What's Wrong With Spike TV?

[Y 2 Jake]

I hear people say that it's the wrong station for TNA, but to me, somebody who doesn't get it, it lokks like a good channel.

You've got UFC, CSI, Star Trek, The Sheild. All good and popular shows. Yet people see it as one of the reasons TNA isn't drawing waht it should.

Does it have limited availability or something?

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

It's actually available in more households than either USA or Sci-Fi. Spike TV's an all right network, but I definitely don't think it's the right network for TNA. First, although it advertises itself as a channel for young males, almost half of its viewership is women and the average age of its viewers is 42 (this is probably because a significant portion of its programming consists of CSI, Star Trek, and Married With Children reruns). While this wouldn't necessarily hurt TNA, Spike TV's treatment of it as a red-headed stepchild certainly does. Spike TV doesn't give it half as much love as its UFC programming, and its date and time slot suck, as most young males aren't going to be around to watch wrestling on a Thursday night. So, that leaves TNA with the older members of Spike TV's audience, who more than likely have no interest in watching professional wrestling.

I think that TNA should look to move to FX, or at least get a better date slot with Spike TV (I'm thinking a Tuesday or Wednesday).

 

[Y 2 Jake]

young males aren't going to be around to watch wrestling on a Thursday night.

This is what I don't get. You don't go out on a Thursday night, you stay in. It's not the beginning of the week so you're not going to go out because you've got several hard days work left. It's towards the end of the week when you're more likely to stay in and save yourself for the weekend.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

This is what I don't get. You don't go out on a Thursday night, you stay in. It's not the beginning of the week so you're not going to go out because you've got several hard days work left. It's towards the end of the week when you're more likely to stay in and save yourself for the weekend.

I would have to research a little bit more on the social habits of young adult males to give you a sound answer, but, from experience, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays have always been nights out for people from the ages of 18 to 25. And, I would think that this is where many of TNA's potential viewers lie.

 

[ztwhite]

Dude - I'm going to assume that your on the other side of the pond - so Thursday night doesn't appeal to you or your mates.

Here in the states, the younger population goes out and drinks on a Thursday night. It's actually the most popular party night for every single college and university in our country.

As for your mention of Spike tv shows - CSI, Star Trek, the Shield, etc... Reruns never draw well here in the US - regardless of what channel or time slot they are in. In this day and age of the internet, any show you want to watch is available whenever you want to see it all the time. Plus, shows like Star Trek, CSI & the Shield are on several different channels, several different times, several different days a week.

It's not like they are Spike exclusive.

As for what's wrong with the channel - nothing. Except that cable & satellite subscribers have between 200 & 300 different channels to choose from. WWE has developed a reputation that makes people look for it, even when it switches channels with one of its main shows every two or three years (or so it seems - Smackdown). TNA has no reputation yet.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

See, I didn't know that. Nobody over here goes out on a Thursday. What's the point? Most have work on the Friday. You go out on the weekend to avoid having to go to work with a sore head.

 

[JGlass]

It's only really college students who go out on Thursdays (we call it Thirsty Thursday) but even so, you don't actually go out until about the time TNA is over...

I agree with Jake here, I think Spike is as good a network as any for TNA, especially because of it's history of success with UFC programming, and the fact that it is promoted as a channel for men. Not only that, but I think TNA gets revenue for the ads shown during their programming, which is not true of WWE and USA.

 

[aRush]

Yeah, college guys traditionally go out to the bars or parties on Thursday nights because most classes are over on Thursdays, with a few exceptions. And the show ends 11pm Eastern so at least in the Eastern and Central timezones I could see that hurting since alot of people would be leaving around 10 and there's planning rides and things before heading out that can distract from watching tv, lol.

 

[Deexter Jorgan]

Im with Jake on this, From what ive been hearing, TNA gets alot of love from spike TV, Spike TV have invested alot of advertising time and alot of money expanding TNA's time slot, their executives actually go down to TNA's ppvs in order to see how the company is improving, its not their fault that TNA doesnt draw!, yes they draw better then memphis wrestling but the reason TNA isnt attracting viewers is because Panda energy are not advertising outside of orlando, Spike do their part but they cant do everything for the wrestling company who are supposed to be an alternative to the WWE

 

[bxbigshow]

Thursday nights in the States are college party nights because most students try not to schedule classes on Fridays. It started with seniors because they didn't have many classes left, so once bars started catering to that crowd, the idea of Fridays off trickled down. Damn I'm old.

Unfortunately that TNA's target audience, so it hurts them a bit.

Also from my end, I never see TNA commercials except for either in TNA broadcasts (I'm already watching it stupid, why tell me to watch it again?) or the weekend of the PPV. That doesn't garner much attention.

I think they also screwed up by moving the rebroadcast to Saturday mornings 9am. WTF? Who's watching it? Were they going for the Saturday cartoon kids? I think the rebroadcast should've been late Sat. night.

 

[golden miz]

Well TNA is deffently on the wrong channel. Its target market is off and itsprograming is not the most attrctive to put a flaship show on. FX is a channel with a large male viewership and awalys does wellwith origional programing and will be perfect for a flagship show plus allot of its viewers are males 18+ which benifits TNA.

 

[TheEvolution]

You cant blame the network, remember RAW was on spike after leaving and eventually returning to USA and had better ratings than TNA has now. And i dont think you can blame TNA it self either its a great promotion IMO. But take into consideration the LENGTH of time TNA has been on TV. Yeah they have big talent but its still fairly new to casual fans.