Move to Vegas?

[Weems2k]

Being a huge TNA fan, I hate watching PPV's and Impact from that crappy Universal Studio set in Orlando. It's small, not the best of lighting, and the same loser nobs are there each, and every week doing their same wise-ass chants. I guess that's what you get for having free admission.

Now I know this will prolly never happen, but I think TNA would do good to move out to Vegas. It's a good spot for their targeted demographic. It'll have a more big time feel to it too. Maybe like have Impact from Planet Hollywood, or some other hotel. Then the PPV's from the MGM Grand arena. Granted they won't sell it out every time, but at least it'll have a better production feel than the dingy Impact Zone now. I think it would also help spread the TNA brand out more than just the Southern US. Just a thought I came up with until TNA starts doing more regular touring for their shows.

 

[Simmo]

Agree 100% that the Impact Zone looks a bit dodgy and crap at times but IMHO the best thing for TNA to do is build the brand where they are and then start to move around, but this would only work for PPV's

Once they have a bigger profile (keeping in mind a lot of wrestlers like TNA as it is in the one place and they don't have to travel all the time like in WWE....) they could then look at having PPV's in bigger venues at different locations...

 

[XgringolocoX]

yeah, vegas is a city you want your talent spending all their time in....be serious.

However I agree 100% that TNA would look more ligit if the Impact Zone wasn't the only place the did TV from. I once said it made them look low rent and the TNA marks damn near tar n feathered me.

 

[Trill Co$by]

Why should iMPACT have to move out of the South just to get a better place? I mean sure, it has that Southern feel to it because nobody else but the people in the south would give it a chance. Not to mention, it was made in the south.

I will agree, however, that TNA has been in a desperate need for an arena switch, but I have always believed it should stay in the South. You know, the area that made it the damn company it is today. If anything, they could set up shop right here in SC at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville. It's where WWE does events all the time, and TNA has sold out the arena themselves quite a few times. The only problem is that there would be no blood shed, so with that, I propose going back to the Asylum.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Wouldn't filming in Vegas cost more? And didn't somebody say that there was a possibility that they wouldn't sell out each week? That's hardly going to improve the atmosphere or overall look of the shows.

If you film in Vegas each week you're likely to attract the same type of people they already get at the iMPACT Zone, tourists and locals.

What is the target demographic of TNA anyway? Suley it can't be adults, it has to be children. I've never seen Vegas as the most child friendly place.

 

[Tastycles]

They need to leave the Impact Zone, but unless they can find an empty arena in a huge city, they are going to come into trouble. The reason the Impact Zone works is that it is both in a reasonably big city, but it also has a steady flow of people from outside the area in attendance every single week. Without fail, there are British tourists on every episode. If they moved to a big city, there'd be enough diversity, but the company is unlikely to ever get an arena that they can afford the rent on at the size they are now.

Whenever TNA has ventured out of the Impact Zone it has fared terribly. Slammiversary drew 4,000 in a 20,000 seat arena, which is beyond attrocious. If they have a permanent base elsewhere, then they will struggle to perform half as well as they do right now.

Vegas might well be the only sensible option in terms of being able to have the drawing power, and being allowed low rent because you'll be drawing people to the adjacent casinos, but in all honesty, I would not want wrestlers anywhere near that town if I ran a promotion, as they're hardly known for being bastions of self-control, especially when put somewhere 24 hour gambling and partying.

If anything, they could set up shop right here in SC at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville. It's where WWE does events all the time, and TNA has sold out the arena themselves quite a few times.

If by "sold-out" you mean "sold less than 3,500 tickets for a 15,000 seat arena" then yes, TNA have done that. Greenville is precisely the sort of place they don't want to move, because there would be no tourism and the population isn't big enough to keep the show well attended. They could either let people in for free, which would mean they'd be making a loss on rent, or they could expect around of a fifth of the population of the city to shell out money every week to watch wrestling. It just isn't going to happen, not to mention the absolute farce that happened last time they had a show there.

As for the Asylum... Ignoring the fact it's being knocked down, the fact it has the same issues as all the other places mentioned, the fact it isn't suitable for television broadcasting which is the reason that they left in the firstplace and the fact that it is smaller than the Impact Zone, it is a great idea. When you consider any of those facts, it really, really isn't.

I think people need to face facts. TNA needs to be touring 4,000 seater arenas and then moving to progressively larger ones as it grows, but it doesn't have the capital for that right now. They are unlikely to find a better permanent base than the Impact Zone for the size of company that they are, and more to the point, why waste money on a costly move, when the ultimate medium term aim is to become a touring company, like every successful wrestling company in history has done.

 

[pun2003hh]

I agree that TNA needs out of Universal but I don't think Vegas is the best of ideas. The issue that you need to remember is that TNA doesn't charge admission at the impact zone due to policy at Universal Studios. A move to a new venue will allow TNA to bring in a new revenue stream, but now you have to sell tickets to the shows. I think for this to be successful, they would need to move to a larger metropolitan city that has a history of pro wrestling in their past. My pick, why not infringe on enemy territory.... New York City!

Now obviously they aren't going to be running shows at the Garden, but I don't see why they wouldn't be able to work out a bi-weekly contract with a venue like the Hammerstein Ballroom. Between passionate wrestling fans in the NY/NJ area and tourists that come through the area on a daily basis, I don't see why they wouldn't be able to pull a packed house full of paying customers on a regular basis. Hell, independents like JAPW and ROH do very well in the area.

 

[Honkey_Kong]

Actually, Vegas wouldn't be a bad idea for moving Impact to.

It's a city of over a million people and millions of people every year come to it for vacation. As far as the talent goes, many show performers in Vegas love their gigs there, because they get the feel every night of being on the road, but at the end of the day, they go to their home and sleep in their own bed.

The other thing with Vegas is the city is in bad shape economically. Unemployment is around 10%, the city itself needs more attractions to draw more people. So, Impact in Vegas could end up being mutually beneficial to both TNA and the city.

As far as arenas that Impact could be filmed at, there is The Orleans Arena. It used to be home for Vegas'es AFL team and their minor league hockey team. So for the most part that arena is empty.

They could shoot Impact, the PPV and do house shows in the same building every week.