Is the wrestling cycle beginning to turn again?

[samichna]

Okay, some of you might recognize me, some of you may not. Used to be a a big fan, blah blah blah, not I don't really watch it anymore. Used to post a lot in the Wrestling Forum too. Well I still catch a glimpse of some of the topics here, and began thinking...

I am hearing of a lot of the older WWE wrestlers being released from their contracts. As a result, a lot of the roster spots in the WWE are being filled with younger guys. The cut veterans are sort of drifting over to that NWA-TNA promotion. Isn't this pretty much exactly what happened in the mid-1990s, when a lot of the (then) WWF's older talent were being released and signing with WCW? This continued, until WCW finally wrote a killer storyline and the nWo shit started going down. WCW was the dominant promotion for a while.

Do you guys think this is happening again? Like the beginning of the process

DAMN WRESTLING AND ITS CYCLICAL WAYS

Forgive me if I was just rambling, please. :(

[Nark Order]

The big difference between WCW and TNA is that Ted Turner had millions upon millions of dollars to try and top the WWE. TNA simply does not have that type of funding (ie: A decent time slot on a decent network) I personally don't think TNA will ever get very big at all; at least not as big as WWE is or ever was...

[Head]

I don't think that'll happen again because TNA doesn't have the backing of Ted Turner like WCW did, or a good timeslot or channel.

I think WWE still has plenty of "old" talent left from their prime in Triple H, Undertaker, HBK, Benoit, Jericho, Big Show, Kane and Angle, their writing team just sucks now.

Dunno, kind of reminds me of like the 92-94 era in the respect that they were losing guys like Hogan, Savage, Warrior and Flair, but still had a lot of the older talent, kind of like today how they lost Goldberg, Stone Cold, Foley, Rock, and Lesner, but still have a lot of old guys. That and the ratings sucked in both times.

[samichna]

What'll happen if a rich sumbitch like Turner buys TNA and pumps tons of money into it?

[Xero]

I'd say, right now, TNA is 2004-2005's ECW... They're building up young stars, and have a refreshing style from the current WWE product... If they continue as they are now, I would'nt doubt that, with the right funding, they could be the next WCW... Once they get a better timeslot on a channel that's seen nationwide, then they will have something to roll with...

If TNA can pull off an angle or a style that's as big and fresh as the nWo angle was back in the 90's, I don't see why TNA couldn't give WWE a run for it's money, money issues aside...

Truthfully, thinking about it now, I wouldn't be suprised if Turner bought out TNA (Or he goes in with them) when his "no compete" clause is up in '06... That would give Turner an already buzzed about company to mold into something as big as WCW was back in the mid-late 90s... (As opposed to starting a company from scratch)

[Loose Cannon]

Last i HEARD, Turner is starting his own company

[Xero]

Last i HEARD, Turner is starting his own company
If Turner does infact start his own company from scratch, and gets the right people, then TNA would be this generation's ECW...

If Turner were smart, and Jarrette were smart, they'd go in with each other... Like I said, Turner would have an already semi-established company to work with and Jarrette would have the money he needs to get TNA big... I'm not saying they'd go along with it, I'm just saying it's a possiblity and the possiblities would be endless if it did happen...

[Funky Fly]

Last i HEARD, Turner is starting his own company
Ted Turner should just "donate" like eleventy billion dollars to a "good friend" and give him an "idea" of his perfect wrestling company to get around the no compete clause.

[Mr. JL]

I thought the clause was up sometime in 2005???

[Xero]

I thought the clause was up sometime in 2005???
I think I heard 06, maybe I'm wrong...

[Aussie Skier]

Wrestling is not cyclical.
In order for business to turn around, it must be through endogenous means (internal means), as opposed to exogenous means (where something jsut happens).

As for TNA being the internal means, not a chance!
Not for a long time, if at all.
I've heard their TV show is very average, and the fed is full 4 the most part with WWE wrestlers. it does have some good smalelr guys, but i'm not sure if smaller guys will attract fans.

[BigDaddyCool]

I personally don't think TNA will ever be as big as WCW because the guy in charge is also hording the belt to himself. Now before anyone starts point fingers at HHH, he isn't in charge (yet), he just has a ton of sway.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I think if TNA, Ring of Honour and Ted Turner jonied forces, then we'd have a competitor, but until then I think WWE is in control.

One thing to note if the release of a few of their talent. I don't see why TNA don't use htis to their advantage. Have The A-Train, Billy Gunn, Chris Kanyon, Sean O'Haire, Kevin Nash, Soctt Hall & maybe Sean Waltman come in and tell us how they are more talented than the rest of the roster. Paint the WWE guys as heels, and you have a big target of markish rage towards the WWE.

TNA has already proved they can use WWE dropped guys like Ron Killings & Raven to success, so why not take what they can from the WWE, and build-up a better reputation for themselves as a company that uses their talent to the maximum? Billy Gunn, The A-Train, Test and whoever else the WWE drops in coming weeks, could be signed and eventually used in major ways by TNA.

[John la Rock]

The only way TNA will challenge the WWE is if Turner (or some other rich fuck) buys the company and hires a HUGE star like The Rock (say he quits doing movies). A killer angle or storyline would be the icing on the cake

This is would be much like when WCW signed Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash

[LK]

The way things arre going right now TN Awon't get anywhere near the position WCW were simply cause of money. Yeah a lot of older WW guys are leaving and going to TNA but they are guys like A-Train. Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. WCW took guys like Hogan, Savage and Hall.

[Loose Cannon]

TNA is on its last limbs. They are bringing in nothing and they haven't even sold out Victory Road yet. They want 300,000 buys for the PPV a week before Survivor Series. I mean what number did the WWE PPV before Taboo Tuesday do?

