Tourists Killing TNA

[World_Series_Attiude]

I was watching IMPACT from last night and i couldn't believe what i saw, Hulk Hogan a full blown heel getting one of the biggest pops of the night ! I was sitting there thinking "WTF, Why are the fans cheering ?" Then it hit me 70 % (maybe more) of the IMPACT zone are tourists, casual fans who know nothing about current storylines. Have you ever notice how lost the crowd seems sometime, like their waiting to see what the die hard fans are going to say or do. It kills the product especially when something big happens...for example when brother ray turned on devon the crowd seemed confused, not because they were wondering why he attacked his partner but the confused don't know if to cheer or boo.


TNA needs to start filming on the road, i'm not saying they need to go the WWE route but maybe film on the road once or twice a month. Also before the shows the TNA staff and/or wrestlers hands out programs called "TNA IMFACTS" (did you see what i did there) that explain whats going on with the current storylines. Imagine the Hulkster himself coming up to you hyping Jeff Hardy and bad mouthing Dixie Carter. I guarrentee you will see a positive difference. Would you agree or how would you fix this issuse ?

 

[Dzone]

I see your point... tbh I think TNA needs to tour Europe or even the UK, they have more "die hard" fans here than where they are at currently.

EDIT Just re-watched bits of TNA on the highlights thingy-ma-bob, Hardy got cheers when he's heel too... lol... come to the UK!! EDIT

 

[wrestlemaniac]

I don't know whether to agree or disagree..my reason being is well....TNA does these monthly VIP packages. I purchased one in august for the nostalgia show and a although there were a big amount of tourists, half the crowd that was there paid to be there that weekend. it's $99 dollars for the weekend, unless it's bfg of coarse. Yea, the regulars may not help money wise and the tourists may not help the way impact comes across on tv. However, the 2 impacts after the monthly ppv is part of that $99. I think, just maybe....TNA is sacrificing it's image over the tv for money. with the good, it seems they are okay with taking the bad.

 

[Genius_Deadman]

that'd probably make a difference, but not really. if "casual" fans like Hogan, they'll cheer him. the problem is the Impact Zone. they pay to get into the park and get free dibs on the event. it isn't bad for the fans, but you get a free show out of it, so just about anyone can go in, even if they don't care for wrestling ("hey i paid to get in, so i might as well see a show"). they just need to get out of there. once their fans start paying to only see their show and they stop having "tourists" there, it'll help the atmosphere.

 

[bringitback]

I disagree. The main problem with the imapct zone isn't the casual fans, in fact, it's not even (the majority) 30 year old IMPACT zone regulars that ruin each show(even though they do give it a very good shot). The main problem TNA has (and WWE for that matter) is that they do not book the matches in such a way that heels and faces get over in the right way. I am just a casual TNA viewer, and when I watch the show, I have no idea who's meant to be a heel or a face by whats happening in the ring, apart from the few main event wrestlers who to be fair to them, can do this. The matches are not booked in such a way that allow the talent to work matches that tell good stories. The only story telling that comes through is from the commentary.

The next time you watch a TNA (OR A WWE) match up, put yourself in a completely neutral state, and from what happens in the ring, and with no volume, try and figure out who it is you're meant to want to be. Who is booked to get over as a face and over as a heel? It's impossible to tell. That, as far as I'm concerned, is the biggest problem with crowd reactions. Not the tourists. If the story in the ring was told properly, the face would be cheered and the heel would be booed. Simple as that.

 

[XgringolocoX]

You might have something here. Great post.
I've been a long time proponent for TNA leaving the IMPACT Zone. To be it gives the production a "canned" feeling. WCW had the same problem. Even early RAW shows always coming from the Manhattan Center, or hammerstein ballroom if you like, had this issue.
RAW and Smackdown are always coming to you FROM ____________!
Heels then can plpay of local interests...if the local sports teams are winning or losing. You don't have the same morons in the audience. Different morons is much better.

Not much a fan of TNA at the current moment, but I'm hoping they improve and start producing a show that I can't miss. Live events are good though.

 

[World_Series_Attiude]

I see your point... tbh I think TNA needs to tour Europe or even the UK, they have more "die hard" fans here than where they are at currently.

