Rumor Mill: Is TNA smarter than we think?

[Mr.RKO]

Besides Lashely, it appears TNA has signed London, Amazing Red, Trevor Murdock amd maybe Lance Cade. Looks like theyre beefing up the tag team division from the spoiler reports. I wanna see how good all this is going to be in 6 months time.

 

[KillBill]

If they get Murdoch and Cade, you know damn well Beer Money grows by 2 members. They all got the beer drinking red neck look except "money" Rhoode. Make them Beer Money Inc.

 

[jnmaher]

"Bobby Lashley couldn't draw if you gave him a piece of paper and a crayon!"

Bobby Lashley couldn't draw imoney if you dipped him in superglue and dragged him through a bank vault!

I'm sorry had to add that...

Why can't TNA (and the cult that follows them and thinks every move is THE MOVE) just accept being number 2. Try being a better number 2. You are the Mets/Jets/Islanders/Clippers of pro wrestling.

There is nothing TNA can do short of straight invading Raw, kidnapping Vince and holding him hostage for Jonh Cena, Trips, and his TV time that can garner any attention that they are on par with WWE.

i disagree aout bobby lashle not drawing. TNA have an opportunity that wwe was pushing with Lesnar, lets make wrestling ultra competitive. The best of the best. Before Brock quit and Cena came thats where WWE were going, Cena took over from Brock (who was selling) and made wrestling PG, for the kids. TNA have Angle, Matt Morgan, AJ. If they got Brock....!!!!! TNA could beat RAW, push real talent.

 

[Scott Free]

"Bobby Lashley couldn't draw if you gave him a piece of paper and a crayon!"

Bobby Lashley couldn't draw imoney if you dipped him in superglue and dragged him through a bank vault!

I'm sorry had to add that...

Why can't TNA (and the cult that follows them and thinks every move is THE MOVE) just accept being number 2. Try being a better number 2. You are the Mets/Jets/Islanders/Clippers of pro wrestling.

There is nothing TNA can do short of straight invading Raw, kidnapping Vince and holding him hostage for Jonh Cena, Trips, and his TV time that can garner any attention that they are on par with WWE.

That's what they are doing, getting better. The whole competition thing is for the most part made up by fans, there is no competition with the WWE.
WCW wanted competition, so they debuted their live show head to head with RAW, that's competition, if anything, the WWE went and put Superstars against TNA, but on a worse network, now that's half-assed competition. TNA is just trying to grow it's market base, any business would do that, getting free agents is part of that growth, and as the title of the thread states, they seem to be doing good at it.

 

[Scott Free]

The person that TNA needs to elevate their product is NOT someone who's company went out of business 10 years ago or someone who almost drove Vince out of business until he fucked up royally and drove his own company into the shitter. The main star they need sure as fuck isn' Rob Van Dam, nothing against him but he isn't that big of a name and would not elevate the program to WWE's level. The person they need creatively is someone you have never heard of. That is because they need NEW ideas. A whole new perspective. They need someone to bring a whole new outlook on wrestling and change the game forever. Thats what is going to elevate them. Also their future star must be someone who comes out of nowhere and grows into a superstar like the Rock did. What TNA needs is something new, something that isn't already out there and hasn't already been done.

But, don't you think the WWE is looking for that guy too ? I mean, their creative team office has a revolving door, people came in and go out, (Freddie Prince Jr. anyone ?) so the search is on, meanwhile, nothing new is happening in pro wrestling, not because there's lack of creativity, but because almost everything has been already done before. Just as a sample, remember the HBK/Jericho feud over Jericho punching HBK's wife ? Sounds familiar ? Flash forward to HHH/Orton and Steph getting laid out. Dejavu. I think coming up with new angles is pretty much next to impossible, one can only rehash old angles and try to make them fresher. So putting a name like Paul Heyman in charge of creative in TNA wouldn't be a bad idea, he's a proven commodity, has a track record, and he has the respect of the workers, just keep him away from finance, his track record in THAT field is less than positive.

 

[FromTheSouth]

After reading this thread, I have come to the conclusion that the only way for TNA to compete with WWE is to add Lashley, RVD, and Hardy. I don't think they will get all three, but if they do, I think they can compete.

A Wednesday or Saturday show is also necessary. You have wrestling every day of the week and twice on Thursday. Saturday is not a good option, as people have better things to do than watch TV. If they could get an hour on Wednesday, they would have the time to develop some stories.

I like the MEM story, but it is consuming the show. I just assume now that if you aren't in that, or involved with Beer Money and 3D, you are worthless to the company. Sharkboy has two stupid gimmicks, but he is good in the ring and super over, and instead of using him, they put him in the fuck ODB in her dirty poon contest.

A united front line of AJ, Daniels, Joe, Hardy, and RVD vs Angle, Nash, Booker, Steiner and Lashley would be epic, all be it, hard to pull together. All this is based purely on speculation.

 

[I_Like_All_Wrestling]

Here's the deal. To draw people from WWE you need faces from WWE that people know...whether you like it or not. People know older guys like Foley, Sting, Nash, and Steiner and some people watch them because of that or at least those guys initially grabbed their interest. People know Angle and Booker (knew Christian) and that adds a little more viewers thought not a huge amount. WWE fans know Lashley and will remember how huge he was (not counting people who scour the internet for new, regular fans). Adding Cade and Murdoch, even though I personally am not a fan, is a good idea too. More fans will know them. When WWE fans see high profile names they know, they will be more likely to watch and probably be impressed by X division guys. They will also start to see TNA stars like AJ, Joe and others more equal when they see them wrestling and beating former WWE guys on a consistent basis.

