Impact Wrestling NEED To Go Live, NOW!

[RD_21]

The topic title is the realisation I just came to. Of course I've knew for a long time that they needed to go live like many people on this forum, but it just hit me in the face harder than before.

I can't wait to see the rating for Raw this week that was recorded in Mexico. Like many or unlike many since I don't know the numbers, I have a hard time refrainning myself from reading the spoilers. What happenned to Raw this week for me? I had ZERO interest in watching it, I knew nothing particular would happen since I had read the spoilers so I didn't watch it. I wanted to, but I couldn't.

Now before I get attacked by a legion of anti-WWE guys, I will excuse myself for talking about WWE, but I think you can all relate to this example.

I've also realised that the same thing is happenning for me with IW. When I was watching it as my number 1 wrestling program (before my favorite WWE star, CM Punk, was pushed "more properly") I was doing my best to stay away from the spoilers and IW was feeling fresh and different and I liked it, but I've fall back into my habbits of reading spoilers lately since I've only have so much time for wrestling in my life.

But if even the WWE can't draw big numbers with recorded show, imagine IW. They REALLY need to go live sooner than later, because more people will tune in when they can't know what will happen before the show, just in case something bigs happen.

Anyone else agree/disagree with me?
Do you think IW needs to go live eventually? Yesterday? NOW?

 

[HoHo]

I always though going live for TNA and another Impact show during the week would help show what TNA is all about to the masses.The problem is, TNA tried the live gig, and the ratings were horrible in which TNA went back to Thursdays.If they do it for more than just a month or two, TNA would get more viewers.

 

[RD_21]

I know that the last time they went live it didn't went the way they wanted, but they could go live and remain on Thursday. I think the monday move killed them, combined with the fact that they were still showing Impact on thrusday so people didn't have to adapt or die.

 

[HoHo]

Didn't they do TNA live a couple of times when Hogan arrived.The ratings were about the same numbers.TNA has loads of problems right now after the chaos from BFG, TNA needs to do something to grab the fans back in to watch.

 

[TUFFY54]

There is no excuse for TNA to not be live at least every other week. Taped shows simply aren't exciting. It's not just a matter of reading spoilers. When you watch Impact, you know that its been scrubbed, edited, and reshot. It simply doesn't have the feel of a big time wrestling show. It's the same as trying to compare RAW and Smackdown. Raw has an energy to it that Smackdown will never have.

TNA never has surprises. They film a months worth of TV in one week. It makes it seems incredibly cheap when they say "tune in next week to see what happens" and you know damn well that "what happened" already watched by 1000 fans at the Impact Zone.

When TNA went live in 2010 I thought it was some of the best shows they had ever done. It was the first time I was ever excited about watching their show. The only mistake they made was moving from Thursdays.

 

[neildittmar]

Doing live television and going head-to-head against the goliath of the industry do not have to happen simultaneously. It worked for WCW in the mid-late 90's, but lightning often doesn't (and in TNA's case, didn't) strike twice.

The 1/4/2010 program that did a 1.5 rating against RAW should've been the begining of weekly live iMPACT shows going forward. They had a bit of momentum coming out of that show and the company should've capitalized on it aggressively. They didn't, allowing a full two months of taped Thursday broadcasts before finally going live again in March. By that time, any buzz from the 1/4 show had died down considerably and they just couldn't capture it again. The end result was that TNA got it's backsided handed to it in the incredibly short-lived Monday Night Wars 2.

Still, going live on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday would accomplish quite a few good things for IW I think. First, the feeling that "anything can happen" would be in full effect. This has proven crucial to professional wrestling and was one of the primary catalysts for WCW Nitro's initial successes. Second, spoilers would be incredibly reduced and possibly eliminated all together. The lack of spoilers gives folks a reason to watch as, again, you just don't know what's going to happen. If IW can combine live unpredictability with compelling content, I think they can give WWE a run for their money... over time of course.

The only downside I see to iMPACT going live lays within IW's abilities at producing live television in and of itself. I noticed that with all of TNA's live iMPACTS in 2010 there were, shall we say, inconsistencies in the production. You could tell that camera angles weren't quite right some of the time, with people scrambling to get better shots. Cues were sometimes being missed by both the wrestlers (entrances, promos, etc.) and the announcers. The worst offenders were some of the commercial breaks... a combination of being inserted at times where they cut off critical moments (like Flair going into AJ's dressing room on 1/4) or in such a jagged way that the content suffered (dropping to commercial mid-match without the announcers making note).

If IW not only goes live, but does so in a very smooth, professional manner I can only see it being a good thing that enhances their programming.