I'm hearing that if Victory Road flops, this company is in serious trouble. And I'm pretty sure it is going to flop.

[samichna]

Yeah I am not really aware of TNA's finiancial status, it's just that I have been hearing of a lot of guys jumping over.

Keep in mind I haven't been following wrestling whatsoever for like the past two years. :rant:

[The Mackem]

To be honest I can't think of any that have "jumped over".

[samichna]

Okay maybe not literally jumping over, but signing with TNA after being tossed to the curb by WWE.

[The Mackem]

Yeah that sounds better.

[Loose Cannon]

Just to give you a number.

As of 10/19, TNA sold 249 tickets ar $49 for Victory Road. The place seats 700. So you figure it's November 2nd now right? They announced the PPV back in September. So it took them about a month to sell 249. So you have 3 weeks left until the PPV after 10/19. So just suppose 249 doubled and TNA now has sold about 500. That's still a lot of tickets left for TNA's very first PPV, which they've hyped better then more then half of WWE PPV's.

I've heard if they're are empty seats, they'll just bring people from the park in to fill the seats.

[BigDaddyCool]

Has TNA created any stars themselves? All there top guys have been on WWE or WCW or ECW, or just using there existing indy gimmick in a new place. Besides for how story lines are currently going, is there anything original about TNA?

[Loose Cannon]

Well Monty Brown and AJ Styles and maybe Abyss would be the 3 that TNA has done a good job in getting over. But still, there is really nothing unique about the show. It's just basically Jeff Jarrett being HHH and beating everyone.

When TNA first started I thought thier product was 5 X better then WWE's. They had some interesting stuff going on. I remember always reading the results to the shows. They had a lot more guys that looked like real World Champions. Now, I really don't see any of them as being a legite threat to Jarrett's Title. I mean guys like Hardy, Raven, Brown are just glorified mid-carders to me. Even Jarrett comes off as a mid-carder with the World Title to me

[GODSON]

Hold up, AMW is the best tag team and TNA created them.

TNA is doing good business wise. People already offer Panda to buy TNA but Panda refuse to let TNA go.

People always said TNA is on their last legs, they been saying the same thing for the last two years but TNA has become bigger and bigger. Even if they losing money, it's not nothing serious like WCW and ECW.

TNA is not full of WWE rejects. Raven was a star before joining WWE. Killings was never given a chance in WWE. BG James is probably the only current WWE reject on the roster. Hall and Nash is nowhere near WWE rejects. Jeff Hardy was never rejected by WWE because his talents. If Hardy never had personal problems, he will probably be champ by now. Being called a "WWE reject" is not a bad thing when you think about it. WWE release a lot of good and big talents in the last 3 years.

I don't know why people think TNA is going to sign Gunn or Train or any other WWE reject? They just resign AMW,they just sign Hector F'N Garza. They pushing the hell out of Petey Williams/Team Canada,Styles,Brown,Abyss,XXX and AMW. Hall and Nash is not even wrestling or long term.

Victory Road cards was build up better than recent WWE ppvs and the card includes a 20 man X Division gauntlet,Last Man Standing TAG TEAM MATCH,Petey vs.AJ,Abyss vs.Brown vs.Raven.

[The Mackem]

Styles was big without TNA but I admire the way they pushed him. TNA coems across as an Indy fed trying to be something that they are not - major league. However, I am a good few months of the pace.

[GODSON]

Styles was big without TNA but I admire the way they pushed him. TNA coems across as an Indy fed trying to be something that they are not - major league. However, I am a good few months of the pace.

Maybe if other Indy's had the balls to do what TNA does, they will get recognize. TNA is the only Indy fed trying to get bigger. People is already treating TNA like they been around for 10 years. People still don't realize that TNA is only 2 years old. They're still growing and already have a mark on the wrestling business. If you watch the first 6 months of TNA and compare it to the last 6 months, you can tell that TNA has made the transition really well. The smarks don't enjoy TNA like they used too but smarks hate everything that gets big.

[Loose Cannon]

AMW being the best tag team is your opinion. I was going to mention them, but I only listed singles guys. If you think TNA is doing good business wise, then I guess losing money every month and being alright with selling 200 tickets 3 weeks before their big PPV is alright with you.

TNA is full of guys that the casual fans see as guys that couldn't cut it in the WWE. TNA is a minor league promotion. Simple as that.

Yeah, Hector Fk'n Garza will really get over with the fans.

Victory Road looks good on paper, but that doesn't translate into buys. *See No Mercy

[The Mackem]

It doesn't help with all these really good new wrestlers in the fed, that Jarrett is holding the belt for an eternity. I would like TNA to do well but they're missing a few important things. I mean for God's sake Jeremy Borash has to cheer lead to get the crowd to chant.

[GODSON]

So basically, if they don't make it in the WWE they don't deserve your time or respect. I guess everybody in TNA,ROH,Zero One should give up wrestling.

We all know that a lot of good wrestlers have not had a chance in the WWE because WWE creative team. Styles jobbed to Hurricane on jakked, but Styles can wrestle circles around Hurricane and Hurricane is a very good wrestler in his own right. Killings as K-Kwik was a joke but TNA gave him a chance to succeed. I can do alot more of these so called WWE rejects who is better than half of the WWE current roster.

[Loose Cannon]

What? Don't put words in my mouth. I'm just stating the facts. Name one guy who's making money for TNA right now? Name one guy in TNA who has ever made money for a company exceot Hall and Nash? It doesn't matter if TNA has the 100 greatest wrestlers in the world. If they can't draw money or fans, then it doesn't really matter.

I love guys like Styles, Daniels, Skipper, etc....just like everyone else, but fact is NONE of them has drawn a dime.

And again saying TNA guys are better then half the WWE roster is your opinion,