Will Impact Touring Affect TNA's Ability To Sign Top Free Agents?

[klunderbunker]

This was something that popped into my head when I saw TNA announcing a new "big" signing. Over the years, one of TNA's most appealing features was they worked every other week in Orlando only, meaning talent could fly in, work once or twice a month and then go back home or just stay in Orlando. Now that it's live every other week around the country, would as many free agents want to come there?

Yeah it's cool to be on TV again if you're not in WWE, but do people want to go to places like Jonesboro, Arkansas or Louisville or wherever else Impact is going that week? Going to Orlando once a month is hardly torture, but I can't imagine people dying to go do a show in the middle of Mississippi or somewhere like that. For years we've heard about how appealing it is to go to Orlando and work a show a month etc, but now that's out the window.

Thoughts on this? Does this help and/or TNA's abilities to sign free agent talent?

 

[It's Damn Real!]

It certainly could, especially the older guys who leave WWE or other promotions that tour heavily where they are expected to be on the road 260+ days a year, but TNA has also never been adverse to the idea of offering lighter schedules to older performers or free agent signings, so it could just be solved by creative booking and creative writing where a guy like Batista let's say (totally spit-balling) could come in to work a shorter program (similar to what Lesnar just did, no?) where he's only signed to work live tapings for say a 2-3 month run?

I'd imagine it will definitely affect their ability to sign free agents, but I'm not sure we can decisively insinuate that that effect will be negative or positive. Not without a better idea of who the free agent is, how old he/she is and why they'd be signing on to TNA in the first place.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

For sure. However, despite going on the road, I think TNA is still less hectic in this area than the WWE.

Keep in mind that TNA often tapes two weeks in the same location, therefore they're already traveling less than the WWE guys to tape Impact. Moreover, I'm not well informed with TNA's house show frequency, but I think they have less than the WWE, or they don't move around as much. Even if their house shows were up to par with WWE's, as far as traveling, it still isn't as much as the WWE.

Thus, for a top star, anything less than the WWE is plausible. But, of course, it reduces the chances that someone will consider it. Why go to TNA and get paid less for a schedule that's just a bit lighter, right? There have to be more motives than that for a top star to end up in TNA. Unhappiness ought to do it. Weed also.

As far as free agents in the indies, I don't think they give a crap. These guys will jump on the first chance to go to TNA or WWE (preferably the WWE). Chances are they're begging to be busy. I'd be too if I was getting paid in taps on the shoulder.

 

[Kliq69]

I think Impact touring is less of a concern than the fact that Vince seems to be willing to let guys work part-time schedules as long as they are a big name. When Cena's contract is up, and he happens to be pretty worn down, does he go to the minor leagues for less money? Or ask Vince for a schedule somewhere between Lesnar's and Jericho's for quite a bit of money?

The minor leagues will not be able to compete with WWE, ever, TNA included. They have the bankroll and the machine in place. They have the visibility, the media presence, and most importantly they have literally monopolized the industry. In just a few years, every single person on the roster will be coming up through the NXT/Developmental center, there will be no room for indy or foreign talent who haven't been properly trained in WWE's style. Just wait until 2018-2020, when they open up another center (or two) in different regions solely to put the indy leagues out of business. If you think Vince was ruthless with the territories, just wait until Hunter has control. They are going to make it to where if you want to work for WWE, you will have to train under them, work their minor leagues territories, and finally be allowed on the main roster.

Imagine if WWE NE (or whatever it's called) purposely booked shows within 20-30 miles of every single ROH show, how long until ROH had to sell to them? Why not a WWE SW that took guys from Cali, mexico, etc and literally took away the lucha pipeline? WWE Canada would bankrupt all the indy feds left up there and a WWE Euro[e would do the same on that continent. A WWE Japan/Asia group wouldn't bankrupt all the companies in Japan, but would probably force quite a few mergers in order for them to survive. There is no doubt with proper planning and execution, they could literally run 75%+ of wrestling around the globe.

 

[Mr.Maikeru_Sawyer]

i don't think it will at all. think about it sensibly for one second and you would have your answer.

the only people I see that would bitch about the light touring that is done in TNA now would be the big name stars.

let us say Orton gets his 3rd wellness violation and by WWE rule would be fired one the spot. TNA would be all over him trying to give him anything he would want to get him to sign, which would involve only working TV & PPV Shows. With the touring schedule that TNA carries right now the fewest work days that someone would have to work in one month. IMPACT/PPV ONLY would be 4 days in 5 week month. 3 days the other months. so why would going on the road the way they do now hinder from signing a big name free agent

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I don't think it would have any effect at all. If anything, the TV schedule would actually be lighter as the superstar will now only have to fly to wherever Impact is being filmed once every two weeks rather than fly into Orlando every week as was the case.

Plus, the current Impact wrestlers are loving appearing in front of larger and more animated crowds rather than the Impact Zone so word of mouth from the current roster to potential free agents should reflect that positive.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

TNA as a touring wrestling company adds some degree of legitimacy to the program. I can imagine, if you were trying to weight in on whether it was worth it to work for TNA, I'd rather work for a touring company than wrestle in the Impact Zone every week.

Wrestlers are used to travelling all around the world. Most of these guys drive 1,000 miles for a few hundred bucks (maybe) and a place to sleep (maybe). Some do it for much less. Flying in to Orlando and flying in and out of Dallas or Chicago isn't going to matter a whole lot to them, I'd guess. If anything, Orlando is a pretty far journey if you live anywhere other than the SE coast.

If we're talking "top" free agents, these are going to be guys used to working 300 days for WWE, or driving thousands of miles to get over on the indies. Maybe the Impact Zone provided a bit of stability and/or laziness for some guys, but most of the good workers probably dont' care, I'd imagine. They're probably getting paid a bit more to travel. Any "top" free agents are going to land contracts they won't find on the indies.

I can't imagine TNA being a travelling company would hurt them. It's international TV expose after all. If you're a pro wrestler, and you don't want to travel, you're not going to make it.

 

[MrPlatano1989]

A lot of people don't know this but TNA increased their tours a LONG time ago! Around 2008 to be specific. Since then they have signed major talents that I've seen perform during live shows multiple times. People like Anderson, Jeff Hardy, and RVD have been at every house show I've gone to since they joined / returned, not to mention countless others.