Impact Support Club House

[Papa Pillman]

I'm not a supporter anymore because I have expectations for the show it doesn't meet. I want it to be what it used to be because what it once was, wasn't broken, was changed and it shouldn't have been. Remember Roode's initial World title reign? Remember when Austin Aries won the title off him at Destination X 2011? Remember AJ Styles vs. Bully Ray, the initial formation of Bad Influence? THAT's the TNA I'm talking about, not the one from many, many years ago that is definitely never coming back.

I have no issue with anyone who has a bias for the show saying it's good, that's fine by me, even during the bad times for ROH in 2011 and 2012 I tried to be positive and tell people, "oh it's still pretty good", when it wasn't, and would then contradict myself by criticizing the product - which is something I'll do to any show if it's not good enough. And my bottom line point is, TNA's not good enough, it should be better. I want it to be better, so I criticize it. If I didn't want it to be better, I wouldn't have watched the first episode on Destination America. That's true support, jack!

The thing is, that yes you're right, between the ending of Immortal and the formation of A&8s, the product that spanned the gap was rolling.

But, if you had rejoined the product post Slammiversary 2014, and watched late June through the ending of the Spike run, you'd see that the product actually had righted itself and was back to being just as good(actually probably better) for those 4-5 months than it was during the late-2011 to late-2012 era that you praised.

Now we're picking up where that hot summer and fall of 2014 left off, so we're all excited that the momentum and positive direction that was sparked with the first set of NYC tapings last year will continue.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

In response to this, I will say that we don't actually KNOW that EY is a part of the MVP stable..

Spoiler

It was mentioned in a promo that EY is in fact not part of BDC

 

[Lowdown]

They say all that glitters isn't gold, which ring true in wrestling. I don't like everything that TNA does, but that doesn't mean that everything they do is bad. I can be critical because I'm a fan, yet I'm not gonna shit on the product. Plus, in one of the dopes that likes to read the spoilers; sometimes it entices me to watch the upcoming programs when more. I'm careful not to divulge info on these forums.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I'm not a supporter anymore because I have expectations for the show it doesn't meet. I want it to be what it used to be because what it once was, wasn't broken, was changed and it shouldn't have been. Remember Roode's initial World title reign? Remember when Austin Aries won the title off him at Destination X 2011? Remember AJ Styles vs. Bully Ray, the initial formation of Bad Influence? THAT's the TNA I'm talking about, not the one from many, many years ago that is definitely never coming back.

I have no issue with anyone who has a bias for the show saying it's good, that's fine by me, even during the bad times for ROH in 2011 and 2012 I tried to be positive and tell people, "oh it's still pretty good", when it wasn't, and would then contradict myself by criticizing the product - which is something I'll do to any show if it's not good enough. And my bottom line point is, TNA's not good enough, it should be better. I want it to be better, so I criticize it. If I didn't want it to be better, I wouldn't have watched the first episode on Destination America. That's true support, jack!

Ah, right, "true" fandom. My favorite internet sports-related argument.

"I'm truer than you!"

Good for you if you think that. I have no interest in your dick-measuring contest, though. I'll just take your word that yours is bigger so we can continue talking about things that actually matter.

So again, you are more than welcome to your opinion of the product, and even your criticism of it. In every conceivable way, knock yourself out. Just don't come to my front door telling me how wrong I am for still enjoying it.

Ever notice how all the complaints against you in this thread have the same theme? Might be time you actually think about why.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Ever notice how all the complaints against you in this thread have the same theme? Might be time you actually think about why.

When it starts getting better, I will, until then, guess you just got to deal with it.

 

[Dirk]

condom use in AIDS-ridden Africa

Hey! I'm trying my absolute best to right this imbalance.

 

[Starkist]

Hey! I'm trying my absolute best to right this imbalance.

This is too funny, lol.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

When it starts getting better, I will, until then, guess you just got to deal with it.

I do. We all do. It's irritating as fuck, but we deal just fine.

 

[Starkist]

I do. We all do. It's irritating as fuck, but we deal just fine.

