What Will the Impact of Hogan "Quitting" TNA Be?

[It's Damn Real!]

First off, I'm just going to assume that the fact this information was technically made public through spoilers (I fucking hate taped shows) the week prior is the reason this isn't being discussed here, because all I've read for months is why TNA needs to cut ties with Hogan, why Hogan needs to go and how fans can't watch the show anymore because of Hogan. Well, Hogan just "quit". Yes, it's part of the heel Dixie Carter storyline, but with the news that his contract also expired in early October as part of TNA's reasoning to want to write him out (as opposed to him just disappearing), this is something that should be at the fore front of debate right now, no?

The real question is, with Hogan gone for all intents and purposes (TNA is working on an extension with him, but let's just operate from the position that that never comes to fruition, shall we?), what will the impact actually be from this? No pun intended. Many wanted him gone, so if he is in fact gone, do you really believe TNA is better off for it? I have little doubt that Hogan probably cost TNA a lot more than he gave to them, but based on every live reaction I've seen of his when his music hits, no matter where they are in the country, the fans still love the guy. Let's also remember that Hogan at N cost versus the return on Hogan at said cost may have been a negative return for the company, but Hogan at less than N cost versus the return on Hogan could be two very different results.

Now, I get that fan cheering may not necessarily translate to dollars (not that I give a shit about what kind of money TNA makes — I'm a TNA fan, not a TNA shareholder), but there has to be some measurable loss if he's left to walk, no? It's obvious he still has a measurable fan base, and fans who want to see him, no matter how vocal the internet response is to wanting him gone.

Is this going to bring the fans back who "left" because of him? Or is this going to actually end up as something of a stinger with one of the roster's main attractions now no longer with the company?

 

[Stinger]

Nice pun

In all seriousness, though, I don't think that this is going to have much of an effect on TNA. Yes, the "star" attraction won't be there anymore, but it's not like he was bringing in huge ratings in the first place. At the same time, however, I don't think Hogan leaving is going to bring back the fans that stopped watching TNA after he arrived. I feel like most of those fans have jumped off of the TNA bandwagon and will never return unless something HUGE happens (like a major WWE superstar joins TNA).

In the end, I see TNA ratings staying about where they have been for quite some time, give or take about 0.1 points on the rating system.

 

[Big Monty]

i guess it all depends on how much he was involved with creative. if he was heavily involved then I hope to see the story lines get better, at least fresher, as it won't be the same old WCW rehash.

I seem to remember reading on here that he was against Roode and Storm ever getting the WHC title, who knows who else he didnt like and kept down?

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

No impact. People will watch TNA no matter what. TNA has their core fans of 1.3 million and they watch it no matter what.

 

[Rayne]

You can't go home again.

TNA is an entirely different promotion today than it was four years ago. There's an entirely different set of expectations for it today, which may not be realistic in light of their financial pullback.

Operating from the premise that Hulk Hogan goes back to pitching discount long distance companies? TNA has star power, but visibly less than they used to. They become (and I know the comparison is cliched, but for once it's apt) WCW circa 2000, except with a financial situation that's at least manageable if bad, instead of a ticking time bomb.

They're going to lose viewers over the next few months. And the old ones are going to be hard to convince to come back, because they've moved on to other things. People aren't tuning into TNA every few weeks to hope and see if the product has changed- we're still doing the Aces and Eights thing, and there really hasn't been any 'can't miss' moments out of TNA recently. (The last one was what- Hogan vs. Sting? Maybe Brooke Hogan's tit popping out?)

Over the past few weeks I've become mostly (if not entirely) convinced that TNA is being placed into sale mode. It would appear that they aren't abandoning the promotion, but getting the fiscals in an order that someone else could take over and build from. There aren't anymore senior performers that TNA hasn't brought in (that aren't under Legends contracts to the WWE), so any new direction from here is going to involve establishing new stars (ugh) while relying on their bread and butter performers to hold things steady.

We never did get that Roode vs. Storm resolution, did we?

So to answer the question, I don't think Hogan leaving would change TNA any more than it was going to change already, but the changes going on in TNA right now stem directly from January 2010, when Hulk and Eric arrived in the company.

 

[mrpops]

Hogan is finally leaving? YES! This actually makes me want to watch TNA again.

Please tell me bischoff is gone too? I can't stand those 2. Felt like I was watching WCW 2.0 instead of the old TNA I loved for the first 7-8 years or whatever it was before those idiots showed up.

They changed the company, but I think they made it worse so I stopped watching. They completely killed the X division. Changed the best ring ever. And made a bunch of senseless storylines.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

We never did get that Roode vs. Storm resolution, did we?

BFG 2012. Great match it was too.

I seem to remember reading on here that he was against Roode and Storm ever getting the WHC title, who knows who else he didnt like and kept down?

He was against Roode beating Angle at BFG 2011 because he thought Roode as a face champion wouldn't have anywhere to go after beating Angle. So he decided to have Angle win instead, and then do the story with Storm winning and then the Roode heel turn. Which worked out much for the better don't you think?

 

[Rayne]

BFG 2012. Great match it was too.

