My take on it is this. TNA continues to look second rate because of quite a few things. First, most of their televised shows take place in the same building. That means that you aren't going to get a hot crowd every week. Secondly, their backstage segments look horrible. I know they are trying to look like more of a reality based, but they are awful.
This is a major problem for TNA Impact. They remain in Orlando and never move outside that venue. It does make the product seem vastly inferior to WWE since they are always on the move. Most fans in the Impact Zone are used to seeing these talents, so, they are bored because it's routine. However, if you think about it, staying in Orlando for now isn't such a bad thing. They'll probably stay there until they are no longer losing money, which does make sense from a financial standpoint. Remember, WCW were taping shows @ Universal Studios in Orlando too. They did the same thing I'm suggesting that TNA do; remain in Orlando until they get outta debt and then move on to different venues every night/week once they can afford it. That would go a long way in helping crowd reaction and the overall feel of the TNA product. I do agree that their production for backstage segs are awful. That's something they definetely need to look into.
Now, I just watched Impact, and the first thing that I noticed...the advertisement for an insurance company on the ring apron and middle turnbuckles. That just looks bad.
Again, I have to agree. When they are advertising Direct Insurance on their aprons and turnbuckles, that's just poor judgement. You don't see WWE doing that with their ring aprons or turnbuckles. It does look tacky. Of course, those crappy Direct Insurance commercials don't help either. I'm guessing that TNA is doing that to once again help financially. As long as they can deliver great action in-ring, I can overlook that.
Then we go to storylines. Most of them are rubbish. Bully Ray got a restraining order on Abyss...really? Madison Rayne has a crush on Earl Hebner...really? Claire Lynch...really? Now the Austin Aries/Bobby Roode stuff has been pretty good.
I'm guessing the "restraining order" Bully Ray got on Abyss was simply to get heat. It seemed to work so I don't have a problem with it. As long as it advances the story creatively, it's fine. I called the "crush" of Madison Rayne on Hebner weeks ago. I do have a problem with that because it doesn't really make any sense and will most likely lead nowhere good. I'm guessing the same van that kidnapped Samoa Joe will swing by and kidnap Rayne & Hebner if things don't work out. The whole AJ Styles/Dixie Carter/Claire Lynch thing is so far out there that I cannot comprehend how someone actually came up with that and everyone else agreed it was a good idea. This is an area where TNA has needed help since their inception. Their in-ring stuff is good but their storylines are complete crap. The Aries/Roode thing has been one of the major exceptions to that. Of course, I've also enjoyed the renewed focus on the X-Division & the BFG tournament. For everything that TNA are doing right, they are doing equally as much wrong. Once they can figure out what to do right, I believe Impact could be as good if not better than WWE. Which isn't too hard, since WWE have mostly been phoning it in since the end of the "attitude era".
Then you have Crimson, guy goes on a one year undefeated tear. Has he won a television match since he lost to Storm?
It was ok to have Crimson lose to Storm, since he was just returning. It made sense to have him do that and then win the BFG tourney. However, I thought it was moronic for Crimson not to have won the TV Title this past week. At least giving him a title would make up for no longer having the streak.
And finally, you have Bound for Glory. TNA's biggest show of the year. It is taking place in a venue that seats 5000 people. They just came off a PPV that was in front of their largest crowd for a televised event ever, and now they go to a venue that holds as many people as the first BFG outside of the Impact Zone.
It looks like TNA are doing this merely out of self-preservation and financial reasons alone. TNA's attendances haven't been that stellar in years and sticking with a 5,000 attendance arena may be the smarter move. I doubt even TNA could give away that many tickets if they went to an arena where it seated 10,000+ if only less than 5,000 showed up. This goes back to what I've been saying lately about TNA needed to create their own identity. If they did that, they wouldn't have to worry about attendance or giving away free tickets. They'd be sold out on their merits alone.
First rate talent unfortunately can't overcome the third rate effort that everyone else in the company has.
Agreed. TNA has all the potential in the world. But, until TNA can start learning from their mistakes, they'll still be perceived as "second-rate". I've not been debating that point. What I have been saying is that TNA does have alot of good things going for them and they need to enhance those things to stop coming off as minor league.
]. As for the Danny Bryan comment, I disagree. Daniel Bryan is a skilled in-ring competitor who took a role doing nothing and turned it into the whole YES thing. In Bryan's defense, how many EXCITING characters are there currently in WWE? I rest my case;
I do agree that the YES thing is about as annoying as "What?" was, but, anything new stars do to get themselves over is good. It's easily better than anything anyone in the last 5 years has came up with, right? Which isn't saying much......