Would Changing TNA's Name Change Their Product?

[It's...Baylariat!]

Here me out on this...

Still keep the IMPACT Wrestling name. And simply remove TNA all together. TNA's associated with titties and ass. When I think of that name, wrestling doesn't come to mind. IMPACT on the other hand has a ring to it and still keeps the legacy of the company intact.

I do firmly believe that getting rid of the TNA name would help the company become more appealing to advertisers as far as what they'd attach their company to. You feel me?

What are your thoughts? Would you like to see TNA's name removed and only use IMPACT wrestling to identify the company? What about a change from TNA to something like PWA - Professional Wrestling Assocation or WPW - World Professional Wrestling?

 

[jimmyrave]

They tried everything, going live, signing numerous WWE/WCW/ECW stars, going on the road. At this point, why not?

 

[Stormlor]

It will if they put a W in the front of back.

That really is the only way to see wrestling companies. Even in the Indy leagues, XPW in California gets more attention than ROH because ROH doesn't have that W that signals wrestling.

 

[SinCityBlitz]

You make a good point on the advertisers. But they would need to have initials because the Impact world champion just doesn't sound good.

To piss Vince off they should call it Neoteric Wrestling Organization.

It will if they put a W in the front of back.

That really is the only way to see wrestling companies. Even in the Indy leagues, XPW in California gets more attention than ROH because ROH doesn't have that W that signals wrestling.

XPW gets more attention in Cali because it is a Cali based wrestling fed. It has nothing to do with the W. Go outside of Cali and you will see that a whole helluva lot more people know about ROH than XPW.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

When they did the Impact wrestling rebranding I thought that it was going to be a changing of the company name but sadly that was not the case. Yes I would've rather the company name changed to Impact Wrestling. Total Nonstop Action just doesn't sound as good to me.

But they would need to have initials because the Impact world champion just doesn't sound good.

You don't think so? I think it sounds great!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I doubt it. TNA has been around for a long enough time and has had enough major names in pro wrestling associated with it to easily counteract any of the "Does TNA stand for Tits-N-Ass?" questions. Besides, in this day and age, if anyone is genuinely curious about if that actually is what it stands for, the answer is just a point & click away whether those people be potential advertisers or viewers.

IF, IF, IF TNA is anywhere close to going belly up, I don't see how a name change will do anything to curtail it, nor do I see how it would result in additional viewers. If anything, I think that it'd come off as an act of such desperation that it'd be funny if it wasn't so pitiful. If bringing in many of the biggest stars and most legendary names in professional wrestling of the past 30 to 40 years isn't able to generate interest, I doubt this will.

That being said, I don't believe that a name change would hurt anything. After all, changing the name of the show to Impact Wrestling didn't do any harm, but I don't see it helping anything.

 

[Eyebrows]

It won't change what's presented to us on-screen. That won't change without some creative and backstage shuffling. Unless the new external advertisers that could be brought in with the name change put pressure on them to change some aspects of their product.

However, I don't know much about Spike TV but a glance at the listings shows that it looks like a low-brow channel in general. Cops. 1000 Ways to Die. Gangland. Tattoo Nightmares. It sounds like Bravo, a channel we used to have in the UK, which used to air TNA. My guessing is that companies who advertise with TNA would have no problem advertising during these shows too since they're pulling at the same demographics, and that the type of advertisers who would run on either family-friendly or more professional sounding product would avoid Spike too. Got to take the network into account on these things. At least, that's based on my extremely limited (non-existent) knowledge of marketing and advertising. Maybe with a change of network they could pick up new advertisers but Spike have been good to them and would anyone else pick them up anyway?

Stupid name or not TNA is a recognisable brand so they'd have to spend money on some sort of marketing to make sure people are aware it's the same company. Unless they simply took Impact Wrestling and made that part of the company name like Total Impact Wrestling or something along those lines. But a name change would likely be superficial and not change the booking or product much.

