Will T.N.A. Gain Ground on the W.W.E.?

[TheOneBigWill]

Recently we've seen a major change in the way both the W.W.E. and T.N.A. have went around becoming Family oriented. While T.N.A. is pulling away from being a PG company, W.W.E. seems to be settling into trying it out for size.

This has failure written all over it for the W.W.E., as more than half of their Superstars aren't even Family-oriented. Meanwhile, T.N.A. is turning practically every Superstar on their roster into a bonafied foul-mouth bad ass motha fucker. SO, with that being said, do you generally feel that T.N.A. could gain some ground on the W.W.E., by it's reversal of attitudes?

Afterall, W.W.E. took control of the Monday Night Wars when they turned the attitude levels up, and W.C.W. never fully recovered. While I doubt T.N.A. could duplicate that type of turnout, I do infact believe T.N.A. might gain a couple attitude era W.W.E. fans from all of this, and it could close some ground between the two companies.

What are everyone's opinions in this matter? Be sure to fully explain your beliefs and opinions of the situation. Give comparisons, and examples if you'd like, explain in great detail exactly why you think T.N.A. will or won't gain ground, and why or why won't the W.W.E. fail from going PG.

 

[Mr. TM]

Well I will take the point in saying that the WWE may be onto something. General fans will not turn away from the WWE in this family atmosphere. Wrestling fans during the Attitude Era who have remained fans realize the change. And because there is a change, that entire demographic who is now making babies will have their kids watch WWE programming because they realize it is now a show for kids.

People in their 20s who have never watched Wrestling are not going to start. It doesn't appeal to new viewers in this age demographic. The people who watch TNA are for the most part people who watch WWE. But I cannot see fans tuning out of WWE programming simply to watch TNA.

If WWE hooks kids now, those kids are going to watch wrestling. That is the demographic to target, because that is the age that thinks wrestling is still cool. For all we now, WWE will only keep up with this pattern for five years. Then these kids who are now 8-12, will be exposed to a product that becomes edgy again by the WWE. A new "Attitude Era" in the sense. From here, WWE rides it for a while, until starting a new cycle that is renewable.

If the WWE has this formula, I think it is over anything TNA has thought of. They will try to take advantage of this, but in reality, if they are getting 1.2s, at least 80% is WWE audience. If it is WWE audience that is children, I really do not see them tuning in, so TNA runs the risk of killing itself out.

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Spawn began a thread awhile back that indirectly touches on these issues, and I want to link it here so no one will think that I am stealing an opinion that is very similar to the one I have: http://forums.wrestlezone.com/showthread.php?t=26202

Currently, TNA is being hurt by two things that have nothing to do with the content of its programming: its taping schedule and its network.

I am of the opinion that TNA's fanbase largely consists of smarks (and I mean this in a broad, non-pejorative sense to include all those who have a knowledge of the backstage goings-on of wrestling and who post on forums like Wrestlezone). Consequently, the spoilers that inevitably result from TNA's taping schedule give its viewers the incentive to either: not watch it but still post about it, catch it on youtube or similar sites, or DVR it (thus only giving TNA a fraction of the Nielsen credit it would get if those whose DVR it watch it live). So, anyway you look at it, TNA's taping schedule hurts its ability to realize the ratings that it is capable of achieving.

However, I don't think the implications of TNA's taping schedule necessarily spell doom for iMPACT!'s ratings. But, I think this taping schedule's combination with the way Spike handles iMPACT! does spell doom for its ratings. As I think we can all agree, TNA's programming is targeted towards an older crowd than WWE's programming. If I had to hazard a guess as to whom it appeals to, I would say that iMPACT! would most appeal to males between the ages of 16 and 30. Besides giving it little advertisement, Spike hurts iMPACT! in two other manners. One, it gives it a horrible day slot. The time slot is fine, but, on Thursdays in America, I am positive that most of the people iMPACT! appeals to are out boozing it up and trying to get laid. (This is just a theory, mind you; in college and afterwards, it seems that most of the males I know who would like iMPACT! are out on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Of course, my case may be an anomalous one, so take my observations and theory with a grain of salt.) Second, as Spawn mentions in the post I link, iMPACT!'s lead-ins are reruns of one of the three CSI programs. And, as anyone with a little bit of knowledge regarding Nielsen ratings knows, these shows largely appeal to an older audience that is nowhere near the demographic that would find iMPACT! appealing. While you could say the same thing for RAW's lead-ins (reruns of one of the three Law & Order programs, if I remember correctly), I think it is important to remember that it is an established program, whereas iMPACT! is not. Currently, iMPACT! needs all the help it can get, and it is my opinion that Spike is hardly doing anything to help it.

So, what do I hope to conclude from this pedantic rant? Nothing more than this: TNA is such a non-entity right now relative to WWE because of the problems which I outlined above, which it faces before rather than as a result of its programming content. Its taping schedule wouldn't be as harmful if it got better support from Spike. However, until it gets this support, I wouldn't count on TNA stealing any of WWE's older audience, despite WWE's current efforts to appeal to a younger demographic.

