekly show and the new PPV's. You can now treat WWE, NXT and TNA like three separate entities, have "news" programs, maybe a wrestling "First Take" or "SportsCenter" at the end of the week, recapping the week's happenings. Like I said, between NXT, WWE, and TNA, it almost turns WWE Network into like an ESPN of Pro Wrestling.

The only real snafu is the WWE seems to be in cost-cutting mode after the stock crash earlier this year, but like I said this could actually benefit them because it's more income. More house show revenue, more WWE Network buys, more action figures sold, more video games sold, etc. It would be like if UFC and Bellator were both contributing to Dana White's pockets. If they took the taping time and production resources of WWE Main Event then I don't think it would make that big of a financial dent. Maybe even show the new TNA show in Main Event's slot with a week's delay.

I hope this actually happens and they can see the bigger picture beyond "it's gonna cost more to create another brand". For the third time lol: this can possibly turn the WWE Network into an On-Demand ESPN of pro-wrestling.

 

[babinko]

Everyone has been going BANANAS over this cost cutting thing with the network. Once they hit the international market they will be fine. Wrestling in a domestic market doesn't have that huge draw as it does outside the USA. Once they can get Canada, Mexico, UK, and Japan all on the WWE Network then the subscriptions will be through the roof. But TNA can stay low budget. Like just said, It doesnt need a TV network off the bat, it could be on WWE Network. Im sure WWE can work a deal with some tv network but again the whole point is to keep the brands separate and have ZERO crossover. TNA can be known as more of the edgier wrestling style company as WWE is more of the Family friendly company.

 

[J.J.]

You think Vince should buy the TNA product to compete against WWE...What? I could see him buying the video footage but beyond that there's nothing for him to gain in purchasing the company with those contracts.

 

[Mudlup50]

Few things, for one Bill Gates did this in the 90's, he gave quite a sum of money to Steve Jobs to keep Apple afloat xD and it worked out amazing...

Now to the OP's thought, I don't think this is about TNA. This would be an expensive handout with absolutely no gain for WWE. Yea you can argue money but that's not true. WWE currently makes what 7-8 hours of wrestling program a week? And you wanna add 2 more which regardless of what is being told to do, will still be a glorified attitude era WWF?

Survival of the fittest: if TNA can't compete, it shouldn't be around anymore. It's done fine for a while now, if it's ratings start falling it shouldn't look for someone to show up and save them, they should improve it themselves! You're basically suggesting Vince take so much money, so much talent and try to revitalize a company that quite a lot of people said was better than WWE a few years back! I love the idea of competition keeping WWE on their toes but like with WCW the moment Vince could kill it, he did.

Let's also view this from another perspective, if TNA folds WWE can pick and choose talent, if they take over TNA there gonna have to move talent around which is being a problem for them now anyway with their "push or job" approach now. Can you imagine this? O Sandow isn't being pushed, put him on TNA so he can job there? ><

I feel like we're only viewing this because of one thing, TNA represents wrestling for adults and it's suffering now. Even though the IWC has loved TNA quite a bit and tried to push it, it's failing. We wanna see it work, we wanna see the product be something that could be better than WWE but at this point it can't. If WWE has to put more WWE in TNA after the roster half full of former WWE guys, then it shouldn't be.

All of this being said, if WWE did it and succeeded I'd be happy xD but I think the risk outweighs the reward and either way I'm not sinking 2 more hours a week into WWE.

 

[I_Like_All_Wrestling]

0% chance this happens. I like your thinking, but it won't happen. WWE will never create/acquire a product that will compete with their own. I bet there are very very few people who watch TNA only and not WWE. There's certainly not enough for WWE to consider buying them to make money from it.

As others said above, WWE is cutting costs. They are a public company now, so they have to answer to people about how they make money and will continue to make money. Buying another promotion full of contracts doesn't help. And remember, most of the people in TNA are people that WWE didn't want for some reason or another. WWE probably views their lowest guys on par with TNA's top guys (other than many Angle).