 

[Rckstrtmmy]

Not only do they have to go live, but they have to get the FUCK out of the Impact Zone. I hate the fact that its the same losers in the front rows all the time with their stupid lameass chants and shit. The main problem though is that both are expensive as hell. Typically you have to establish the viewers FIRST, then you can go live and on the road. TNA needs some more marketable guys before they can move up in the world of wrestling.

 

[randomguyri]

well i just read spoilers and seen spoiler video for smackdown now im excited to see the finished episode with the editing and glitz added

if you read a spoiler and had no interest in watching it must have described a weak show

cant wait to watch smackdown and see the sin cara vs sin cara mask match tyhe video ive seen of it looked better then their match at hell in a cell

 

[WWESycophantsCanBlowMe]

The topic title is the realisation I just came to. Of course I've knew for a long time that they needed to go live like many people on this forum, but it just hit me in the face harder than before.

I can't wait to see the rating for Raw this week that was recorded in Mexico. Like many or unlike many since I don't know the numbers, I have a hard time refrainning myself from reading the spoilers. What happenned to Raw this week for me? I had ZERO interest in watching it, I knew nothing particular would happen since I had read the spoilers so I didn't watch it. I wanted to, but I couldn't.

Now before I get attacked by a legion of anti-WWE guys, I will excuse myself for talking about WWE, but I think you can all relate to this example.

I've also realised that the same thing is happenning for me with IW. When I was watching it as my number 1 wrestling program (before my favorite WWE star, CM Punk, was pushed "more properly") I was doing my best to stay away from the spoilers and IW was feeling fresh and different and I liked it, but I've fall back into my habbits of reading spoilers lately since I've only have so much time for wrestling in my life.

But if even the WWE can't draw big numbers with recorded show, imagine IW. They REALLY need to go live sooner than later, because more people will tune in when they can't know what will happen before the show, just in case something bigs happen.

Anyone else agree/disagree with me?
Do you think IW needs to go live eventually? Yesterday? NOW?

I agree with you 100%! The spoilers for I.W. wrestling are actually posted twice on this site, the day the taping occurs, and on the day the show airs, which gives even more opportunity for the show to be hurt by people reading them.

 

[CleverName51]

Here's the thing, is going live financially beneficial? Doesn't TNA/IW have a contract with universal to tape Impact at the Impact Zone if they breach that contract to go live, they'd be paying double. You'd be paying Universal Studios for NOT using the Zone and you'd be paying for the new venue as well...

That said, if the contract expires with the impact zone, TNA/IW should look to travel to smaller venues in the Southeast/Mid western US. Hit up some minor league hockey arenas in the ECHL league (they have teams in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina) these venues all seat 8000-12000 and would be perfect for a smaller program like Impact


Next: UP THE PRODUCTION VALUES! my god...no matter what, there's one thing WWE does right- that's put on a show....the lights, the HD set, the pyro, the WOW factor of the WWE destroys TNA. TNA/IW production values need to increase. WWE has a major league feel, watching TNA just screams minor league.

When I watch WWE, I may complain about the story lines being lackluster and some performers being "meh" but I think of it this way

WWE is a major league sports team going through a slump, all they need is the right grew of players and right coaches (or in WWE's case, better creative) and things will pick up.

TNA/IW is a minor league sports team: there's some good talent, but all of it is incredibly old (Hogan, Flair, Sting, Angle, Daniels, Bully Ray, Jeff Jarrett are all 40+), or has a major flaw (AJ Styles can't get over on the mic, Pope just disappeared, Jeff Hardy has drug problems, Kennedy/Anderson gets hurt all the time, Roode is getting old, Crimson isn't ready, Matt Morgan kinda fizzled out) and the things that WERE good about TNA (Tag team's and knockouts) have been taken away by Bischoff, Russo, Hogan.

If TNA's goal is turning a mediocre profit: they're doing just fine, they (supposedly) make money, they have a nice weekly TV deal with Spike, they get PPV events made and have cards with stars on them.


If TNA's goal is competing is competing with WWE and making WWE type money: you know, these public finances (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWE):

Revenue $142.6 million (Q2/2011)
Operating income $21.0 million (Q2/2011)
Profit $14.3 million (Q2/2011)
Total assets $395.8 million (Q2/2011)
Total equity $312.9 million (Q2/2011)



if TNA wants those type of numbers, TNA needs to take some risks, here's how to do it.

