Would TNA Benefit From Their Own Version of SNME?

[Harthan]

Saturday Night's Main Event was, for years in the WWE, the meeting place between TV and PPV. Though rarely used today, and supplanted by Raw in general, it is still a concept of giving away PPV matches for free in the effort of attracting more viewers. WCW utilized the same concept with Clash of the Champions, a free national supercard. The question here is, would TNA benefit from doing the same, and if so, how and where could it be implemented?

I think clearly it would be a good thing for TNA. TNA usually knows the difference between TV main events and PPV matches, although they frequently do give away big stuff on Impact, particularly a lot of cage matches. They've done Kurt Angle vs Sting in a cage, they've done a Foley vs Angle, and they've done a big tag main event in the last couple weeks. The latter two make for good TV main events, but the former was the type of thing that could have main evented a big, free card like a SNME.

TNA is clearly having problems, however, with getting PPV buys. We all know about the abysmal Slammiversary buy, and I think getting the TNA name and talent out there is the trick to drawing more PPV buyers. A SNME type card on another station could attract a bunch of new viewers to TNA, could help promote the upcoming PPV better, and all in all would serve to help TNA's PPV buys and hopefully up their TV ratings.

This is the kind of thing that could help to get big names out there on a different network, and hopefully attract more viewers. A station like FX might be down with carrying this kind of deal, and could nab TNA a bit of a bigger audience for Impact and PPV. They can showcase their unique features, their X Division, their fleshed out tag division, to another audience and hopefully grab some more viewers. I think running one of these every 2-3 months on a different station would do wonders for TNA.

Would it help TNA, or could it hurt them? What station would be a good place for it to land? What do you think?

 

[Kanye South]

Definetly. I think Impact should be focused on competing with Smackdown, while this show that you are proposing could be perfect competition for ECW. This show could be a great way to bridge rivalries and to have "dream" matchups. For example, if Sting was in a rivalry with Angle, and Bobby Lashley was in a rivalry with the Mafia overall, then have Bobby Lashley vs. Sting. It could be a solid matchup, and at the end, have the MEM come in and attack them both. It shows the Mafia's dominance, doesn't make Sting and Lashley look like bitches, and we get a good match.

Same if you wanted to showcase the X-Division. The main focus right now in TNA is on the Mafia. That's great. But on this new show that you are proposing, the X-Division could be the main focus. It should be a one-hour show that's match heavy. It could come on at 8 or 9 on FX.

Here's a Layout:

8:00-Promo 1 (Ring Segment)
8:15-Women's Match
8:20-Squash Match
8:25-X-Division Match
8:40-Promo 2 (Interview/Backstage Segment/Impact Recap/Superstar Spotlight)
8:45-Main Event
9:00-End

I believe something like that could work with the name of "TNA Saturday Night Smash" or something.

 

[johnnyblaze3:16]

i think it would be a great idea but what they really need is a farm system the reason i dont watch is because i already enjoyed all there wrestlers in wwe and the mem is just a poor mans nwo do something new and maybe id watch nows the time with wwe being stale and all give me somthing worth watching that i havent seen before example angle/foley i loved that match in wwe when they were in there prime but ive already seen it its booring to see the same match from wwe just ten years later

 

[SavageTaker]

I think it would be great if TNA had a show that is like SNME. Like you said, if they put it on a network like FX it could attract a lot more viewers to not only their weekly television show Impact but if the fans like what they see then they might also buy the pay per views therefore increasing Impact’s ratings and the buys for a pay per view.

There are always people who don’t buy pay per views or are on the fence because they don’t know what they might get. People are always unsure and if TNA can showcase what they offer then people will give them a chance and buy their pay per views and will want to watch Impact. If they do something like that right, then I could see it being very successful. They just have to make sure to give out great lower card and main event matches on free TV, but they can’t give out too much like Sting vs. Kurt Angle. They have to give great matches but nothing that would normally go on a pay per view.

I would definitely love it if TNA was to introduce something that was like their version of SNME. I could see it being very successful if they do everything right. It would get them a lot of great exposure if they choose the right network, it could increase Impacts ratings, and lastly if they do it right then it might get people to buy pay per views if they like what they see.

 

[EnigmaticAngel]

I think the idea as a whole sounds like a great idea. I've been secretly hoping that TNA decides to do something sort of like Clash of the Champions for close to a year now.
When WWE brought back SNME a few years ago I was ecstatic, but apparently between the return and the last one they did they forgot how to use SNME (I mean they shortened it to three matches. Two of which sucked). I think TNA could use it in a big way, because they have so much talent that they can showcase but not enough time to do that with just one show a week.
The only thing I might change about your idea is not to have it on a cable network like FX or anything, but instead have it on network television. I think that would broaden the fan base to people who normally wouldnt even know that TNA even exists. Also if they do it right enough that those people who are on hard times because of the economy and cant exactly afford cable can become diehard fans, then not only does that shoot the ratings for those shows up like a baseball player during the world series, but it also could bring up the dvd buys, the internet site hits, etc.

