TNA Needs To Make Better Use Of Its Roster

[AwesomeRko]

Firstly I am among the many that is actually really enjoying the product on TNA just now and am loving Roode as champion alongside Angle, Bully, Storm, Sting and even Hardy in the main event scene.

Yet I still believe there is an unnacceptable pool of talent that is just not being used at all by the company. You have guys like Anderson, RVD, The Pope and Steiner who are all very talented, can bring something to the table and aren't even making tv. I believe that this is one of the main differences between TNA and the WWE in that the WWE always seems to find a way to use or at least feature its talent from the main event all the way down to the promising guys on the mid card.

The most obvious idea I can think of to make guys like the Pope and Anderson relevant again and get the back on tv would to make the TV title actually mean something as a prestigious mid-card belt and stepping stone to the main event. I believe somebody has to take it off Robbie-E and go a long effective run with it Cody Rhodes style before eventually dropping it to somebody else significant, the prime candidate for this could be Bully Ray if he isn't going to be given a run with the world title just now.

What are your thoughts?

 

[three count bout]

My thoughts, simple:

Many of us have stated that the TV title is being misused but obviously IW is in no hurry to take the title seriously.

There is only so much tv time allotted, and I actually feel like now the company has a good gauge on who they really want to push. I just watched a main event that had Magnus and Aries in it, two fresh faces to the ME scene. They tried Anderson numerous times to very mixed results, and in his case specifically I think this time off will really benefit him. His character was stale and when he comes back hopefully they decide if he's heel or face and not flip flop he'll be better off but only when they have a program for him.

Steiner is down in RKK helping get massive heat so he's cool and not needed atm. RVD is on a "Limited Appearance" contract so he was probably near it expiring which wouldn't be the first time that has happened re:Janice attack.

I definitely agree that I would like the TV title used better, there are so many matches and feuds that could extend from it, but if the overall sentiment is TNA still isn't using the roster properly I would think that statement was more applicable a few months back. I like that we have Roode, Storm, Ray, Aries, magnus, and Joe, Morgan and Crimson, Sky. The puzzle pieces are there.

 

[ABMorales787]

Well, think about it. They really can't use these talents. They just don't have that kind of time. Just look at what's been done with Kurt Angle. He was feuding with James Storm, but once the feud ended, he wasn't on TV until Jeff Hardy was freed up. Because there's just not enough space on the program to feature him or RVD or Anderson and such on a constant basis. Yeah, maybe a few matches just to have them on TV, but there isn't even enough time for that.

And the way I see it, that's how it's gonna be for a good while. TNA is too focused on getting out of the Impact Zone and Spike seems too busy figuring out how to rebrand themselves to give TNA that second major TV show it really needs to have all this talent moving consistently.

 

[shattered dreams]

The move to make the shows less crammed seems to have been a positive for the product. There just isn't room for another full fledged division right now. TNA does have the talent to put out more show but the demand just isn't there. They should just stick to making the best two hours they can once a week. If some guys don't quite make the cut to keep the show less cluttered then that is an acceptable tradeoff. You could build up the tv title but you have to do it at the expense of something else. A midcard title just doesn't draw enough anymore to be that concerned with going to the trouble to establish it.

 

[AwesomeRko]

Well, think about it. They really can't use these talents. They just don't have that kind of time. Just look at what's been done with Kurt Angle. He was feuding with James Storm, but once the feud ended, he wasn't on TV until Jeff Hardy was freed up. Because there's just not enough space on the program to feature him or RVD or Anderson and such on a constant basis. Yeah, maybe a few matches just to have them on TV, but there isn't even enough time for that.

And the way I see it, that's how it's gonna be for a good while. TNA is too focused on getting out of the Impact Zone and Spike seems too busy figuring out how to rebrand themselves to give TNA that second major TV show it really needs to have all this talent moving consistently.

Yeahh I get that there is limited tv time what with there only being one show and like I said I am actually really enjoying the product just now this is by no means a slight on the company. I suppose I just feel that some of the irrellevant backstage segments most notably with the knockouts could be better utilised featuring people like Anderson and Pope.