 

[klunderbunker]

If I were WWE I wouldn't be worried about this for years. TNA has many problems that go along with it, but their biggest is what WCW did: they won't let their young guys go up. Since the inception of the TNA title a year and a half ago, Joe is the only young guy to get a run with it. Angle and Sting are both in the twilight of their careers with the company as Angle could jump back to WWE. When Sting retires, where does that leave TNA? The other issue is that the shows air on different nights. WWF and WCW were able to hurt each other by taking away viewers. In this case teh only thing they have to compete over are PPV buys, which likely won't be an issue for a good while. TNA will grow and gain some ground, but not enough to put up a real threat to WWE.

 

[OIL]

The WWE won't be worried, and don't really have to be worried for another 7 or so years. TNA aren't even worrying the WWE at all at the moment, not in any department. The WWE are 1,000,000 times a bigger company, and are known all around the world. With TNA going more attitude wise, it would probably help them gain some more fans, there's no doubt. It made the WWF the most successful company of all time, because fans loved it. They loved the storylines, they loved the gimmicks and they loved the shows. However, TNA still has a huge amount of problems. Christian is heading back to the WWE, and I can see others following too. They know the WWE are the bigger company, and if a wrestler wants to become a bigger star, they'll go there. All in all, they won't gain any ground really, because it only takes one month of attitude programming in the WWE for people to tune into RAW or SD!

 

[neildittmar]

Gain ground... as in a popularity increase within it's own realm? Probably. Gain ground as in a "Monday Night Wars, WCW overtaking WWF" type of situation? Most likely not. TNA has come quite a ways since gimmicks like "The Johnsons", midgets pleasuring themselves in trash cans, and Jeff "it's my company so I'm going to be champion" Jarret headlining every single event. However, as others have already said TNA is nowhere near the level that WWE is for reasons that have already been mentioned.

Wrestling in general (not just TNA) needs something fresh and new to get it back into its heyday again. Granted, while some of the things TNA does and has done are innovative (six sided ring, X-division, etc.), it's just not enough to bring in the casual fan or attract older fans who have since moved on from professional wrestling. Slight twists and turns on the existing formula won't bring about the viewership numbers I think Carter and Company are shooting for. The entire product needs to be overhauled and that presents a pretty huge risk, not only for TNA but for WWE as well should they try it.

The old ECW is a shining example of turning an existing product on it's ear. Not only because the talent was allowed to curse and because of the violent nature of the matches, but because it was so wildly different than the product WWF and WCW were putting on every week. It felt "real" because parts of it were "real" (with slight embelishments of course). That was the key factor in any success ECW attained, since WCW and WWF were still mostly 100% kayfabe television productions. When you watched ECW or went to a show, you weren't quite sure what was going to happen. Maybe a talent would no-show... maybe someone would get legit injured... maybe this was the last night you would see your favorite star on the roster... maybe two unknowns would go at it and steal the show? No one knew and that's what made you want to watch.

WWE is "comfortable" right now... they get decent ratings and sell tons of merchandise and PPV buys. TNA is the "up and comer", but they're not radically different than what WWE is at its core. ECW (and Paul Heyman in particular) honestly believed that they would overtake WWF and WCW as the #1 promotion with their brand of wrestling. TNA on the other hand seems to be satisfied with number 2, picking up "used" WWE talent as they are released from their contracts.

Christian Cage, Booker T, The Dudley Boys, and even Mick Foley... what have any of them done in TNA that has significantly enhanced their own personas, the company at large, or both? They're the same people generally "playing" the same characters in a slightly different, yet incredibly familiar, setting. If TNA's apsirations are to be "WWE-lite" or "WWE with potty mouth", this isn't going to get the job done.

 

[Pimpin]

Ha gain ground. Yeah that will happen in like 10-15 years. If TNA wants to truly gain ground on the WWE they need to let their young guys go up. Seriously they keep letting these old fucks hold the big belt & if that keeps happening then TNA will just end up like WCW did & we all know what happened to them.

 

[Mr.RKO]

It shouldnt be about whether or not TNA can gain ground on WWE, it should be about if TNA can survive the next 6 to 10 years. TNA currently doesnt look like it could make it to next month. The fact that every episode of Impact is spoiled a week ahead of time, doesnt help the cause. On top of that when you read it nothing about it sticks out and says WOW.. I cant believe thats going to happen, nah there is none of that. This past week Randy Orton punted Vince Mc Mahon in the head. Nobody on any of the 13 billion wrestling forums could have smelled that coming. And no, dont attempt to quote that sentence and claim you knew because you didnt. And no, im not a WWE fanboy, I just LIKE WRESTLING ALOT. Back to TNA. The character development is taking a turn for the worst. Matt Morgan for example, wwhen he was Cornettes Muscle, I really thought he might find some type of build or slight gimmick that would launch his career. Fast Forward to right now, present day, he is about to feud with Abyss after a awful mesh up tag team. They didnt do anything but lose and the only reason they were even placed together is because creative didnt have anything for them. Heres a idea, let him battle is way to the top, same with Abyss. Sorry for the rant, but that was just a big example of the lack of character develpment on just one TNA superstar, image if i went through everybody else. Also to couple that, all of theyre titles mean nothing because there is no substance or feuds/storylines to give it prestigue. The TNA World title mean nothing if not less, the X Title samething. Ok i was wrong, thanks to Beer Money the Tag Titles are starting to mean something, just not a lot of something. Man i already said too much, ill save the rest for another time. Please somebody reply soon.