When it's all said and done...

[jmt225]

At least we are all in agreement that Bully Ray is awesome. Except hatin' ass JMT.

Haha... I like him as a tag wrestler and even mid-card singles competitor. But as THE main focal point of the show? Ugh... go ahead and call me a hater, because I do hate his fucking guts in that position.

Anyways, I was always more of a Alex Shelly fan than Chris Sabin, but still... wonderful move by TNA tonight. I hope it's the start to them getting their shit together and turning things around creatively.

 

[shattered dreams]

I was being sarcastic.

So then, is it both your contention that PPV was not a positive stream of revenue in any way?

At least we are all in agreement that Bully Ray is awesome. Except hatin' ass JMT.

I think they might have done better with going to 6 instead of 4, if there are any cash flow issues I think it has very little to do with PPV. JMT deserves a few chops though fo sho.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Haha... I like him as a tag wrestler and even mid-card singles competitor. But as THE main focal point of the show? Ugh... go ahead and call me a hater, because I do hate his fucking guts in that position.

Anyways, I was always more of a Alex Shelly fan than Chris Sabin, but still... wonderful move by TNA tonight. I hope it's the start to them getting their shit together and turning things around creatively.

While I think its cool as a creative move, I cant say in any way it seems like a good move for a company possibly in financial straights. Has his over-ness and drawing ability exploded since two months ago? Has he gotten a serious push as of late??

Even still. Man. Chris Sabin.

 

[jmt225]

While I think its cool as a creative move, I cant say in any way it seems like a good move for a company possibly in financial straights. Has his over-ness and drawing ability exploded since two months ago? Has he gotten a serious push as of late??

Even still. Man. Chris Sabin.

I agree that Chris Sabin being the guy is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I think it's simply TNA finally coming to the realization that they have to get out of this Aces and Eights mess. Tonight was their opportunity to start that process and they pulled the trigger. Sabin was just the hot X Division guy at the moment to make it happen since it was Destination X month. I'm sure he'll end up being a transitional champion.

 

[The Crock]

I like it from a risk-taking stand point. Sabin's a really solid wrestler. I didn't think he was going to be the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, but he's as solid of a choice as any to change things up, at this point. Still, I doubt he holds it for very long -- as a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Bully won the title back, or something. It's a bit of a shocker, though. I can't imagine most of the fans buying Sabin as a credible champion -- nor do I think he's been built up enough -- but I applaud TNA for doing something to shake things up a little.

 

[The Crock]

I agree that Chris Sabin being the guy is a bit of a head-scratcher, but I think it's simply TNA finally coming to the realization that they have to get out of this Aces and Eights mess. Tonight was their opportunity to start that process and they pulled the trigger. Sabin was just the hot X Division guy at the moment to make it happen since it was Destination X month. I'm sure he'll end up being a transitional champion.

If this is what they were thinking, they should have just let Aries be the one to win the title. He'd be a little more credible, at least.

 

[justinsayne]

If this is what they were thinking, they should have just let Aries be the one to win the title. He'd be a little more credible, at least.

Pretty sure they went with Sabin cause they want someone for Bully to feud with over the title while everyone else is tied up with the BFG series. I don't imagine Sabin will be holding the belt for very long, I'd be surprised if they have him keep it more then a few weeks before dropping it back to Bully Ray.

 

[Con T.]

Apparently the theme idea, billing a television show as a free PPV and doing a several week build to the main event works, since Impact did its best number in months, with a 1.2 rating and 1.49

So... This thread got a little more pointless, no?

 

[klunderbunker]

So... This thread got a little more pointless, no?

Not really. It's a big show and there was NOTHING else on. The interesting thing is where the numbers go from here.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

I disagree entirely with the OP Bully Ray is one of the best wrestlers going today and an excellent top heel IMO. He can talk well on the mic and puts on great matches. His agility is very good for his size. And on top of that he is very believable as a threat. He is so talented and yet it's so easy to hate him and boo him he just has that quality about him that makes you take an instant dislike to them, which is perfect for a heel.

Ratings may not have changed or may have gotten worse, (I don't follow them) but WHO on the roster would make ratings improve as champion? I don't think anybody in TNA could do that except Hogan for a one night improvement maybe. I just don't think any single wrestler in TNA is a legit draw, and I'm saying that as the biggest of TNA fans.

I'm sure the ratings weren't great when Roode's title reign was going on but that doesn't change him being TNA's greatest champion (IMO)

 

[Starkist]

I thought that the rating system was solely based off of people who are subscribed to be rated? Does it include DVR's too; if so how many people DRV'd the show too.

As for Bully, the group around him didn't work. They made the huge mistake of allowing them to constantly get their asses kicked. If they just beat down and didn't back down from anybody then maybe and I stretch that maybe, the group could have been more of a threat. If they weren't just about helping Bully become champion it'd have a better purpose.

Seriously, they were a group who destroyed everyone's hero's but never held any gold. Well, Devon did but never defended it which is totally stupid. If they we're to have Knux and D.O.C be the tag team and win the gold and WIN just about every match it'd seem so much better. Same with putting one of them in the X Division. Who that'd be, I don't know but they could have tried.

