That's all well and true, but at the same time isn't this just a quick fix? I can't see Hogan being there for more than a few months at most, and while ratings will be up there for those few months, will those people stay if they're just on the fringe? in order to get them to stay you would need to give them a reason to stay when Hogan is gone. If Hogan is taking up most of the main event TV time, then that's time that the young guys don't have to get over with the fans that Hogan brings in. I don't get the logic behind bringing him in to just get those fans and then have them leave when instead the more logical and better long term thing to do it would seem would be to get the people watching what you've already got by spending the Hogan/Eric money on marketing and advertising, or bringing in younger more exciting guys that will draw in an audience and give you a better overall show, similar to WCW and their cruiserweights. Now don't get me wrong: there isn't anyone that's going to draw like Hogan and in no way am I implying otherwise, but it would seem like a better long term solution to me to get the people you have noticed rather than Hogan.
What has TNA been doing the last year, year and a half? 1.0's, give or take a few .1's in there for fluctuation. WWE die hards shit on that number, but for TNA being a 7 year old company, and drawing already 1/3 of WWE's audience, that's not bad. TNA has been able to establish a fairly strong base, and on a very difficult night (particularly a non wrestling night like Thursday).
That being said, TNA has shown that it's in a rut at this point, and they wanted to do something about it. Numbers wise, they just weren't growing. Product wise, it's arguable the product and quality is at an all time high. Someone in TNA decided though that now is the time to strike, and Hogan and Bischoff are the perfect combo to do that.
This one week alone, Hogan has been on Larry King, Jimmy Fallon, and Howard Stern, and I'm sure his relationship with Jay Leno will put him on that show at some point or another. This is the type of exposure no one on TNA's roster could bring them. I love AJ Styles, and in my opinion, he is the best in ring wrestler int he world today, but he doesn't command the attention a Hogan brings to the business. TNA has been able to get more mainstream exposure in 5 days then they have in the last 5 years, and that's thanks to Hulk Hogan.
Hulk Hogan was able to have a press conference at Madison Square Garden, that says enough of what kind of power the guy still has, and Vince is irate over this (allegedly).
Hogan was indeed insanely popular when he came back, but we knew it wasn't for the long term. He still put over guys like Taker and Rock and Angle that didn't need the rubs. Lesnar would be an exception as that almost made his career for me. Hogan becoming champion at least was a short term thing, but what I'm worried about is him taking away momentum from someone like AJ, who is likely going to be a major player in TNA for at least 5-7 more years. What I'm saying I guess is that I'm worried that Hogan will be the entire spotlight instead of putting over guys that are younger and sharing the spotlight with them. I think I'd even be ok with him winning the title short term, but I wouldn't be ok with him dropping it to another older guy. Hogan can indeed make TNA a bigger deal, but I'm not sure at all that he would do so.
I know there is this giant misconception that exist that wherever Hogan goes, he is a giant cancer. The WCW cruiserweights made a career of bitching about this after they left WCW (all in which went onto have failed World title reigns in the E, but that's a topic for a different convo), and it includes a guy like Steve Austin. Sure, there were WCW mainstays that didn't get the "rub" when Hogan was there, but I argue to take a look at the 3 biggest names there.
You can argue that Ric Flair got the short end of the stick (at least he claims it), but guys like Sting and Lex Luger were WCW guys, and did well. Hell, i don't think Well is the word for it. Guys like Sting and Luger thrived in WCW during the Hogan era, and WCW homemade guys like DDP and Goldberg were able to rise to the top during this time to. These were all non WWF established guys that thrived or had their legend made larger thanks to working with Hogan. I just don't see how Hogan could hurt a guy like AJ Styles at this point in his career.
Yes that's true. However, Hogan did play a big role in WCW losing its audience at Starrcade 97. Through Hogan's ego and him not being able to step back for a bit and let the other guys take over like they should have, what should have been the biggest moment in the company's history was one of the biggest debacles in company history. Soon after that WWF started winning, and while it's likely they would have eventually anyway, had the NWO ended like it should have with Hogan stepping away or at least back for awhile, there's no telling what WCW and their audience could have done. I'll always stand by that moment being the biggest cause in the death of WCW, even other the merger. If that moment doesn't happen, maybe the ratings don't plummet and the money doesn't go away, and Time Warner doesn't mind having a huge money making wrestling show on as much as it minded one that was bleeding money the way the dying WCW was.
Again, another misconception that I have spent a good time trying to battle. Hulk Hogan didn't fuck up Starrcade 1997, Nick Patrick and his inability to perform a fast count to cause the Screwjob finish was what ruined Starrcade 97. Even if that scenario indeed happened, was it the right hting for WCW to try and launch a Bret Hart feud while ending Sting vs. Hogan, I'm not sure, but that's a topic for another question as well.
I just don't see how Starrcade ruined WCW. 1998 was arguably the hottest year for WCW. Quality wise i don't find it to be as good with Goldberg as the man the last half of the year, but numbers wise you can't deny his impact. WCW thrived off of the audience it captured during 1997 with the Sting vs. NWO storyline. I would listen to an argument for the Fingerpoke of Doom over the Starrcade Screwjob right now, even though I think the FoD is overly criticized as well.
I think you're overestimating Hogan's importance and underestimating Vince's fanbase. The thing is at least in my eyes, the fans are still coming to the shows. Hogan is a big deal, but his generation isn't the target audience anymore as you know. I don't think I can agree with the idea that using the same guy that used to be on top so long ago will bring back a generation that's so far removed from wrestling. Now, I certainly would love it as competition always makes for a better product, but at the same time I'm worried that this could hurt TNA. The whole idea of moving to Mondays or adding another show to Mondays scares me to my very core for them as I see that being a complete and utter failure. At the end of the day, I just think too much stock is being placed in Hogan. TNA was already the clear #2 company in all aspects and one day they could overtake WWE. I just don't think that TNA is ready to make this jump all at once and I hope I'm wrong. They're putting so much stock in Hogan and I'm just not seeing the greatness that everyone is saying will come from it. I hope I'm wrong though.
Say that TNA Impact Monday Night's is indeed a complete failure, what happens then? personally, I see the Monday night show closing up shop, and the Thursday show still doing what it does. It's not going to make a difference. TNA has the backer of a man with a lot of money, and a network that wants the show on it's channel. WCW at the end had a man with money wanting the show, but he was voted out of the process and lost his say.
Monday is simply a better wrestling night. It's been made that way the last 16 years by the WWE and WCW. Thursday's just never felt teh same. Smackdown was cool, but it lacked the intensity of the Monday show. Monday Shows give you the ability to carry the momentum from the previous days Pay Per View and build off of that.
Spike TV probably wasn't willing to risk a monday night show unless they thought TNA was behind the product and willing to keep with it. Enter Eric Bischoff and the rumored 8 o'clock start time. The Network needed the names of Bischoff and Hogan to make this happen, and it only gives them more exposure by doing so. Again, if it fails, well there TNA, they are supposed to be #2. But if it works, then what a gamble.