The U.K sounds good but TNA needs to think outside the box...Africa Tour !!!
African fans are crazy about TNA...I'm African America and i watch it every chance i get

 

[blackmetalbuick]

Can't blame the people for coming to see a free show or however it works. TNA needs to stop sucking, make some damn money, and get out of there. I don't understand why they'll go out and have house shows all over different regions but won't tape impact anywhere else, I guess because they can't afford to transport the crew and set pieces around yet. Everything about the Impact zone is stupid, whether it be the 10% in the front rows who come to act like smarks and ruin the show or the other 90% who probably have no idea what's going on.

 

[AndarielHalo]

Tourists? Seriously? I'd figure that it'd be the people who go there every single week who would be cheering for Hogan. And to say that them and their faulty reactions are "killing" TNA is meme-worthy <-- clickable link

 

[World_Series_Attiude]

I understand that people paid to get on the park and therefore are entitled to their own opinions...but to purposely cheer when your suppose to boo is like bringing an air horn to a tennis match...no bueno !

 

[AndarielHalo]

I understand that people paid to get on the park and therefore are entitled to their own opinions...but to purposely cheer when your suppose to boo is like bringing an air horn to a tennis match...no bueno !

... You don't get thrown out of a wrestling show for cheering the bad guy. That statement is totally ridiculous. And who the hell says you're SUPPOSED to boo? That goes completely and totally AGAINST what the bookers are supposed to do; they're supposed to GIVE YOU A REASON to hate a heel---they betrayed their friend, they sold out for money or championships, they hate you, they blatantly lie, are hypocrites and cowards and such.


Everyone booed Stone Cold Steve Austin when he turned heel in mid-2001. Do you honestly think people would boo Austin if that sort of turn were pulled TNA/WCW style?

 

[Genius_Deadman]

... You don't get thrown out of a wrestling show for cheering the bad guy. That statement is totally ridiculous. And who the hell says you're SUPPOSED to boo? That goes completely and totally AGAINST what the bookers are supposed to do; they're supposed to GIVE YOU A REASON to hate a heel---they betrayed their friend, they sold out for money or championships, they hate you, they blatantly lie, are hypocrites and cowards and such.


Everyone booed Stone Cold Steve Austin when he turned heel in mid-2001. Do you honestly think people would boo Austin if that sort of turn were pulled TNA/WCW style?

who mentioned getting thrown out? lol you just threw that out of left field. he just said it's not good that they do that, which they're right. they need to do something about it. i remember hearing they paid actors (as WCW used to in the early 90's) because the fans were either dead or they were cheering the heels. they just need to get out of there, you can't expect to beat WWE if they don't move around. they're really depending on ratings over overall money. if they'd get out and make a profit, they wouldn't need Janice Carter looking at the payroll. get out, sell tickets, sell merchandise. be cheap if you need to (WCW did shows on a beach and outside like WCW Hog Wild). just get out there, that's a major step into competing with Vince.

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

I was watching IMPACT from last night and i couldn't believe what i saw, Hulk Hogan a full blown heel getting one of the biggest pops of the night ! I was sitting there thinking "WTF, Why are the fans cheering ?" Then it hit me 70 % (maybe more) of the IMPACT zone are tourists, casual fans who know nothing about current storylines.

Well what do you expect? Every fan is entitled to their own opinion and the TNA 'impact zone' is in the Universal Studios backlot area. That's like going to France and not visiting the Eiffel Tower.

Have you ever notice how lost the crowd seems sometime, like their waiting to see what the die hard fans are going to say or do. It kills the product especially when something big happens...for example when brother ray turned on devon the crowd seemed confused, not because they were wondering why he attacked his partner but the confused don't know if to cheer or boo.

That's just lack of watching the product. I get confused watching TNA full stop half the time. It's too built up and starts becoming confusing to watch.

TNA needs to start filming on the road, i'm not saying they need to go the WWE route but maybe film on the road once or twice a month. Also before the shows the TNA staff and/or wrestlers hands out programs called "TNA IMFACTS" (did you see what i did there) that explain whats going on with the current storylines. Imagine the Hulkster himself coming up to you hyping Jeff Hardy and bad mouthing Dixie Carter. I guarrentee you will see a positive difference.