Another thing is that they were a motor-cycle gain that never rode bikes. They did in the beginning but that slowly faded out. If they just pushed everyone into the scene with less losses and kept Briscoe and Bischoff ass prospects it'd work better. They'd all work together and never walk alone and then they could seem like a dominate group with somebodies instead of nobodies.

As for Bully,he is still good and easily over as a heel. Probably the most over heel in TNA at this time.

 

[justinsayne]

I thought that the rating system was solely based off of people who are subscribed to be rated? Does it include DVR's too; if so how many people DRV'd the show too.

Granted my understanding of this is fairly limited but I beleive the network gets DVR numbers, however I think they're separate from ratings numbers, as advertisers care more about the people who are watching the show live & sitting through all the commercials, the DVR people typically just FF through the commercials.

It looks like Bully gets his rematch in about a month in a Steel cage match at the Hardcore Justice edition of Impact. I assume that's where Bully will get the belt back.

This whole stupid idea of taking old PPV's & recycling them as special editions of Impact is fucking dumb, if they're gonna continue to do shit like this then make it part of a 3 hr. Impact, so that it actually feels like a special edition, or they could just put them back into their PPV schedule & make money of them, which would seem like the smarter option.

 

[Барбоса]

The problem with Bully Ray and As&8s was that everything took far too long. I know a major criticism of wrestling these days is that nothing is allowed to develop for any length of time but in this case the opposite seems to be the case.

The turn of Bully Ray was well executed as his work at getting himself over has been really good but so much was put into that story that there seems to have been little in the way of a plan to build up someone to defeat the dastardly bully and his gang. It looked like AJ was going to be the man but that has not been well worked - essentially, AJ has been on television too much for the Lone Wolf copy of the 97 Sting angle. The MEF return is fine to deal with the numbers of the As&8s and it could have, and may yet see, someone like Magnus elevated through the BFG series but that seems a long way off.

Now out of the blue, Chris Sabin wins the title and it just smacks of a lack of direction, second thoughts on a Hogan/Ray match and almost desperation.

 

[Starkist]

Ah, thanks Justinsayne for the clarification for me. I can see what you mean by the fast forward as that's exactly what I do. The money for the network is through the advertisements right?

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

First up - I can't believe that we are 7 pages in and no-one has mentioned a couple of the variables that has been affecting Impact's ratings in recent times. The yearly post WrestleMania lull and the moving of their time-slot both had detrimental effects.

Now, the "Live on the road" discussion. I don't know how much it costs but logic would dictate that it may not be as severe as many are painting it out to be. Why?
I think we can agree that it costs more than taping in the Impact Zone but and it is a massive BUT - they received ZERO ticket sales in Orlando and, as anybody who watched the show regular back then would have noticed, limited merchandising. On the road, they have substantial ticket sales PLUS as they are in different parts of the country - a far greater merchandising potential. This additional revenue is bound to offset much of the additional taping costs (if it didn't why would they bother with the live UK tapings that traditionally don't pull great US viewing figures?).

PPVs vs Impact 'Specials'. This model makes much more sense, whether I liked it or not, buyrates of 10k and less makes the maths very simple - less than 1 person in every 100 where aware what had happened the previous Sunday night once the following Impact aired. It was also repeated that the buys didn't cover the costs of the events and, with PPV, you don't have the advertising revenue to offset. As to people just not liking the concept of themed episodes... well, it seems to work okay for the market leader so I'd say that is just silly PLUS, it leaves the door open for said episode to possibly return to the PPV timetable down the line.

Finally, as to who should or shouldn't be champion or even on the roster.

• As much as I feel that Crimson and Morgan had potential or that Tara was always value for money and as much as I may think that Garrett, Wes and Brooke are only there for who their parents are - watching the shows tells me that they get a reaction that those released could only dream off.
• As to TNA's reliance on stables... well, that is very simple - one weekly 2 hours slot and a large roster. By having stables, you give more guys air time so that they are constantly in the public consciousness (something WWe doesn't have to worry about with several weekly TV hours).
• The veterans... I find it quite funny that people will take shots at Hulk and Sting when you just know that Vince would sell Shane to get the two of them to fill similar positions for him.
• Bully Ray - he gets extreme heat from live crowds and people were also hot for him as a face prior to the LockDown screwjob, I still believe that the Prez has great mileage in the main event.
• Chris Sabin - Bully, Hardy, Aries, Roode... TNA has shown respect to who it puts the belt on from BFG '11 after the blip of the early Bischoff / Hogan regime and, as a fan, I hope to see that trend continue. I like the idea of supporting someone you can see has gone that extra mile to get themselves over with the crowd all round (ie with their onscreen work, not with their Twitter bitching or YouTube series).

 

[Dirk]

They've been averaging around 0.8 the past month or so. Aces and Zero Point Eights.

I was about to go off on how amazing Bully Ray is, but dammit, that pun is just too good!

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

And they stole Liverpool's catchphrase.


And Celtic's.

 

[The Butcher]

I was about to go off on how amazing Bully Ray is, but dammit, that pun is just too good!

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

I think Bully has been the most interesting heel in wrestling since his turn, with the possible exception of the CM Punk/Paul Heyman teaming. Aces and Eights, on the other hand, is pure garbage.