So again, something like this won't happen. I do think WWE would inquire about TNA's video library. And I think they might throw offers to some guys, but maybe lowball offers, but even they guys they might want are probably too old to start at WWE now.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

I understand the idea, but creating a programme that is better than current TNA (which I assume was the point of appointing Heyman and JR) would simply take away TV revenue from Raw which is a big selling point for TV contracts.

I don't think the contracts would be the same on two lesser shows (as Raw viewings could go down if TNA's goes up) rather than one big show.

Also, I don't think there is much talent on TNA that WWE would want to aquire. WWE would be better putting more time into Smackdown than having a 3rd show in TNA

 

[rge2010]

No point in WWE buying TNA. They already have NXT. It is the same thing.

Anyway, apart from Sting and Kurt Angles video library, plus Jeff Hardy - WWE would gain very little from buying TNA.

 

[Mustang Sally]

The WCW brand still could have lived yet Vince wanted to bury them completely.

We shouldn't confuse pro wrestling storylines with actual business practices. WCW as an entity was buried from the moment they went belly-up. All WWE gained from it's demise was a library, the right to use the WCW name as they pleased, and a group of newly-unemployed people who hoped WWE would pick them up and give 'em a job.

TNA has less to offer. If I were WWE, I'd wait for them to tap out as a business entity......then buy the library and pick the company carcass for any talent that might be useful to WWE. Remember, while WCW had plenty of big names to choose from, TNA has lost most of theirs in a noble effort to stay in business.

But I can't see the viability of keeping TNA and pretending they're a separate entity from....and competing against.....the big company.

Interesting thinking, though.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I suppose it's possible that TNA could be kept alive if WWE purchased it, but I'm not exactly sure why they'd want to or why they'd need it. They already have NXT as a developmental territory, so there's no need for TNA in that sense. Why pour money into another developmental territory when one is all that's needed?

At various times, some have suggested that they could buy TNA in the hopes of restarting the Monday Night Wars, but it's a ridiculous idea because nobody's gonna buy into it. The Monday Night Wars was a legit competition between two different wrestling companies that were generally equal to one another in terms of brand recognition and, at times, star power. TNA is not WCW and has never been anywhere remotely close to WCW's level of success, it just happened to be the only other pro wresting company to have a national TV deal which made it the #2 promotion by default. Attempting to reignite a wrestling war, or a masquerade wrestling war between two companies that are owned by the same guy, would genuinely be an insult to the intelligence of wrestling fans.

As far as having TNA as its own separate brand from WWE, I suppose it's possible but, again, what's the real point? If WWE wanted to do that, they could simply reinstate WCW as they already own everything to do with WCW and WCW still has its place in history and brand value to draw people's interest. Even though WCW hasn't been around for the better part of 1.5 decades, its name value is still, arguably, much higher than that of TNA. Remember, just because TNA has been the #2 promotion for the past decade, the same spot WCW had for most of its existence after Vince took over for Vince, Sr., doesn't mean it's on the same level as WCW was because it's not and never has been.

 

[Softcore Holly]

I wonder how that idea would work with PPVs. WWE already stacked the whole year with PPVs every month, adding TNA ppvs on top of that would be insane. There's also the huge cost involved with keeping TNA around, which considering the fact that TNA isn't exactly known for really making money(otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion) and that WWE is in serious cut costs mode, I just can't see this happening.

 

[J.J.]

We shouldn't confuse pro wrestling storylines with actual business practices. WCW as an entity was buried from the moment they went belly-up. All WWE gained from it's demise was a library, the right to use the WCW name as they pleased, and a group of newly-unemployed people who hoped WWE would pick them up and give 'em a job.

TNA has less to offer. If I were WWE, I'd wait for them to tap out as a business entity......then buy the library and pick the company carcass for any talent that might be useful to WWE. Remember, while WCW had plenty of big names to choose from, TNA has lost most of theirs in a noble effort to stay in business.

But I can't see the viability of keeping TNA and pretending they're a separate entity from....and competing against.....the big company.

Interesting thinking, though.