 

[HypnotizedHero2010]

i think it could help TNA. they need another show to help showcase the rest of their talent and if they can get it on a bigger tv station it could bring in new fans.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

It would most certainly help out TNA. The problem is that SNME was an NBC special and NBC is a HUGE FUCKING CONGLAMORATE IN TELEVISION. If TNA could get a big network (like ABC, CBS, ect.) to give them a 2 hour special every once in a while, it could do wonders, the ratings will definetely be better (by network association alone) and they could also rake in some new fans and revenue while at the process.

I just don't see a big time network giving a special to a glorified independent promotion.

 

[TheLaw]

The best TNA could do right now is work on its writing skills. Why would they throw away a debut like Tazz? Let's take a look how WWE debuted Chris Jericho... we knew he wa coming but watching Raw every Monday it was like when! Another thing is TNA would have to go live. Right now I view them as a glorified Indy Fed. Let's recap...So before TNA would think about running a SNME type of show they should:
A: Get a Live Show (So they can debut stars)
B. Revamp the entire writing staff.
C: Take a page out of the book of WWE when it comes to entertainment.

 

[Upgrayedd]

If they could get a prime time special on CBS (since they own SpikeTV) it could be great for them.

Instead of a SNME they'd have to have it live on a Wednesday or even Thursday (in place of iMPACT!) and have it more like a WCW Clash Of The Champions.

This idea sounds really good though. I wonder if the people at Spike could pull some strings and make it happen.

 

[Upgrayedd]

The best TNA could do right now is work on its writing skills. Why would they throw away a debut like Tazz? Let's take a look how WWE debuted Chris Jericho... we knew he wa coming but watching Raw every Monday it was like when! Another thing is TNA would have to go live. Right now I view them as a glorified Indy Fed. Let's recap...So before TNA would think about running a SNME type of show they should:
A: Get a Live Show (So they can debut stars)
B. Revamp the entire writing staff.
C: Take a page out of the book of WWE when it comes to entertainment.

A: I agree.

B: I agree only if it's all Vince Russo writing/booking the shows with help from Terry Taylor and if they could bring in Paul Heyman that would be great.

C: No. What part of the WWE is entertaining right now? TNA is way more entertaining than TNA.

 

[Karnuj]

they did do kind of something like this last year with the international super card and it was high in the ratings for tna, i mean it wasnt no preview of the ppv but i thought their global impact was an awesome show and cant wait to see if they do one this year.

C: No. What part of the WWE is entertaining right now? TNA is way more entertaining than TNA.

I like both shows. i think wwe is just getting over abundant, struggling to come up with new and unique entertainment, but some of the wrestling is getting way better so i can not complain.

 

[y2empleh]

I actually don't think it's a good idea. Back in the 80's and 90's at the height of SNME: there were 2 concepts. Only 2-3 PPV's a year with 2 SNME each year between the long spans and also the concept of squash matches which for the most part have gone away. With that said TNA currently uses the same basic concept as WWE in that there is maybe one squash match, a few mediocre matches, and a few PPV level matches. Add to that the fact of there being a PPV every month and there simply isn't enough time in 2 hours a week to promote not only a monthly PPV but also a free-TV "PPV". Right now TNA needs to focus on getting there PPV buys above 7,000, nothing else.

 

[Mr. Steve]

Well, TNA can't afford another show right now. There's news of them scaling back on the shows, so for them to go and get an affiliation with a network channel is insane. They got time. They got 7 years. No one starts with a billionaire as back up. And Dixie Carter can only do so much in a few years. Right now, they need to check their infrastructure, and check what gives them income and what doesn't. I.E. "would stacker2 help me out? it will/ let's go get their sponsorship." small stuff like that, and take it one step at a time. it's only been 7 years, and its the second promotion in the United States. Obviously, they got to check their employees right now, and trim fat where it's needed.

 

[TheLaw]

C: No. What part of the WWE is entertaining right now? TNA is way more entertaining than TNA.

WWE has a little comedy in it, Hornswoggle, Dolph Ziggler introducing himself and the other wrestlers saying who are you? Mark Herny now that he's Face is pretty entertainng also. TNA is too up tight for me. Don't get me wrong it's still a decent product and anyone working for TNA is working for one of the best feds UNDER WWE. My argument is they have to step their game up in order to get another show, go live, and compete with the E

 

[NSL]

Brilliant idea Harthan. I'm almost surprised that Jarrett didn't think of it first, but then again, he is Jeff Jarrett, and this is TNA.

TNA would be well served to add a special show, either once monthly, or once every other month, just to get some extra exposure, and to get their big names on TV an extra 15 minutes a week. There's no such thing as too much Kurt Angle or AJ Styles, and it wouldn't hurt to see the Beautiful People for a little bit more time. With all the new people they're getting in, it would be a good place to make a big debut (see: Kennedy), or have a surprising title change.

The worst that could happen, is they do it three or four times, ratings suck, and they pull the plug.

 

[My$terio_Fan]

Why not? They could tape it during all the other Impacts, maybe change peices of the set, rope rings and you got a whole new show. Even if it was on a big network like the WWE;S "version' is, it still could be useful. Even a shitty network like SyFy has made ECW into a semi hit. A channel like FX or even TNT or TBS would be good.

It would give TNA a little more exposure(since if you don't watch Spike or go on the internet you probably never even heard of TNA), and it would give TNA some more well needed time to further feuds, so I say go ahead. Just don't expect huge ratings, or instant success. It's all about climbing the ladder.