I agree with TNA filming in different Arena's around the globe but sometimes you have to make do with what you have. I'm no die-hard TNA fan, only when they first debuted; but it doesn't take a genius to realise that the company is either to stuck up or doesn't have enough money to spend on travelling around the globe going to different arenas. It's like the WWE-ECW situation all over again. Lack of funds means lack of good product.

You talk about killing the 'product' when you want to hand out flyers telling you exactly what's going on in the business. That wouldn't fix anything, that would destroy the whole concept of Wrestling full stop. If you haven't watched it before then you do your research or start watching and hope to learn stuff, not be given a leaflet about everything like you've just gone to a resturant and been handed your menu by a waitress. That's silly.

...The last time I checked, everybody hypes Jeff and everybody hates Dixie and there still isn't a difference.

 

[CuddleBuns84]

I remember when the Rock was the Corporate Champ, and he went to Canada. Even as a heel, the Rock got one of the biggest pops of the night. He was the heel. Canada just loved him.

When Hogan went nWo, he got huge cheers a lot. He is just one of those guys. Even when he was a heel, the people loved him. Not much you can really do to change opinion.

Now, as for TNA getting their own territory and taking their show on the Road? I'm for it! Hogan knows the places to go, he know the wrestling areas. Hell, some of the guys there know what areas WWE doesn't sell. Hit the Road Jack!

It makes sense. Bring the product to me, cause I'm not dropping money for a plane ticket to Florida just to see TNA. They need to come closer sure I can enjoy a short commute for the show. It makes sense.

 

[JGlass]

Seriously? You think the fans are tourists? If I was in Orlando, there are about 50 places I'd go before a professional wrestling event, and I am a wrestling fan. Between theme parks, beaches, resorts, bars and clubs, the Impact Zone cannot be very high on the list of attractions near the Orlando area.

What's killing TNA is the fact that their storylines are weak as hell. Who cares if Jeff Hardy and Hulk Hogan are working together to try and take over TNA? It's not like the fans care that much about the Dixie Carter character. TNA fans want, more than anything else, good wrestling, so why not cheer the people they think will give it to them?

The OP's original estimate of 70% of the Impact Zone audience being tourists is laughable at best. I'd say maybe 5% are tourists, and the rest are people who follow TNA programming.

 

[World_Series_Attiude]

... You don't get thrown out of a wrestling show for cheering the bad guy. That statement is totally ridiculous. And who the hell says you're SUPPOSED to boo? That goes completely and totally AGAINST what the bookers are supposed to do; they're supposed to GIVE YOU A REASON to hate a heel---they betrayed their friend, they sold out for money or championships, they hate you, they blatantly lie, are hypocrites and cowards and such.


Everyone booed Stone Cold Steve Austin when he turned heel in mid-2001. Do you honestly think people would boo Austin if that sort of turn were pulled TNA/WCW style?

See your reply is what i'm talking about, tourist who know nothing about the current storylines hurts how the product is portrayed. Do you think when the NWO storyline would of been big if when Hogan was revealed as the 3rd man the crowd was silence

 

[AndarielHalo]

who mentioned getting thrown out? lol you just threw that out of left field..

Simple logic; you use an airhorn at a Tennis match, you're going to get thrown out. TNA frying your mind?

See your reply is what i'm talking about, tourist who know nothing about the current storylines hurts how the product is portrayed.

Have you ever WATCHED an episode of TNA? That's a rhetorical question, the point is, this is NOT NOTICEABLE; a SIGNIFICANT portion of people boo the heels and cheer the faces. They're such wrestling fans, so in touch with the storylines (somehow) that they make up their own chants that no one can understand on TV because it sounds disjointed amongst hundreds of people.


You're making it sound like all the ex-WWE/WCW superstars are getting huge cheers and all the TNA natives are getting total silence. Of all the topics involving the iMPACT Zone crowd, be it complaints or praises, I've never seen/heard of "tourists" making up such a huge majority of the crowd that it is killing TNA. That is dramatic overkill--- "two people are chanting for Chris Benoit at a Smackdown taping! We're gonna have to cancel the whole show now!"