 

[Krossbreed]

I think a name change and a company "personality" change would be what TNA needs.
ECW used toi be Eastern Championship wrestling they changed the name and gave it a extreme personality then people took notice.

WCW used to be the NWA affiliated: Jim Crockett Promotions then Universal Wrestling Corporation (UWC) before becoming WCW.

TNA was originally "NWA: Total Nonstop Action"

I think the name brand Total nonstop action was originally intended to be the name of there show.

Pro Wrestling, International wrestling championships, something to be taken seriously TNA just sounds so tacky. TNA needs to move with the times and get a more professional name.

 

[conrad405]

the sad truth is that they have tried everything and i think the company will always be at the level it is until they say enough is a enough, what tna needs is a complete fresh start new name dump the people who are not helping the company like HH pretty much just keep sting and kurt angle. but that won't help as i said nothing will help the company

 

[Dagger Dias]

Changing the name won't improve the product. In fact, it would actually be a bad idea. If they change the name but nothing else about the product, they would have to start over with a brand that no one is familiar with. TNA as a brand name has been around for over a decade. This new name would be completely different. If they are willing to put in the work to make this new brand name become better known than TNA, then go ahead. It's a bad idea as they already have big names like Hogan associated with them, there's really not much else they can do to get noticed. Why go through all of that again under a new name?

Keep the name. TNA have already worked hard to develop the brand name that it does have. Changing the name will do nothing at this point. Developing the product itself will. Pushing the right wrestlers, advertising events, booking results that make sense, these are all things that would improve the federation a great deal. Changing the name itself does nothing but make casual fans LESS aware of the product. It would still be the same product disguised under a new name when it came down to it otherwise.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I think TNA is a horrible name and it would only help to change it. I wonder how many parents have Spike TV blocked from their kids. Maybe they can use AJ Styles run to the top and beef with Dixie as a precipice for changing the name of TNA to something more hip ala Shane Douglas.

That being said it doesn't fix the product and it doesn't stop WWE from saturating viewer's wrestling appetites. It also doesn't necessarily get you better crowds.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I think a name change would be taking a step back. initially I think it would hurt because right now your company is known as TNA so a company change would be almost like stating over. you have to then start marketing a brand new name when you already have your name TNA out there. in the long run it might be more beneficial to be known as a wrestling company, but it could take some time.

I think if they did change it would have to be something that is shortened to 3 letters. for example the TV show Impact Wrestling I don't think would be good because that's IW. wrestling has mostly always been 3 letter abbreviations.
if you're going to go to 3 letters then I think you also have to be careful what 3 letters you end up with. you can't end with a 3rd name that starts with a C because then you're IWC, and right now that's Internet Wrestling Community. even if you go with something like ICW it could still be confusing.

could a slight name change be better?
Total Wrestling Association? TWA
Total Championship Wrestling? TCW
I don't think you could go Total Nonstop Wrestling (TNW) because that's implying it's non stop wrestling.
if you could keep T for Total at the beginning I think that could be better.

 

[Vintage]

I think TNA is a horrible name and it would only help to change it. I wonder how many parents have Spike TV blocked from their kids. Maybe they can use AJ Styles run to the top and beef with Dixie as a precipice for changing the name of TNA to something more hip ala Shane Douglas.

That being said it doesn't fix the product and it doesn't stop WWE from saturating viewer's wrestling appetites. It also doesn't necessarily get you better crowds.

In the USA, IMPACT WRESTLING is the name of the TV show on the guide channel, not TNA or TNA Wrestling. Perhaps at one point some stupid people may have blocked TNA from their kids but they changed the name of the show quite some time ago and addressed this very issue.

You're correct that the name change does not address the issues with the finished product. Nobody can stop the WWE from oversaturating the market with countless hours of crap. You need Raw, the raw recap show smackdown, the development fed show, the it's just on for the hell of it show, and the reality tv show because it's what's good for business right?