I disagree with this slightly. I believe it comes down to how they're used on TV from a creative standpoint. ECW has served as a prime example of this as talent bolted for ECW for WCW. What WCW realized later on is only Paul Heyman knew how to use someone like The Sandman the proper way. Bully Ray is a prime example. Bully Ray has been used better overall in TNA than WWE. Would Bully Ray been given a significant push beyond tag division in WWE? Or still be a stuttering fool whenever he picked up the microphone? I would assume, very unlikely to the former.

Rhino/Rhyno was a star in ECW, mid card at best in WWE. I really felt they dropped the ball with him. Take away his injury that set him aside for a year, would WWE have used him properly?


It is no questions that the women in TNA are given a much better program than in WWE. Much better storylines and feuds. Gail Kim and Victoria(Tara) in my eyes were underutilized in WWE and I would say Kharma(Awesome Kong) would have been treated the same way down the line.

TNA definitely has the talent there to succeed but what they failed to capitalize on numerous times until recent years was pushing their homegrown talent outside of AJ Styles. This is the same problem I had with WCW for a while - pushing guys that are in their mid 40's near 50's. Knowing they can't maintain living off their names forever. Flair, Nash, Hogan, Booker T, Mick Foley ect, ect, in no way contributed anything positive to the program(TNA) other than their namesake during their tenures there.

Even as much as I like Sting, at 50+ he couldn't contribute but so much to the program throughout his tenure. 10 years too late.

 

[DirtyJosé]

No. I'm not saying this because of shortcoming on TNA's part. WWE simply has no incentive to at this time, and frankly they have their own financial perils at the moment and buying a debt-laden promotion will only make that situation worse. Even if that were not the case, I just don't see WWE being very interested in either TNA as a development promotion, an alternative product/brand, or simply as a library to purchase.

 

[louchratis]

Could this feasibly happen? Sure. Would Vince McMahon allow two people who know more about the wrestling business than he does (one of which he fired not that long ago) to re-establish a product that would "compete" with WWE? Not in a million years. Also, WWE isn't going to associate itself with the ultra-gimmicky TNA name. WWE has enough problems at the moment anyway and adding even more cost from a production value standpoint would be a horrible business decision.

 

[Creepy Old Man]

Besides Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy, there's no-one WWE could make money from. TNA had 12 years to build stars and they couldn't produce a single one. The only thing of use is the video library, which WWE Network subscribers could use to catch up on what WWE/WCW legends were doing in those time periods WWE strangely neglects to mention.

 

[Reflection]

If TNA does go up for sale, I don't think the WWE will be interested in TNA the company, because it has pretty much nothing now. Majority of the talent are young recruits who haven't reached star level yet, and WWE doesn't need any more young superstars with no popularity.

What they could be interested in, and what they should be interested in, is the video library. It contains many recent matches, segments, promos etc. of some of their Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Scott Steiner and Team 3D, along with less-recent performances by Booker-T, Kevin Nash and Mick Foley.
From Vintage Collections to video packages to the WWE network, they can find a lot of use for these tapes in their vault.

If WWE bought TNA, could it survive? Not a chance. WWE would shut it down just like WCW. Only this time, they will probably not hire a single one of them. Which is why, apart from WWE, it is in the best interest of everyone else from employees to fans, that WWE doesn't end up buying them.

 

[TempestH]

Haha I was just about to make this thread. I feel like this is what they should have done with WCW instead of doing the brand split. They are in an even better position now though, because of the WWE Network. They wouldn't have to sell it to a TV network. They can make WWE Network the ESPN of pro-wrestling.

This would be an ideal scenario. Let the companies run separately as far as booking and production. Heyman could run it, and Ross would be a welcome addition too.

You can keep some of the younger TNA talent; of course keep the Hardy's/Angle's/MVP's/Lashley's/Anderson's; add in some of the lesser used guys on the main WWE roster; and bring up a few NXT guys and you have a really nice alternative product. Again, keep the creative teams COMPLETELY separate. Even have a different set from the HD one used by Raw/ME/Smackdown. Separate video games. Don't even acknowledge each other's existence on TV.