1: Make Xplosion a second weekly show in the USA. Air it for 1 hour on Mondays at 8pm, use it like WWE Sunday Night Heat in the late 90s. Have it for lower carders. Except during PPV weeks, on PPV weeks, move Xplosion to Sundays as a 1 hour free lead-in to the PPV. This MIGHT make people buy the PPV.

2: Fire Jeff Hardy before he kills someone while high. If Jeff Hardy performs high again, and he injures someone (another wrestler or audience member) the lawsuit WILL bankrupt TNA. Cut the possible loss. Fire him. Never let him near Impact again.

3: Advertise, advertise, advertise: WWE stars are all over mainstream late night talk shows, in movies, guest starring on tv shows. TNA needs to do the same. Have Hogan on ESPN every single week. Find a tv show like CSI or something that's watched by a lot of people, have a TNA star GUEST STAR on it.

For example: there's an episode of House THE TOP WATCHED SHOW ON FOX, A MAJOR NETWORK, where House is depicted as a TNA fan (I can't find the clip, but he was watching a Chris Daniels match) since the character on this show is a TNA fan. Have TNA ask Fox if Chris Daniels or another TNA employee can GUEST STAR on the show for exposure. Who cares if their acting sucks? John Cena on Psych was nothing special, point is...GET TNA STARS ON MAJOR TV. With that, promote Mickie James's singing career on TNA. Get her on tv shows to talk TNA/IW and music.

4. Build form within-ish. Instead of pushing WWE rejects, scour the indies, Japan and Mexico for talent, bring them and push them...fans aren't flocking to see WWE rejects, give something new.


Rant over.

 

[Clem]

I had the same problem with Raw as the original poster.

I tuned in all ready to watch, then it occurred to me that I knew everything that was going to happen, so I turned it off and did something else.

 

[Krossbreed]

tna definately should go live...but not from the impact zone in orlando...was going to go to the tapings today but had business to tend to...theres always tomorrow though. When tna is in the south like Tennessee and especially over in the uk there crowd attendance and energy is good for live tv.

 

[MaxPlastic]

I completely agree. Think of how much more impact Hogan's fake retirement segment would have had if we didn't know about it THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF TIME! Refraining from reading spoilers is hard enough, but when you tape so many shows that they exceed the statute of limitations on spoilers it makes it that much harder. TNA need to go live, they need to be live on Thursday. And if it's some kind of Universal Studios contract that's keeping them from going live on Thursday, then they need to tape one show for that week. Not two shows for the next two, but one show for that week. And definitely not three consecutive tapings for the next three weeks

They need to go live, and they need to air those live shows from live arenas. They need to get out of the Impact Zone so they can make some real money and they need to shop around for another network within the MTV Networks family like VH1 or MTV because Spike have no idea if they wanna be The CW, History Channel or FX. Like I said in a column earlier: TNA have been loading the gun for nine damn years; It's time to finally pull the trigger

 

[bxbigshow]

After reading tonight's spoilers for this Thursday's show, I feel this should've been live. Hell a lot of what TNA is doing works best on love tv, IMO. Because if you read what happened 3 days prior, you have reason to not watch Impact at all.

Like now I don't need to watch Thursday, I can go drink. If I want to see what happens I can go to Youtube on the weekend and cherrypick what I want.

 

[MWRedskins]

i agree. at least once have it live because then it either ruins people caring to watch it OR it spoils things that are best left to be shown live.

 

[SpecialFNK]

After reading tonight's spoilers for this Thursday's show, I feel this should've been live. Hell a lot of what TNA is doing works best on love tv, IMO. Because if you read what happened 3 days prior, you have reason to not watch Impact at all.

Like now I don't need to watch Thursday, I can go drink. If I want to see what happens I can go to Youtube on the weekend and cherrypick what I want.

I agree with this.

spoilers for tonight all all over twitter, even to those who don't want to see the spoilers. spoilers can be posted anywhere and people that do not want to see spoilers can see them and then the coming episode of Impact could be ruined for them.

when you have a big surprise but can find out that big surprise before it airs, it's not really a big surprise anymore. if EVERYONE had to find out the big surprise because it was live it would be much better for TNA.

going live would fix this. why can't TNA go live at least sometimes? do they like better being able to edit? I know over the last 6-8 months? there have been at least 2 different times during tapings where TNA redid a segment they had already taped. I think it was a Sting/Flair promo prior to the Sting/Flair match where during the promo one of them mentioned some time in WCW and used WCW by name. later during the tapigns they redid the segment and this time did not mention WCW. I'm pretty sure TNA would not be able to mention the name WCW. could TNA be afraid of something like that happening?