He red repped me, (I guess that's bad since it is red) for asking him a question in two threads. He said his answer has been posted already in this thread. I'm just going to read over his post from now on when he posts in here. He's a solid poster so I'll read them outside of this particular thread.

 

[ABMorales787]

There's Impact bumpers popping up as ads here now. Well there's some progress.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Joe, meant to ask you, could you hear the "you're not cool" guy at the taping on Friday night? It was hilarious. I'm not sure where you were sitting, but to the left of the stage (if you were looking at it) this kid in the crowd kept screaming at various guys (Lashley especially), just repeatedly asking them in a shouting manner "You think you're so cool, Lashley? You think you're cool? You're not cool, Lashley! You're not cool!"

My buddy I went with just kept egging him on by going "Yeah, you're not cool, Lashley!" and briefly started a "You're Not Cool!" chant.

I'm pretty sure everyone within ear shot of the chant but not within ear shot of the kid was really, really confused.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

Joe, meant to ask you, could you hear the "you're not cool" guy at the taping on Friday night? It was hilarious. I'm not sure where you were sitting, but to the left of the stage (if you were looking at it) this kid in the crowd kept screaming at various guys (Lashley especially), just repeatedly asking them in a shouting manner "You think you're so cool, Lashley? You think you're cool? You're not cool, Lashley! You're not cool!"

My buddy I went with just kept egging him on by going "Yeah, you're not cool, Lashley!" and briefly started a "You're Not Cool!" chant.

I'm pretty sure everyone within ear shot of the chant but not within ear shot of the kid was really, really confused.

Nope I didn't hear that guy at all

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Oh, man, it was hilarious.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't "all there" up top. Every match he was screaming that someone in the ring wasn't cool.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

Sounds really funny, so your seat was right in front of where Hardy crashed onto the steel steps?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

No, we were up on the stage itself. If you were looking at the entrance, I was front row right to the left of it. I had a great view of the Hardy bump.

My view: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s21wfydgbyepwl4/2015-01-09 19.13.08.jpg?dl=0

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

Ok so I was to the left of you in that picture

Edit: I'm actually visible if you zoom in on that picture you put up.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

There's a lot of interesting tidbits of info in the Observer this week on Impact's debut on Destination America, but I found this to be very interesting as someone who is also an ROH fan.

The updated attendance figures for last weeks TV tapings are 500 for 1/7, 350 for 1/8 and 1,100 sold-out for 1/9. TNA are going to focus a lot more on where they book for TV taping's and other events this year because they've no room to waste money on large arenas they can't fill. They're on the fence about returning to the Sands Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania because the last set of tapings weren't well received and the place is a bit more expensive to book than the Grand Ballroom, which even I find surprising. They're looking at possibly returning to Orlando and NYC once they return from the UK tour. One of the big targets for TNA this year is to takeover ROH in-terms of live attendance after they overtook TNA last year. In-comparison to TNA, ROH drew 900 sold-out to their TV taping in Nashville, Tennessee on 1/3 and their 1/24 show from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia looks to be nearing sell-out already which will fit roughly 1,000 people.

I'm not posting this as a negative by the way, but instead as a way of saying maybe this sort of competition can be healthy and drive TNA forward. Gives them something to work for.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I hate the Impact Zone, but I'd rather they fill small arenas than barely fill big ones.

 

[klunderbunker]

Yeah it's bad looking. I'm watching the latest One Night Only and they have about 500 people in an arena that holds 15,000. Go to an armory or something because this looks really bad.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

It's all about prices too. They can't run the Grand Ballroom all the time because it's just too expensive, it's like $60,000 or something for one nights rent of the place. ROH had to stop using the Hammerstein Ballroom because they increased it to $120,000 and they were the most regular leaser. The 2300 Arena, which is the renovated ECW Arena is an option. It's built for TV too. They may be able to get a deal in Orlando.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

Via TNAInsider:

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that TNA is talking with Bully Ray about a new potential contract. While there is no deal in place, no one in TNA would be surprised if he did come back.

Bully Ray’s contract with TNA expired in August and he made his last appearance at Bound for Glory.