And it would increase the value of the network because it not only adds new weekly content, but it adds one more PPV a month. And the new programming opportunities don't even stop at the new weekly show and the new PPV's. You can now treat WWE, NXT and TNA like three separate entities, have "news" programs, maybe a wrestling "First Take" or "SportsCenter" at the end of the week, recapping the week's happenings. Like I said, between NXT, WWE, and TNA, it almost turns WWE Network into like an ESPN of Pro Wrestling.

The only real snafu is the WWE seems to be in cost-cutting mode after the stock crash earlier this year, but like I said this could actually benefit them because it's more income. More house show revenue, more WWE Network buys, more action figures sold, more video games sold, etc. It would be like if UFC and Bellator were both contributing to Dana White's pockets. If they took the taping time and production resources of WWE Main Event then I don't think it would make that big of a financial dent. Maybe even show the new TNA show in Main Event's slot with a week's delay.

I hope this actually happens and they can see the bigger picture beyond "it's gonna cost more to create another brand". For the third time lol: this can possibly turn the WWE Network into an On-Demand ESPN of pro-wrestling.

WWE shouldn't buy TNA. If they want to create another brand that is kayfabe separate from WWE, they could easily just revive WCW or ECW since they already own those trademarks, rather than spending even money on all of TNA's assets when they're already in cost cutting mode.

 

[The Dark Warlords]

It would be cool if TNA would still be its own entity. But i feel that it would just be swallowed up by WWE. I do think that the only way that Vince allows it to be ran as its own entity would be him giving it to HHH, and having he do a TNA/NXT Merger. They could keep it separate, and only allow cross promotion on the Big Four:

1. Royal Rumble

2. Survivor Series

3. Summerslam

4. Wrestlemania

Now, i do think that with HHH and perhaps Stephanie have complete autonomy over the product of TNA, I believe he would have wrestling minds on his staff like Jim Ross and Paul Heyman. But HHH running it would be the only way Vince would allow it to stay as its own company which is fine by me because i would much rather watch at HHH run product on TV than a Vince run one.

Put Paige on TNA under the control of HHH and Stephanie, and she would flourish tremendously like she did in NXT. No fluff and puff, just HARDCORE RUTHLESS STUFF!

 

[lil steroid meat]

WWE shouldn't buy TNA. If they want to create another brand that is kayfabe separate from WWE, they could easily just revive WCW or ECW since they already own those trademarks, rather than spending even money on all of TNA's assets when they're already in cost cutting mode.

I would agree except for the fact that they are already going to have their hands in the pot by them likely buying the video library and having to buy the trademarks (they have the AWA, SMW, and many other less than prominent promotions in their library, it's silly to think that they wouldn't want what has been the number 2 promotion in the US for the past decade. Also they can't make DVD sets for Angle, Sting or Hardy without that footage).

So it's mostly just buying the TNA trademark and footage library, hiring The Hardys, Angle, Bully Ray (which I could see all being hired whether the brand is relaunched or not), maybe Anderson, Joe, Roode, Aries, Storm, MVP, Lashley and maybe 5-8 other young guys (guys like King, EC3, Shaw), putting some midcarders from the main roster on there and bringing up some NXT guys. Maybe hire some Knockouts and make a Network only version of Total Divas for the Knockouts. Maybe bring in Sting as the GM.

So it wouldn't be THAT deep of a dent in the grand scheme of things if you consider the money potentially made from DVD sales, action figures, video games and the biggest thing, it's new weekly content for the WWE Network. It would be an investment.

It makes more sense than reviving WCW and ECW because WCW has been off the air for 13 years. Put that into perspective: a large portion of the audience was not even born when the last episode of Nitro aired. The kids starting high school in a few weeks were less than a year old when WCW went off the air. The WCW brand means nothing to the kids today. I know people's answer to this (as it was with Sting) is that people can just look up old videos, but not everyone is interested in that, and bottom line: it's a lot easier to push a brand that has The Hardys and is still going on today than to push a brand that had it's last show 13 years ago.