I personally read spoilers as soon as they come out. I look forward to the spoilers just as much as I do the episode of impact on TV.

also mentioned, TNA needs to do more out of the Impact Zone. they have been on the road more, and I think I read somewhere they have that planned more in the future.

 

[bxbigshow]

Take tonight out of the equation and I think at least once a month Impact should be live. Either the "go home" show leading to a PPV. Or the first show coming out of a PPV.

This way if you do it before, TNA can have a big, shocking moment that would make people want to buy Sunday's show. Or if done afterwards, you can shock everyone by going in new directions or furthering storylines.

And definitely outside of the Impact Zone...a bunch of freeloaders whose only contribution to the product is going to an amusement park early.

 

[slice_of_life]

I agree. But I was at BFG and it drew terribly. If you can't get people in Philadelphia of all places to come to what is supposed to be your biggest event of the year, then who will come to Impact? It would succeed in Orlando because they draw there, but they probably don't have the revenue to survive touring across the country. Orlando is a safety net because they know it is going to draw, there is uncertainty outside of that.

 

[Rayne]

Wow, can't believe I haven't seen *this* thread before.........

Yes, I don't think you'll find anyone here disagreeing that Impact should go live. I think it would be of long term benefit to a company which seems to be hiring a lot of people over the past couple of years without anything to show for it besides the fact that they hired people. (For those of you in the "but look at Hogan on the radio!" camp, what has that actually done for TNA/IW over the past couple of years? The justification almost never comes back to what kind of money Hogan brings back to TNA/IW, but always seems to take the form of "he gets them publicity which they wouldn't get otherwise", which isn't really meaningful when the ratings numbers don't move.)

Impact! would be much more "must see" with it being live. If we lived in a WCW world where pocketbooks were limitless, TNA/IW would be on the road right now. But at this point I wonder if the investment required to go live would end up paying off for TNA/IW. It's been two years of them trying just about everything, and they don't have much to show for it. Is going to live television going to swing things around for them?

Don't get me wrong, I think live television is more appealing to watch than anything prerecorded. It's 2011, we demand our sports live or not at all. But there are other considerations besides "this would obviously make TNA/IW so much money!!!" How? When? How much? From who? At the cost of what agreements with Universal?

 

[Dagger Dias]

This topic comes up too often. The problem isn't that Impact Wrestling does not do live episodes. The problem is that they do too many shows at the Impact Zone. If they did live episodes each week then it would not change anything. They need to travel more often and try to appeal to the larger portion of their fanbase, those of us who don't go to the Impact Zone each week. They did do live editions of their show back in spring of 2010 when they had the short lived second monday night war with WWE. We saw a few surprises like Hardy's return but going live did not change much about the show. They should focus on other things they need to work on before deciding whether to go live or not because an improved product needs to be a higher priority than whether it's taped or not.

 

[aaronmb]

Anyone notice that when they arent in the impact zone, theres almost always people in the audience taking things too seriously? Like on the last Impact dressed like hogan. He was on the left side of the ring. I dont think they necessarily need to go live, but it would be better, its just they tape too many shows weekly. Tonights Impact wouldve been better live, since pretty much everyone has spoiled the big spoiler, which to me, isnt a swerve, its from all the backlash hogan got.

 

[Theo Mays]

In a perfect wrestling world all shows would be live. It gives us that surprise factor that we crave as wrestling fans. I do agree that TNA would benefit from having a live Impact Wrestling. I think if they did it on occasions like the WWE does with SD it would be good for their business. TNA like someone said, has too many tapings per week and it really puts a damper on things. We as fans know what is happening a month in advance. I believe Impact should be live every time they decide to take the show on the road. I think that would be best for them. It gets them out of the Impact Zone and we've seen that the crowds are much better when TNA goes on the road. That gives TNA one live show a month and three taped shows. I'm pretty sure they can manage doing that.

 

[Dizzy]

IW does really need to go live. And I think tonight's show is a prime example of why it should be live.

However, until they sign with a better network they will never go consistently live considering Spike TV is extremely cheap when it comes to going live even with UFC.

 

[HBKeith]

I would probably watch more if it did go live. I have a hard time not reading the spoilers for IW and for Smackdown, and I rarely watch either. I'm watching tonight for some reason. It's the first time I have watched in a while and I can't stand the piping in of the crowd noise. Is this something new? It's terrible. Makes the product look cheap considering there are about 400 fans sitting on their hands and it sounds like crowd noise from the main event of WM when Dixie Carter is talking to Sting. It's just very obvious. Why couldn't they go live on Tuesday night or something? No one says they have to go head to head with Raw to be successful. There isn't shit on Tuesday nights.