 

[Rayne]

There's nothing stopping TNA from mimicking ROH's setup, where everything behind the 8th row is really, really, REALLY dark, so that you can't see that there's only 300 people there and the janitors never took down the 1997 State XC Championship banner. And I say that liking the stuff ROH has put out recently. It's a strategy where it's low budget and you don't focus on showing the massive arena crowd that isn't there. Showing off the six-sided ring doesn't really let you get away with stacking the audience on camera side; if you're going to use it, you need overhead shots and cameramen with the freedom to roam. Shrink the space that you have to film in, whether with lights or by square footage.

On the subject of Bully Ray, why not? It's a given that he'll explore his options in Japan and with the WWE (whose tag team performers could desperately use a team being Chris Jericho and giving them a rub). He'll go where the best deal is, and there's no reason TNA can't offer it to him.

 

[Starkist]

I hope they get Bully Ray back. I like the change he made when he split from Devon. All the hate he got with "he can't succeed with a stupid name such as Bully Ray" was funny to hear. Well, he did and did amazing things. I know AJ Styles is a long shot but if both these guys came back then that'd be awesome for TNA and TNA fans.

 

[Papa Pillman]

As this official posters shows, the full roster has been released by TNA for their UK tour and it looks like this:

Lashley, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, MVP, Low Ki, Samoa Joe, Kenny King, Eric Young, Austin Aries, Ethan Carter III, Tyrus, Rockstar Spud, Matt Hardy, Magnus, Bram, Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, James Storm, Abyss, Sanada, Manik, Koya, Gunner, Robbie E, Jessie Godderz, DJ Z, Crazzy Steve, Rebel, Mr. Anderson, Chris Melendez, Samuel Shaw, Gail Kim, Taryn Terrell, Awesome Kong, Madison Rayne, Angelina Love, Brooke Tessmacher, Al Snow, Grado, Noam Dar, Kay Lee Ray, Mark Andrews, Dave Mastiff and Rampage Brown.

Notably Sam Shaw is on this officially released list from TNA, yet is the only talent listed to not be pictured in the official promo poster, casting confusion on his true status for the tour. Also notable by her absence is Jessicka Havok, but rumors are circulating that she may only be missing the tour due to personal obligations revolving around the recent sudden death of her Grandfather.

Spoiler

Also notable is that Aries, Magnus, Spud, and all three members of the BroMan's as well as Angelina Love are listed for the tour, while Velvet Sky is not. Further lending credence to the belief that she will be forced to lay claim to what will be the "fired" contract inside the briefcase that she pulled down during Feast or Fired at the second night of NYC tapings.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

There's nothing stopping TNA from mimicking ROH's setup, where everything behind the 8th row is really, really, REALLY dark, so that you can't see that there's only 300 people there and the janitors never took down the 1997 State XC Championship banner. And I say that liking the stuff ROH has put out recently. It's a strategy where it's low budget and you don't focus on showing the massive arena crowd that isn't there. Showing off the six-sided ring doesn't really let you get away with stacking the audience on camera side; if you're going to use it, you need overhead shots and cameramen with the freedom to roam. Shrink the space that you have to film in, whether with lights or by square footage.

On the subject of Bully Ray, why not? It's a given that he'll explore his options in Japan and with the WWE (whose tag team performers could desperately use a team being Chris Jericho and giving them a rub). He'll go where the best deal is, and there's no reason TNA can't offer it to him.

Meltzer has a paragraph on the lighting actually. Can't be bothered opening the Newsletter and copying/pasting, but basically the jist of it was, they made a mistake on the first night with the lighting because they got rid of a lot of people and there are some people doing jobs they've never done before and when they finally noticed that the lights were pointing directly at the ring and that it looked very dark everywhere else, fans were already seated and they thought It'd look silly to fix it. To save their asses Dixie said it was "on purpose", but if it was on purpose then why did they fix it for the second and third nights of tapings?

He also commented that it's acceptable for ROH to have the lighting they have because they take the money that maybe should go into production to put it into booking wrestlers, a style which has worked, but Meltzer pointed out quite rightly that when ROH are on national PPV their lighting has been as good as any TNA show in the past two years. They just have an affinity toward dark canvasing so it creates shadows.