 

[Rabbid Wolverine]

They need a W associated with the name, something to sound similar to the major league name. WECW = World Evolution Championship Wrestling.

You have ECW and WCW in the initials, you also have the name Evolution in there. That could severely piss of Vince lol maybe even trips

 

[thesubverse]

I live in San Diego, and I drive by SDSU on the freeway every day. For months, on their giant LED sign, they've been advertising Bound for Glory with a display saying "TNA Wrestling 10/20/2013." Many of friends, who aren't wrestling fans but know that I am, have asked me if it means tits and ass wrestling and if it's some erotic women's wrestling thing.

Yeah, it's a shit name. It needed to be changed a decade ago.

 

[ABMorales787]

TNA rolls off the tongue so easy the fans chant it every PPV. It's a hell of a lot catchier than ROH or CZW or CHIKARA that's for sure. They already tried messing with something that didn't need fixing and we got "Impact Wrestling". At least there's a meaning to TNA Wrestling. "Why the fuck is that company called Impact Wrestling?" No acronyms are there to save you from the silliness.

If you seriously think TNA Wrestling is about porn, you must be the same kind of moron who thinks Popeye the Sailor Man is the mascot of Popeye's Chicken. Or wonder what KFC is supposed to stand for.

 

[#1Dobz92]

Maybe, but the name would have to be indicative of the direction they want to go with their product. Doing a rebrand for no real reason (which they did with IMPACT wrestling) doesn't help them. However, if they were to make a legitimate change with a set direction then it could be good for them. They would have to make sure everything is set financially though to do it which is something they have struggled with recently.

 

[dizzle1119]

There'd be nothing wrong with branding the company with a name such as ICW (Impact Championship Wrestling) or something of the like. That's just one generic, off the top of my head example...and it's a slight riff on their currently marketed brand name as well.

The Thursday night show can retain the Total Nonstop Action brand name.

The suggestion I just proposed would ease the entire "It'll start TNA over from the ground up in terms of marketing" argument as well. As to whether it'd help, I don't know. TNA's problems don't lie in the fact that their brand name is nigh universally associated with the term Tits & Ass, although veering away from that could indeed bring in more mainstream advertising. Their biggest problem is quality control. What we see on our tv screens. Booking in general.

They should do everything in their power to bring Jim Ross into the fold, in ANY capacity. At this point, what could it hurt? TNA has talent at their disposal....and a lot of that talent is capable of hitting it big or reviving a sputtering career (guys like Jeff Hardy & Ken Anderson come to mind here). They have the muscle to put together a solid pro wrestling show. They just don't utilize most of said talent properly. Someone with known, time tested and universally respected knowledge of the business should be brought in pronto.....and Jim Ross isn't currently tied to the competition. Whether or not Ross would get on board, I don't know. I would imagine he'd be down if the decimal point is in the right spot on his paychecks.

 

[Stinger]

TNA was a dumb name from the get go. You can't have a wrestling company with a "W" in the initials. Maybe they could have chosen a name like ACW - American Championship Wrestling.

I remember when ESPN was showing highlights of Pacman Jones wrestling for TNA years ago a few of my friends asked me what TNA was because they were wondering if it was something erotic. I just said "pretty much it's the new WCW" and they understood completely after that.

 

[SpecialFNK]

I thought changing Impact to Impact Wrestling for the name of the TV show was a good thing. casual viewer looking through the guide and seeing "Impact" wont have a clue that that is wrestling. now when they see "Impact Wrestling" they know it's wrestling. but I think it was too confusing for some who thought the company was changing names.

 

[Stinger]

I thought changing Impact to Impact Wrestling for the name of the TV show was a good thing. casual viewer looking through the guide and seeing "Impact" wont have a clue that that is wrestling. now when they see "Impact Wrestling" they know it's wrestling. but I think it was too confusing for some who thought the company was changing names.

I think it even confused some of the wrestlers too. I remember when Austin Aries won the world title and referred to himself as the "Impact World Heavyweight Champion."