They don't necessarily have to wrestle ever week to maintain relevance a match every second week combined with maybe interefrence or even a short segment to keep whatever fued their in going would be fine I feel.

 

[OneTooManyPunts]

To the OP, this is something most TNA fans have been wishing for, for a long time.

IMO, what TNA needs to do more than anything is trim the fat. Their roster is simply too large for a company only running one weekly televised show, Explosion, and a monthly PPV. The company needs to decide which talent they absolutely know they won't be pushing at any time in the foreseeable future, and simply cut them.

Once they get that accomplished, they can focus better on the talent they have, instead of constantly rotating midcard talent in and out, some of which not be seen or heard again for months at a time.

The only other alternative is to try and get another weekly show, and as much as I like TNA and enjoy their current product, they just aren't pulling in the kind of ratings yet that would really warrant Spike or another network giving them another time slot for a secondary show.

 

[SpecialFNK]

the "name" wrestlers need to be used better. there could be multiple wrestlers used better than Garrett Bischoff. kick that piece of trash to the curb.
when you're putting on a TV show the general wrestling viewers want some names they know. the ratings have been terrible lately except for the shows with Brandon Jacobs.

Mr Anderson needs to be there on a regular basis. I thought I read somewhere his absence was also because he was shooting a movie?

if the TV title is going to seldom be defended, it should at least be put on someone who could use it better as a prop, someone seen on TV more often even if they aren't defending the title. Bully Ray would be perfect! this past Impact could have been a lot better with Roode/Bully/Aries coming together if Bully also had a title like the other two.

 

[Twocenter]

TNA is in two states now. First they are going in the right direction pushing the originals more and second they are lacking depth in the challengers and wrestlers. I am fed up with the same Storm-Roode-Ray-Hardy-Sting being rotated over the main event. Why is AJ styles in a 2nd grade feud which has nothing to gain? Your main man is jobbing and putting guys over and you give Garrett Bischoff some air time instead of Ken Anderson and RVD? Really? If TNA want to improve their product, they need to push the right guys. AJ styles is being used poorly. Why is Austin Aries only in the X-Divison? I think he is one of the best talent they have and it's time to push him to the world title scene. If Rey Mysterio can win the WWE Title why can't Aries win the TNA gold? Their tag team division is getting stale. Only two teams. Why can't they build some other teams or bring other teams? I think they need to use RKK as a platform to launch some wrestlers. If not, my best wishes to them to keep on struggling.

 

[Fenris]

Firstly I am among the many that is actually really enjoying the product on TNA just now and am loving Roode as champion alongside Angle, Bully, Storm, Sting and even Hardy in the main event scene.

Yet I still believe there is an unnacceptable pool of talent that is just not being used at all by the company. You have guys like Anderson, RVD, The Pope and Steiner who are all very talented, can bring something to the table and aren't even making tv. I believe that this is one of the main differences between TNA and the WWE in that the WWE always seems to find a way to use or at least feature its talent from the main event all the way down to the promising guys on the mid card.

The most obvious idea I can think of to make guys like the Pope and Anderson relevant again and get the back on tv would to make the TV title actually mean something as a prestigious mid-card belt and stepping stone to the main event. I believe somebody has to take it off Robbie-E and go a long effective run with it Cody Rhodes style before eventually dropping it to somebody else significant, the prime candidate for this could be Bully Ray if he isn't going to be given a run with the world title just now.

What are your thoughts?

I agree pretty much. They need to use their roster alot better and use the established names better. The problem is how to do it. Really I see two options.

Option A: If you want as many as possible used you've gotta shorten matches, build some stables and alliances, pair up Knockouts with each other and talent, create talking segments you can squeeze people into, have run ins and so on.

Option B: Longer matches, no stables, few alliances, short promos and being 80/20 in favor of in ring action.

The internet bitches and complains nonstop about the former, as does certain talents and Dixie listens to them. That leaves you with the latter and unfortunately with Option B alot of your roster is going to have to sit at home unable to work.

Even with the first option some talent had to sit home a week here and a week there because there isn't alot of TV time to fit everyone in. Personally I prefer Option A and I think using it with a slightly smaller, more streamlined roster is the way to go.