Hardy would probably be a big deal for TNA at this point. He was there before they had a prime time 2 hour Spike TV deal and wasn't as big then as he is now. If Hardy is still interested in wrestling but on a limited schedule, I'm sure TNA has appeal to him...and I'm sure they'd take him.

As for the release of Dutt and Petey Williams and the signing of Amazing Red and Paul London (if that's true), it's possible that Red and London are just cheaper than the previous two. I actually think we'll see Petey Williams back at some point.

The main problem is letting the WWE audience, especially younger fans KNOW that these guys are there. I bet if there was an ad during RAW and ECW showing Angle, Booker, Foley and Lashley telling fans they can watch them on iMPACT people would tune in. TNA doesn't have the money for that though.

Yes they are moving in the right direction and yes they are smarter than people give them credit for. They do some INCREDIBLY dumb things sometimes but they are stilling kicking and getting better.

 

[wewanttables]

I am sorry but I started watching TNA before I got into the WWE. I like TNA better because of their wrestlers. I do grant they they had 20 minutes of wrestling on the last Impact which stunk. Like Kevin Nash said about the WWE "What the f--'s going on here? I'm 46 years old and I'm the hippest guy in the room. What the f--- is that?" WWE has old ideas. TNA has ancient or rotten ones.

Also as Kurgen pointed out the WWE does not want competition but rather they want both TNA and WWE to grow. TNA knows that and if I remember right they ran ads for their ppv on Superstars. That is Jarret's way of saying when you are finished watching the WWE flip to TNA. Thursday night back to back helps both companies.

 

[tbp82]

I agree with the few posters who have said that TNA needs something new. TNA new star doesn't have to be from WWE but it could be (it just needs to be someone who wasn't pushed hard there) kinda like HHH came from WCW but didn't really get a major run there. An independant wrestler could be that person as well. But, TNA is headed in the right direction.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

TNA could get every big name talent in the world and it wouldn't make a difference because the booking is so shitty. TNA is Not smarter than we think, they are all FUCKING ******ED, and until they get some smart people to do the booking they will never even be considered a threat. ROH has a better chance at challenging WWE than TNA does, at least they can book a half decent event.

 

[bxbigshow]

Thanks to Kurgan, I stand corrected. Or I will at least rephrase my statement.

TNA is focusing on getting better, yes. The overzealous fans that I refer to are the ones that make me dislike aspects of the product. The collective thought that everything TNA does is the thing that finally sticks it to Vince bugs me.

As far as Lashley not drawing, time will tell if his name at the top of the card can bring in money. I don't dislike the guy, but I honestly feel that if he was so valuable, and his claims were legit...Vince would've done everything in his power to keep him and Hayes would be gone.

But since he didn't, IMO, Vince felt he can draw more with someone else than Lashley. And for Bobby, taking the release over trying to stay had me questioning his passion.

 

[Dick Magnet]

The main event mafia? has there ever been a more
******ed name for a stable than that? And what is up
with there entrance music? It sounds like about fifty cats
In heat all being murdered at the same time. Just thinking
about it makes me want to cut my carotid artery.

 

[wolvdog316]

TNA isn't turning the corner folks. Simple as that. Their shows make no f'n sense. None. If you can't book, then you better sure as shit have a lot of great wrestling. Like ECW. And TNA had that, and then I don't know, guess they thought .3 in the ratings were worth it.

And folks, WCW did what they did, cause they brought in guys who have SOLD before. Sold out arenas, sold millions of shirts, been in classic matches. WCW brought in Hogan, Savage, Luger, Steiners again, Hall, Nash. True, until nWo nobody sold crap either, but when it was hot, nothing was better until Austin. WCW also made Goldberg, and DDP, and introduced a lot of cruiserweights to the show. Also let Benoit, Jericho and Eddie have decent time on TV.

TNA is bringing in guys who have NEVER sold anything. Lashley, can't sell ice water to folks in Hell. Murdoch and Cade? I liked them, they were decent. But this isn't the 80's. They don't sell. Foley? Hasn't been a seller in years. Sting only sold ONE time during his career, nWo.

Christian, while I loved him, can't sell. Rhino, never will sell. Team 3D at one time could be a solid foundation for a tag team division. TNA was just a few years too late.

I think TNA has guys on its own roster that can outsell any of those guys. Roode I believe could be a solid heel. I think Styles could bring in some new fans if spotlighted right. Daniels is money too I think.

Right now, currently in WWE, there are quite a few guys, who if they jumped to TNA, could really really boost TNA. Cena, who I don't like, HHH, and Orton. Probably can add Jericho and Hardy to that list. Taker and Shawn could help TNA also. But none of those guys except maybe Hardy will ever step foot in a TNA ring in the future. So TNA needs to stop relying on hacks who couldn't draw a dime in front of 4 million people, weekly exposure a million times more than TNA, a PPV that will outsell all of TNAs in one year, and rely on their own homegrown talent.

Or maybe your right, maybe TNA is smarter than us. Maybe they found a secret device to give Bobby a personality and a more loose wrestling style. Maybe they invented a mind controlling device to make people care about Murdoch and Cade. Or a time machine to stick Nash, Steiner, Sting Foley in

Maybe