NWA:TNA Weekly PPV (2hrs) VS TNA iMPACT! (2hrs) [Matches]

[Xtreme_Animlas2314]

NWA:TNA Weekly PPV (2hrs) VS TNA Impact! (2hrs) [Matches]

I was watching some old matches from 2002 and seeing how good they really were compare to whats going on. I am wondering which version of shows is better between the two. I know one is more of a PPV feel and rather the other is stuff put together.


NWA:TNA Weekly PPV (June 19, 2002 - September 8, 2004)

Back in this era their were some good feuds going on but in general I 'm talking about matches as a whole. Most of the matches I really enjoyed were between the X-Division talents. The other two divisions were good as well but the matches with the X Division was on whole another level at this time. Thats what drew me into this company to begin with. The weekly ppv shows were pretty much a PPV type feel every week. I think even the Impact today should at least feel that way instead of people just facing each other for fun and barely any point. Then you have to factor in that weekly PPV didn't have to cut to commercials like Impact does so basicly the show is barely one hour and half at most. Looking back stacking each matches to Impact today most don't really that good except a few. As long as MCMG, AJ Styles, Kurt Angle, Sting, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, and few others made the Impact shows something. Back then it was all of the NEW young guys which is what TNA is trying to do now but I just don't feel like the Impact that I watch these days are exciting like the weekly PPV were back then.


Thoughts?


TNA Impact! (June 4, 2004 - Present)

Their were some interesting matches on Impact but every week it was something new and different. Half the time you didn't know what you were getting or TNA just threw something together at the time. Side note is that the weekly PPV were at live most of the time I believe. Anything could happen and Impact at times were dull or fast-foward though matches if you didn't like them. All I am saying is that TNA kinda of stepped down a bit with the quality matches compare to when the company was coming together.


Thoughts?



I know there are a lot more talents and not enough time. You can say the same thing about the weekly PPV. The matches itself moved storyline instead of messed up/bad microphone work skills or stupid backstage skits. I wonder what would happen if they actually just let people go out their and wrestle a few matches to see how the crowd reacts and then let the feud build a bit by using backstage/in ring segments/interviews or brawls to move the storylines along. To me TNA isn't the same as it was few years ago. It gets dull at time especially when you get people interviews or segments more then actual time to wrestle except on PPV.


I think the format TNA is using right now needs to change and spice things up. Let the talents show case their best work in the ring besides behind a microphone or segments/skits that don't mean much.


The WWE does that enough for everybody with their microphone wor or segments/skits on a weekly basis. TNA don't have time to follow that with their only one show.

I guess enough ranting.!


Looking at the two NWA:TNA Weekly PPV and TNA Impact! matches which of the two shows show cased the best matches?


Thoughts.?!

 

[Nikeo]

The IWC may have liked the old NWA:TNA matches but the majority of wrestling fans didn't. I've seen many of them and they remind me of ROH - all style with no substance. There is no psychology, people take massive bumps regularly and make them seem meaningless when they get straight back up after a high-impact move.

TNA's Impact matches have been hit and miss at best but their audience has grown bigger as a result of them. It's a no brainer that many in the IWC don't understand: it's better to cater to the majority than the minority. Many of the fans on this board will be clamoring to talk up the old X-Division without realizing that they're the only few people that really care about it.

Mark my words: the old TNA product wouldn't sell to or draw from 95% of wrestling fans and you can't make a massive profit pandering to the smarks.

 

[Xtreme_Animlas2314]

True I get what you are saying. Theirs a few that like a certain way but you have to cater to wider audience then the few that like things that one way. I guess in my eyes it was a better product at times then what we are seeing I guess. It could be just some of the wrestlers that they had back in the day to the ones we are seeing now. That kind of help as well.

I just should be happy to have an alternative to the WWE then just the one promotion.!!

 

[MisterRob]

The IWC may have liked the old NWA:TNA matches but the majority of wrestling fans didn't. I've seen many of them and they remind me of ROH - all style with no substance. There is no psychology, people take massive bumps regularly and make them seem meaningless when they get straight back up after a high-impact move.

