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Innovator
08-03-2004, 01:03 AM
credit: Mike Johnson @ PWInsider.com http://www.pwinsider.com/elite/ViewArticle.asp?id=4146&p=1

According to several well placed sources within TNA, It appears that the company's braintrust is at the crossroads, trying to make some major decisions about the short and long-term future of the promotion. There are three major points that sources indicate are being currently discussed. I have heard from some sources that the decisions have already been made, although other sources insist the discussions haven't been finalized. The three points are:

Pulling out of Nashville for Orlando. There is a lot of discussion internally that TNA management will finally make the big leap and pull out of their Nashville, TN home this September. The discussed plan is to move the company's events to Orlando, Florida, which may also include moving the offices, which are currently based in Nashville. TNA, which has been taping Impact! out of Universal Studios in Orlando for the last several months, has been discussing this idea off and on for several weeks. There are positives to both sides of the argument. Obviously, Universal has the better resources as well as the synergy of being in a major amusement park and TNA can tap the parkgoers for fans. There are some in the company who don't want to leave behind the Nashville audience, although the majority of those fans are attending with free tickets anyway.

Ending the Weekly PPV events Concept. There is also talk about throwing the weekly PPV concept out the window, and in its place, running monthly Sunday evening PPV events instead. When TNA was first launched in June 2002, the idea was to run PPVs only as a way to get around not having TV. The PPV only concept didn't work, was never profitable, and instead was a money drain from day one. Now, with TNA paying for a weekly series on the Fox Sports Network as well, that money drain worsens. The idea that is being discussed it designed to plug that drain, so to speak. The plan would be to kill the weekly PPVs and instead use Impact! to build towards monthly PPVs. I am under the impression that of all the things being discussed, this is the one they want to be most cautious about before making a final decision, as they don't want to upset the wrestlers they have signed to deals if they cut back on dates.

TNA has flirted with the idea of Sunday night PPVs in the past including plans for a November 2003 event titled "Bound For Glory." That PPV would have been headlined by Jeff Jarrett vs. Hulk Hogan for the NWA championship, but was shelved once Hogan opted not to come into the promotion after running an angle in Japan to build to the match. Now, with national television behind them, TNA may be willing to shirk their original business plan and follow the traditional PPV pattern.

TNA House Shows. TNA sources indicate that the promotion may finally move forward with house shows starting this October. I have heard, however, that certain members of management (Jerry Jarrett among them) aren't completely sold on the idea yet, feeling it is too soon to chance doing house show tours. They are still trying to make a decision about house shows, and of the three points, this is the least likely to happen right away. We've reported in the past that TNA has looked at Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Dayton, Ohio as possible house show markets, utilizing local promoters to help get the word out for the shows. If TNA is going to pull out of Nashville, I am sure they will want to run house shows there as well. Although TNA is cautious about doing house shows, they may need to go forward with them as a way to make up for any lost dates the talent may face once the PPV situation is decided upon.

Obviously, it's an interesting time for TNA and I am curious to see how everything plays out. It's very possible that by the time the summer ends, we'll be looking at a completely different promotion in concept. We'll have more on the story here on PWInsider.com as it continues to develop.

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It looks like they're taking the next steps in promoting the company and getting onto WWE's level. This will payoff for them in the long run.

Boondock Saint
08-03-2004, 01:31 AM
I hope they do scrap the weekly PPV concept. I don't order them anymore, and just watch Impact. But it seems like Impact is all just hype for the PPV, which pisses me off. Is the PPV now just hype for IMpact? Anyone know?

I also have a hard time keep wrestlers straight with TNA. It seemes guys appear and disappear without any explanation. It's pretty annoying. I think I read that anyone who is on Impact has a written contract, but not everyone you think you'd see is on there.

Then again, it is only an hour.

Sensei Of Mattitude
08-03-2004, 01:44 AM
Move to Orlando

Drop the Weekly PPVs

Make Impact! 2 hours long and LIVE Thursday Nights on FX at 8-10pm

What r u gonna watch? Taped SD! or Live Impact!?

Splaya
08-03-2004, 01:48 AM
Sadly Taped SD :(

Innovator
08-03-2004, 01:51 AM
as long as Styles and Raven appear on Impact, im there