 

[Terminal Sledgehammer]

It is the audience but it isn't the tourists that have ruined TNA each and every week I have watched it. They chant every single in ring segment, and a vast majority of them still cheer the heels (I will admit this has been getting better in the past few weeks). Not only would going on tour for more than just house shows make Impact better it should draw in money. If they came to Ottawa I'd gladly pay 20$ for a ticket and I know atleast 30 others that would too. They don't have to fill up a Scotiabank place or MSG like the WWE, but they could fill a smaller arena like 5000 seater and draw in some money. Bottom line it's more than the right time to gtfo the impact zone.

 

[Chauncy Talon]

I was watching IMPACT from last night and i couldn't believe what i saw, Hulk Hogan a full blown heel getting one of the biggest pops of the night ! I was sitting there thinking "WTF, Why are the fans cheering ?" Then it hit me 70 % (maybe more) of the IMPACT zone are tourists, casual fans who know nothing about current storylines. Have you ever notice how lost the crowd seems sometime, like their waiting to see what the die hard fans are going to say or do. It kills the product especially when something big happens...for example when brother ray turned on devon the crowd seemed confused, not because they were wondering why he attacked his partner but the confused don't know if to cheer or boo.


TNA needs to start filming on the road, i'm not saying they need to go the WWE route but maybe film on the road once or twice a month. Also before the shows the TNA staff and/or wrestlers hands out programs called "TNA IMFACTS" (did you see what i did there) that explain whats going on with the current storylines. Imagine the Hulkster himself coming up to you hyping Jeff Hardy and bad mouthing Dixie Carter. I guarrentee you will see a positive difference. Would you agree or how would you fix this issuse ?

Why would Tourist kill that? Breakdown. This is suppose to be the most decorated tag teams of all time. To end the segment with Ray turning on Devon would mess you up. That like saying Cyclops shots Professor X in the back. It not a confusing on the Tourist, it's a confusing on the writing. Nobody seen it coming and was wondering, will there be a match between them two.

 

[Funkydr79]

Bringitback has it right, the biggest problem is the way matches are booked. One of the big problems wrestling has had for the last 10 years is that there is no real difference between faces and heels. You pretty much have "cool heels" vs. real heels. Everyone breaks rules, does things behind the refs back, acts a fool. Because of that there's no difference between "good guys" and "bad guys."

Watch this clip of Brian Pillman's ECW Debut After he did this promo people asked him why he went so nuts and he said "I was feeling too much of that cool heel vibe." He knew how to be a true bad guy and get people to HATE him. I know people can't be quite as foul mouthed as he was in this, but it's a good example of how to avoid that trap.

 

[a0161613]

To say that they are killing TNA is a huge exaggeration. The company has huge problems elsewhere. But they do harm Impact a lot. If your top heels cannot get the crowd to draw heat then something is majorly wrong.

Until TNA gets the money to tour and move from the Impact Zone, they will always have this problem. And as a result, Impact will always suffer from poor production values and a crowd that causes them to be unable to draw a good atmosphere.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I don't know if they were tourists or simply douchebags. I mean, come on. Have some decency for crying out loud. Chanting "Fourtune" and "Hardy"? Are you kidding me? It's not even TNA's fault for not making them heelish enough. Don't believe me? Watch the goddamn shows, they're as heel as heel can be. They cheat, they lie, they're cheap, they're arrogant, they screw people over, they beat the good guys up. HELL, Jeff Hardy sent some people home after they paid for their pictures.

TNA's just at the wrong damn place. The iMPACT Zone is just the worst. It's small, it's not good for a wrestling show, and I'm sure half the people who go there are not even wrestling fans.

The crowd at the I.Z has always been ******ed. Even when the cancer crew isn't there [ and I haven't seen them in a WHILE ], there's still some ******s who crap on the show.

Like Numbers said, they need to tour, they need to go on the road to places where people are hungry for TNA. I believe they could fill an arena much bigger than the I.Z in other cities. It's a known fact that TNA's fan interaction is awesome. Chances are that the last big company that visited a certain city was WWE. If TNA takes its time to promote the fuck out of its show when it comes to a new town, people will come. TNA fans and people that are just interested to see "the other company".