TNA's Impact matches have been hit and miss at best but their audience has grown bigger as a result of them. It's a no brainer that many in the IWC don't understand: it's better to cater to the majority than the minority. Many of the fans on this board will be clamoring to talk up the old X-Division without realizing that they're the only few people that really care about it.

Mark my words: the old TNA product wouldn't sell to or draw from 95% of wrestling fans and you can't make a massive profit pandering to the smarks.

Bullshit.

The reason TNA got a television deal and went from weekly PPVs to weekly television and monthly PPVs is because they had built up their fan base large enough to do it, and do it successfully. That fan base was built up because of the way things WERE then, including the prominent X Division. Things didn't suddenly change over night, either..

You want to know what the REAL telling sign is. It's the fact that in their first three years on Spike with Impact, where the X Division was prominent, where they focused on many unique things like the World X Cup, where their product was far different then what it is NOW, they rose from 0.6s and 0.8s to 1.1s and 1.2s. They had reached 1.2 by the end of 2006.

But, what's happened in the FOUR years since then? What's happened since TNA's changed their product so greatly, and they've brought in names from WWE, old stars from WCW, brought in Hogan and Bischoff? They're STILL doing 1.1 and 1.2. That says it all.

 

[Nikeo]

Bullshit.

The reason TNA got a television deal and went from weekly PPVs to weekly television and monthly PPVs is because they had built up their fan base large enough to do it, and do it successfully. That fan base was built up because of the way things WERE then, including the prominent X Division. Things didn't suddenly change over night, either..

You want to know what the REAL telling sign is. It's the fact that in their first three years on Spike with Impact, where the X Division was prominent, where they focused on many unique things like the World X Cup, where their product was far different then what it is NOW, they rose from 0.6s and 0.8s to 1.1s and 1.2s. They had reached 1.2 by the end of 2006.

But, what's happened in the FOUR years since then? What's happened since TNA's changed their product so greatly, and they've brought in names from WWE, old stars from WCW, brought in Hogan and Bischoff? They're STILL doing 1.1 and 1.2. That says it all.

By the end of 2006 they'd also hired Kurt Angle, Christian, The Dudleys and Jeff Hardy at one stage. Sting was playing a prominent role and Samoa Joe was feuding with Angle in what everyone knew would be a dream program. The focus was NOT on the X Division.

This thread differentiates between NWA:TNA 2002-2004 and Impact 2004-Present. The product they gave through the weekly PPVs is what I'm referring to and if TNA were to put on those same shows now they'd be out of business in a year.

You're trying to claim the Super X Cup was a massive draw? The last one they held was an absolute farce.

The X Division never has been and never will be a draw for ANY major wrestling organization, it was a nice idea TNA used to gain the smark audience and when they grew they began using familiar names to cater to a wider audience. The ratings may still be bad but I guarantee you they'd be worse were the X Division the focal point.

I checked it up too though dude and do you realize when TNA started regularly drawing 1.0s? It had nothing to do with the X-Division, it's when Kurt Angle was signed. Wrestling fans want good story-telling, good angles and wrestlers they know. The majority of fans to this guy couldn't give a toss about Christopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn or the weekly PPV matches, neither of those names would draw money, but guys like Sting and Angle have brought credibility to TNA. Without those two TNA probably wouldn't be around today.

 

[MisterRob]

By the end of 2006 they'd also hired Kurt Angle, Christian, The Dudleys and Jeff Hardy at one stage. Sting was playing a prominent role and Samoa Joe was feuding with Angle in what everyone knew would be a dream program. The focus was NOT on the X Division.

This thread differentiates between NWA:TNA 2002-2004 and Impact 2004-Present. The product they gave through the weekly PPVs is what I'm referring to and if TNA were to put on those same shows now they'd be out of business in a year.

You're trying to claim the Super X Cup was a massive draw? The last one they held was an absolute farce.

The X Division never has been and never will be a draw for ANY major wrestling organization, it was a nice idea TNA used to gain the smark audience and when they grew they began using familiar names to cater to a wider audience. The ratings may still be bad but I guarantee you they'd be worse were the X Division the focal point.