As a matter of fact, go search #WCW on Twitter right now. You will get results of "Women Crush Wednesday" where people post pretty bitches on Twitter and IG every Wednesday. Alternatively, search #TNA and you will obviously get results about TNA. I'm sure someone will say: "Well duh it hasn't been a brand in 13 years"

. . .

THAT'S THE POINT

ECW was just relaunched but in the end, it was a drastically different brand than the ECW that caused the property to be relaunched in the first place, which caused it's cancellelation/turned into the first iteration of NXT when it was a scripted Tough Enough type of thing. The type of product that the ECW brand represents is not only niche and has been overdone by wrestling companies in the past 20 years (Paul Heyman says he was en route to changing things up as the company closed), but it just doesn't match up with the family friendly entertainment company the WWE is trying to be.

TNA brings in around 800k - 1 million viewers weekly. WWE is at 700k WWE Network subscribers with a goal of 1 million. I'm not at all expecting all 1 million of TNA's weekly audience to buy a WWE Network subscription (not taking into account how many people out of that audience already has a subscription) but I will bet that a large portion of the audience will buy if you push the fact that it's the only place to not only view all 1000 hours of their history, but also catch new episodes. It doesn't even have to be a touring real brand, it can just be a show that tapes before Raw or Smackdown, depending on which situation is more profitable.

I agree that they shouldn't buy the company JUST to do the new show. But since they are likely going to buy the video library and they are going to have to buy trademarks to make DVD's and use the footage, they might as well use the trademark to take advantage of a brand that still attracts around a million people weekly. The Network needs new content and this purchase will give the Network:

- 1000 new hours of footage
- New documentary/DVD opportunities
- A new weekly show that currently has around 1 million viewers weekly; highest rated program on it's current channel
- A possible Knockouts version of Total Divas (Total Knockouts)

It increases the value of the WWE Network and pushes it into the stratosphere of being an ESPN for wrestling and it is a supplement for not being able to air brand new/live Smackdown, Raw and Total Divas episodes. Also, it can function as a stepping stone between NXT and the main roster, and it can also flesh out and spread out the roster in general, as even with 6 hours of television time weekly, there are a lot of guys who don't get a chance to shine. This can give a lot of guys purpose. Maybe have it take Main Event's production resources.

Not to mention financially, it functions as an investment, as they will gain:

- A large number of new WWE Network subscriptions
- DVD Sales (think of the money just off of Sting, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Mick Foley, Kliq and Jeff Hardy DVD's)
- Possibly new house show revenue
- Action figures
- Video Games
- Merchandising, etc.

 

[Mudlup50]

How many matches did Flair, Hogan and Foley have in TNA? People keep saying they can't make these DVD's but they can! You have hundreds of matches from each of these guys already(maybe not Foley). In terms of legacy I don't think any of these guys gained anything from being with TNA. That's not a jab at TNA, but they already have so much. If WWE needs this money they can release any DVD from any guy from WWE, WCW or ECW and make profit. Not to mention with the Network they aren't really gaining any money by making a new DVD.

Yes they could make it work but it'd be a bad decision. Right now WWE is losing money due to the network, they're expanding into Japan and they're making cuts to guys who have been with the company for a while. They're spreading themselves out and I just don't see it as a good idea, let alone a surefire thing like some people are saying. Maybe WWE will, but I don't see it as a good idea

 

[streicher187]

I'm sure it's in WWE TV contract they can't have shows on competing networks so I doubt they could keep TNA alive unless instead of WWE someone like Shane McMahon bought it

 

[Dagger Dias]

If WWE bought TNA then they would not keep it alive. Remember when WWE bought WCW? We got the infamous invasion angle instead of WCW being kept alive. What about when WWE bought ECW? They did bring back the brand a few years later, but it was watered down and ultimately disrespectful to the legacy of the real ECW. If WWE buys TNA then the good news is we would probably see their footage get added to the Network. The bad news is, we would see the product get buried in ways similar to WCW and ECW. I don't want to see that happen. A handful of TNA wrestlers getting small pushes onscreen and their footage getting added to the network are not worth the risk of it being buried rather than saved.