Rumor: TMZ Says SpikeTV Cancelling Impact

[Papa Pillman]

I thought it should be added to this thread that in case anyone out there is still dense or naive enough to think that the initial TMZ story(or any of the follow-up bullshit reported by Meltzer or the dumbasses who run sites like the WZ home site) has any merit at all there is further proof to the contrary.

Talk TNA Podcast has learned that Spike TV execs will indeed be back in the building tonight, and for all of this week's tapings, as the two sides continue their negotiations. Also there will be execs for other unnamed networks at the event as well that TNA has been speaking with and who have been showing interest in potentially replacing Spike as Impact's television home.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I thought it should be added to this thread that in case anyone out there is still dense or naive enough to think that the initial TMZ story(or any of the follow-up bullshit reported by Meltzer or the dumbasses who run sites like the WZ home site) has any merit at all there is further proof to the contrary.

Talk TNA Podcast has learned that Spike TV execs will indeed be back in the building tonight, and for all of this week's tapings, as the two sides continue their negotiations. Also there will be execs for other unnamed networks at the event as well that TNA has been speaking with and who have been showing interest in potentially replacing Spike as Impact's television home.

Are you saying that Spike and TNA actually do their negotiating at the tapings or are you saying executives will be at the taping and negotiations are going on separately? How often do Spike executives go to the tapings? Seems kind of weird.

Has anyone considered that Spike is working the fans in order to get more attention?

I'm last person to believe dirt sheets but I'm also the first person to distrust a wrestling organization. You can discredit TMZ, Meltzer, Wrestle zone all you want but believing TNA may be a much bigger error in judgment.

 

[Papa Pillman]

Are you saying that Spike and TNA actually do their negotiating at the tapings or are you saying executives will be at the taping and negotiations are going on separately?

LOL, good question.

I don't believe that the executives are negotiating during the show. I believe the relevancy of their presence is that they are keeping a close first hand view of the current product as its going through a fundamental reboot. A smart move considering they are potentially risking a lot of dollars if they continue the relationship, and they need to know what it is that they are investing in.

How often do Spike executives go to the tapings? Seems kind of weird.

I doubt its common practice, but they were at the last set of NYC tapings as well. It does make sense considering the reasoning I just listed, and also because its a short trip for the network, being as its based in NYC.

Has anyone considered that Spike is working the fans in order to get more attention?

I actually think this is plausible.

I'm last person to believe dirt sheets but I'm also the first person to distrust a wrestling organization. You can discredit TMZ, Meltzer, Wrestle zone all you want but believing TNA may be a much bigger error in judgment.

I feel you. But when both sides of the actual coin, TNA's higher ups as well as Spike's, are claiming that they are still in negotiations I'll take that over the word of outside sources that are often wrong in a race to break a story.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I don't think it's surprising that Spike executives are at the tapings. it's one thing to watch on TV and it's another thing to be at the event live. I don't think there is negotiating going on during the event, but maybe Spike wants to be there in person to see what's going on to maybe get a better idea whether they should spend the money on TNA.
maybe Spike wants to see more of what goes on off camera?

 

[lil steroid meat]

Has anyone considered that Spike is working the fans in order to get more attention?

You are vastly overrating the amount of people who keep up with Wrestling Dirt Sheets.

Out of the 1 million or so (on average) people who watch TNA, I'd say less than 10,000 actively keep up with wrestling dirt sheet rumors (that even might be overestimating it). That would be a terrible marketing strategy.

If they were going to try and "work" the fans, they'd make a whole hubbub and have a whole ad campaign hinting at a certain date being the last show.

That would actually be an interesting marketing campaign if they were going to go live from now on/have a different product, starting with this fake "last show" and they got someone to come in as a new, neutral authority figure/face of the new product; someone like a CM Punk.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

You are vastly overrating the amount of people who keep up with Wrestling Dirt Sheets.

You sir are vastly underrating the desperation moves that expanded basic cable companies and wrestling organizations are willing to make when they are not having one of their faces put petite middle aged women through a table in order to get what little attention they can.

Out of the 1 million or so (on average) people who watch TNA, I'd say less than 10,000 actively keep up with wrestling dirt sheet rumors (that even might be overestimating it). That would be a terrible marketing strategy.

I don't know about that but they used TMZ to cover this. Where is Killam when I need him? Best I can tell is that TMZ has a pretty strong reach in media, especially with the low brow set. I hear Kim Kardashian is cross promoting her next marriage with TNA.

If they were going to try and "work" the fans, they'd make a whole hubbub and have a whole ad campaign hinting at a certain date being the last show.

TNA had been pretty low budget lately. Lying to the media is about all their budget can stretch. Oh and signing a dude with one leg.

That would actually be an interesting marketing campaign if they were going to go live from now on/have a different product, starting with this fake "last show" and they got someone to come in as a new, neutral authority figure/face of the new product; someone like a CM Punk.

This was baseless speculation on my part but if they were to do something like this I see it as the network coming in and taking over for the incompetent Dixie. This kind of storyline has failed miserably before so it would be no surprise to see it tried again.