I checked it up too though dude and do you realize when TNA started regularly drawing 1.0s? It had nothing to do with the X-Division, it's when Kurt Angle was signed. Wrestling fans want good story-telling, good angles and wrestlers they know. The majority of fans to this guy couldn't give a toss about Christopher Daniels, Jerry Lynn or the weekly PPV matches, neither of those names would draw money, but guys like Sting and Angle have brought credibility to TNA. Without those two TNA probably wouldn't be around today.

No. TNA Impact had been doing 1.1s and even a 1.2 in the early stages of 2006. Kurt Angle didn't debut and become a part of TNA until September, 2006. Nice try, though.

Sting could get some credit since he was in TNA from 2003-2005, although he was only used sparringly, and wasn't consistent enough at that time to really have a regular impact on the show all year around.

I guess you should give the real credit to Christian Cage. He was in TNA in the early stages of their tv deal, and it was during his time as champion that they first started doing consistent 1.1s. So, I guess you'll be saying next that Christian leaving TNA is the reason TNA's stalled for the past FOUR years. And even with big names like Kurt Angle, Booker T, Scott Steiner, Mick Foley, Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, and the list goes on and on, none of them can boost the ratings like Christian Cage, did!

The facts are that old TNA, during the time of their weekly PPVs, HAD a World Heavyweight division. It's not like they had nothing BUT the X Division. They had a World Heavyweight champion, they had a strong and thriving X Division, and they also had a strong and exciting tag team division. It was those three things, combined, that their product was centered around. That continued well into their first few years of TNA Impact on Spike.

Their World title picture grew with names like Christian Cage and a sporadic Sting in addition to names like Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Monty Brown, Ron Killings. Not exactly huge names or huge draws in the past there, are they? There X Division was still great, unique and a different element for the product then other divisions. They also added in the World X Cup that complimented the X Division. And then they also had a tag team division with America's Most Wanted leading the way, and Triple X, along with Team 3D much later on. But it was those young and exciting tag teams that really paved the way.

It was only when TNA started CHANGING the direction of their product, that things have stalled over the years at 1.1s and 1.2s. That's where its consistently been for four years now. You can make excuses, you can close your eyes and upsell whoever or whatever you want, but the facts are there. Now people should be debating and asking themselves why have things stalled? What can they change to start growing their ratings again?

 

[LSN80]

TNA got the fanbase that they did for a couple of reasons. They built up their fanbase in a respectable fashion, and they provided an alternative that worked in the X-Division. More then anything, that's what landed them their TV and later monthly PPV deal over their weekly PPV's. People were buying, and Spike, needing to fill the vacancy from where Raw left, was happy to chip in.

The growth of the fanbase was largely due to the focus on the X-Division. TNA had begun to do better numbers even before the arrival of Christian, even if he was noted as their first "big" signing. It was the consitency of excellance of matches within the X Division that brought in ratings. It was a respectable alternative to the WWE product that was focused on ahtleticism. Impact was obviously the superior product to the weekly PPV's, but they've stalled due to the changes in the product. Its not necessarily an argument over which was the better idea over which is the better product. The TNA frocus on the X-Division and World Cup made it the great product that it was.

 

[ramblinroy682]

I think the one post about downplaying Christian's signing is not on the mark. I think Christian's signing did have some effect on the ratings in a positive direction. TNA was really just starting to get noticed and they got Christian who was really popular in WWE. He was stuck in mid to upper card feuds in WWE at the time and they weren't quite letting him break through. He was even in a minor feud with Cena at the time right before he jumped ship. I think at that time a lot of WWE fans took note and followed Christian to TNA. Their ratings took a big jump around that time. That paired with Angle, Booker T, and a few others coming in really seemed to peak the fans interest.

Then TNA kind of stalled. They weren't really able to sign those types of guys from WWE for a few years. Instead they got guys who were on the decline and towards the end of their careers. A few fans stayed and watched because of guys like AJ, Roode, Storm, Daniels, MCMG, and Joe. But, TNA hasn't developed that next wave of guys behind them either instead signing washed up and has beens.

Now back to the op, I loved the weekly TNA Weekly PPV's, but I would take the TNA Impacts over them. I would take them simply for the Beer Money/MCMG series, the AJ, Daniels, and Samoa Joe matches that have occurred over the year, and for the Christian Cage, Instant Classic Era.