I remember them having a really good match, but I certainly don't feel like people left that match feeling like the Roode/Storm story was told.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

They have some options available to them to turn things round but they aren't gonna be cheap - and I don't think Mr. Carter wants to spend any more money indulging Dixie's passion for TNA (or is that her wrestlers?)

They ain't getting JR or Jericho, those two are out of the running right off. JR ain't gonna miss Mania 30 and Jericho has long said he will never go there. There are some guys right on the cusp in WWE however who probably could get their release if they asked. Barrett, McIntyre, Swagger and to a lesser extent Rey are "on the bubble" they could be repackaged or pushed or they could be on the next releases list.

It is not inconceivable we could see another "Radicalz" situation where some of the underused talent decide to leave and TNA capitalises on that. Right now the most likely for me is Ziggler. It's clear now he is the guy who Vince "didn't see money in" and he's almost been depushed to the point of irrelevance. He's clearly been punished for something. It might be his brother's role in calling out Bill DeMott, or it might be that he just hasn't recovered sufficiently in their eyes from the concussion. But something is telling me Ziggler either won't renew or could ask to go ala MVP. Sure they'd put a no compete in there for a spell but TNA could wait for someone like him for that 6 months or whatever, hyping it the whole time and giving Ziggler the time to go to Japan and build some momentum with Muta's group or do his movie.

Another guy probably on the verge would be Khali, if it's true he was denied a movie role recently I can see him wanting to go, after all he can't be happy about being swung by a much smaller guy. Sure it won't set the world on fire but Khali could get a solid few matches in TNA against some of their guys or they could try and get Maillet/Kurgann back... frankly with the the number of movies he has been in lately I am stunned Vince hasn't at least tried to get him in for an appearance... he is pretty much the 2nd biggest wrestler/movie star at the moment with the box and he is certainly recognizable even with bit parts like Pacific Rim or Sherlock Holmes.

In my eyes the only model that will save TNA is to accept they are not WWE. If they can get the NWA name back, do it and make as many overtures to ROH, DGUSA - pretty much any of them and see if they can at least try and get an old style system going. It's clear TNA, ROH and all the others can't compete on their own so perhaps trying to band together one more time could build enough success and attract some of those names that have kept out of TNA like MVP, Morrison or Shelton Benjamin... they might even build enough to attract another Billionaire Ted into it. Ultimately I think there is one wildcard... CM Punk... He's made a lot of money now and he's one guy I see actually putting it where his mouth is when it comes to wrestling. I could see him buying ROH or even TNA when he leaves the WWE, which he is almost destined to do when they don't give him Mania 30.

Imagine this post Mania 30 scenario... Punk, Heyman, Brock, Tim Tebow (Jericho's partner in their training academy) and JR all get involved in buying out TNA... not as far fetched as you may think...

 

[MCMG]

I don't think everything worked out perfectly for Hogan and TNA since he joined. However, if he leaves then the main impact will be the loss of the biggest name in wrestling. Having Hulk Hogan should have been a major coup for TNA but I think it is fair to say it was a failure.

Hulk Hogan is the name that should have drawn other big names into TNA but that didn't really happen. Rampage Jackson, really? If he goes then TNA have lost his name and reputation which is theoretically a blow; however, I don't think he really did much for the company in terms of where they were to now. I would say they would struggle to attract big names but they got Kurt Angle and Sting without Hogan. Who did Hogan negotiate with, Mike Know and Ken Anderson? They will cope without Hogan.

 

[Jstrike]

i hate tape shows too!
and i don't think hogan leaving tna will hurt tna ratings one bit!
i think tna will stay the exact same!
now i like hogan but hogan kinda ruin alot of stuff in tna!
not that i don't like the 4 sided ring but i can see that anywhere wwe! roh! or even a local event. but 6 sided ring is original! well not for tna cause the 6 sided ring happened before tna ever came out but still, tna was better with the 6 sided ring. and thats just 1 of the many hogan bone headed changes!

 

[Lowdown]

No impact. People will watch TNA no matter what. TNA has their core fans of 1.3 million and they watch it no matter what.

Agreed on all levels. Having Hulk Hogan didn't make things worse when he joined. All the bitching and moaning about him draining the money and being on TV too much has been going on since he joined. Now yes at times I get tired of seeing him, but it's not necessarily the same thing week in and week out. Then there's the "changes" him and Bischoff made. Like getting rid of the six sided ring? Look, perhaps they made the suggestions, but remember that there are higher ups that ultimately make the final decisions on things like that. TNA won't really take a hit either way in ratings. Pops don't necessarily bring in profits, but being that this is pro wrestling, Hogan still has star power.

 

[Vintage]

Imagine this post Mania 30 scenario... Punk, Heyman, Brock, Tim Tebow (Jericho's partner in their training academy) and JR all get involved in buying out TNA... not as far fetched as you may think...

I was with you the whole time mostly until this.
I really can't see Brock or Heyman getting involved with this as owners. I can see Heyman working there at that point but not owning another promotion with his reputation, but Brock is a WWE guy. I'm not convinced he has that type of connection to the business outside the ring.

 

[HereComesThePain420]

It could have a good impact on tna if they play there cards right they could use the money they was paying him to sign some new talent