If TNA's having tapings every week in the same spot, in the same town, I don't think people would be as excited as they'd be if they're seeing TNA for the first time in their city. Look around the audience, it's the same douchebags you see every week with a few exceptions.

Hope they move out of that cess pool.

 

[Cmac3311]

I completely agree with the OP, the lack of actual wrestling fans really kills Impact for me.
I too watched last night and it was nearly laughable at the response Jeff Hardy got. Yes, it is cool to cheer for heels or anti-heroes, but to cheer the guy who is the number 1 heel in your company is bad for business.

If TNA wants to bring in viewership and higher ratings than having clear-cut lines between heel and face need to be established. It's a mess trying to keep track of everyone going back and forth from heel to face - face to heel, etc.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I completely agree with the OP, the lack of actual wrestling fans really kills Impact for me.
I too watched last night and it was nearly laughable at the response Jeff Hardy got. Yes, it is cool to cheer for heels or anti-heroes, but to cheer the guy who is the number 1 heel in your company is bad for business.

If TNA wants to bring in viewership and higher ratings than having clear-cut lines between heel and face need to be established. It's a mess trying to keep track of everyone going back and forth from heel to face - face to heel, etc.

I agree with everything you said, up to the bolded part. That's a complaint I hear a lot, and either I'm too intelligent or you're too stupid to not know who's the face and who's the heel.

Honestly, there's not ONE guy on the roster who could confuse you. The closest TNA has to a tweener is Samoa Joe and he's always fighting heels, which would mean he's a face. Heel vs Heel feuds are not very common.

If you can't make a difference between a heel and a face in TNA, then you lack some braincells. If the crowd's cheers confuse you, then you're ab****ely stupid. The answer to who's what is in the ring, not in the crowd. If some group of arrogant pricks is throwing out the old TNA belt and replacing it with their own, they ain't no heroes.

What's interesting that you said that it's cool to cheer heels and anti-heroes, but it's bad to cheer the number one face. I would correct you here -- cheering bad guys is bad overall. No exceptions. Moving out of the I.Z might be the answer, who knows.

But it's just that ... pro wrestling changed. The fans changed. Personally, I just don't like the good guys. They're not "cool". They're just good guys. With their stupid morals and everything. The bad guys are cool by default. At least the TNA ones. They look cool, they act cool, they're badass, they don't follow no rules. It's easier to connect to such a persona because deep down inside we all want to be rebelious and badass, no matter who we are. Nobody strives to be a good human being, drink your milk, make your grandma some breakfast and all that crap. We're all pieces of shit in one way or the other and we like other pieces of shit, especially if they're on TV, whooping ass.

I understand WHY they cheer the bad guys, but like I said in my previous post -- like them all you want, cheer them at home, but when you go to the show and you know it's a taping or a live event, have some common sense. Realize that you are a part of the show as much as the guys in the ring are. Be aware of the fact that you are to this show what cue laughs are to sit-coms. Watch a sit-com without cue laughs and you'll be braindead by the time it's over, it's not the same. Watching wrestling fans cheer bad guys is like cueing "aawwww" after a fun joke on a sit-com. That's the best way I can describe it. Have some common sense, even if you hate the good guy, just cheer him, contribute to the show. If you like the bad guy -- fine, but do your job and boo him. You don't have to, but don't be a fuckin' idiot.

 

[Lion1990]

If you can't make a difference between a heel and a face in TNA, then you lack some braincells. If the crowd's cheers confuse you, then you're ab****ely stupid. The answer to who's what is in the ring, not in the crowd. If some group of arrogant pricks is throwing out the old TNA belt and replacing it with their own, they ain't no heroes.

That's just ignorance. The fact that you think if you can't tell the difference between faces and heels then you lack brain cells is ridiculous. If I watch a WWE match and even ROH matches more often than not I can tell who is face and who is heel bar a few examples, such as Edge at the moment. Not everytime but theres been a few times watching TNA where I don't know who is the face and who is the heel and it kills what is happening, especially when two months later they've switched sides again.

It's nothing to do with ''lacking brain cells'' it's simply due to the fact that TNA does not remain consistent with their wrestlers and therefore, in my opinion, the fans just like and hate who they want, because TNA do not have a consistency majority of the time.