Kurt Angle versus Sting... on Impact?

[Mr. JL]

Pretty sure I heard this match advertised last night while I was watching UFC. TNA's two largest names and two wrestlers who have never faced off against each... Some would say it is a dream match, and TNA is going to throw it away on some shitty 5 minute match on Impact?

These two should have a nice long build up and tease that should be settled on a big pay per view because if booked properly, this match would definitely draw some $$$ in my estimation.

Your thoughts??

[St. Jimmy]

DUBYA SEE DUBYA.

[Jeritron]

If this is true they're morons

[Jeritron]

but I don't think that would be news

[Xero]

IMPACT SPOILERS IN BLACK:

It's going to be a 3 minute throw away Double DQ.

[hb2k]

I think this is a fantastic move, sure to boost the company to the mainstream public.

Signed,
No-One.

[Xero]

TNA.com has just learned that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has agreed to a contact for 2 years. Unfortunately, he learned he was going to have to job to Scott Steiner 5 times and quit.

It is our understanding that his contract was guaranteed whether he worked or not, and TNA will be closing it's doors within 2 months because of his enormous bill.

Our bad.

[Slow]

angle vs sting? no one wants to see that

[Rammsteinmad]

It would be an awesome match... but if it were up to I'd rather see Sting VS Shawn Michaels.

Either way though, it definitly shouldn't be on Impact.

[Corkscrewed]

This isn't too bad as long as there's a no decision.

[IC Champion]

Winner gets to job to Christian

[FourFifty]

IMPACT SPOILERS IN BLACK:

It's going to be a 3 minute throw away Double DQ.

I have no idea if you're joking :|

[Destor]

Hey, they have to do something to get people to watch iMPACT! dont they? This is a move of desperation, clearly, but it got you all talking...

[Xero]

I have no idea if you're joking :|
If I were joking, I would have said they went to a sixty minute draw and Angle broke Sting's leg in a fit of roid rage.

[hb2k]

Hey, they have to do something to get people to watch iMPACT! dont they?

Why. Any bump will be an anomoly, and if TNA still thinks getting a 1.5 rating for Impact is more important that doing good buyrates, then boy is that ship destined for the iceberg.

[Destor]

...SO if no one watches the shows...they'll watch the PPVs. Yeah...glad you dont promote bro.

[Jeritron]

The problem is the matchup means nothing at this point. Nobody will tune into Impact for it, and the buyrate would probably be slightly higher, but nothing huge for them.

So either way it means nothing. One match isn't going to save or break TNA, they need a multitude of a lot of things to get the promotion off the ground. They need to get hot before one thign like this is gonna be huge.

[Destor]

Again, how can they increase they're PPV buy rate if no one is watching the show? Answer: they can't. So what do they do? Put markee matches onto their program and hope that they're best is actually worth tuning in for. If it is they can only hope it's good enough to make the audience want to come back. It's worked for other promotions in the past (WCW) and properly executed it will work for them as well. Everyone crying bad booking needs to see the bigger picture here.

[hb2k]

...SO if no one watches the shows...they'll watch the PPVs. Yeah...glad you dont promote bro.

Listen - TNA's ratings are the product of the circumstances. There's a reason Kurt Angle/the time switch/etc didn't make a damn bit of difference to ratings or anything like that. However, while ratings didn't change one bit during the Angle/Joe feud, they doubled their usual buyrate number because they were able to convince a higher percentage of their current viewers that it was a big deal. Ratings for the TV match and shows following won't change because the circumstances are the same, but to TNA's current viewership, Angle/Sting are the top stars, and a real dream match. Think UFC - they have a consistent audience that is similar to TNA's, but they are able to convince a higher percentage of their audience to pay to watch the show because their buildup shows are so much better.

So in return - please don't make observations on the current landscape of television and PPV when blindly ignoring the biggest story taught in 2006.

[chrisat928]

A match between a broken down heap, and on of the top guys from ten years ago. Sounds like a money maker to me.
Right. Good job TNA.
Also, what the hell is up with Jay Lethal? Why did they turn him into Macho Man? He was a great young wrestler and they turned him into a joke. They are trying to do the same to Sonjay Dutt, turning him into various characters from Nashs past.
What's next, he comes out dressed as Super Shredder?

[Dave Youell]

Jesus! It's not THAT bad.

It's a ratings producer and I doubt they are going to be giving it the PPV quality treatment are they?

WWE do it all the time, Tonight they have Cena Vs HBK again, which won't be anything like the Mania match, but is being used as a way to bring in the ratings.

When/If Sting and Angle have a PPV match, it will be alot better than what's on TV this week

[chrisat928]

But that's the thing, they are not gonna have a PPV match, unless it turns into a three way.
If it does, will they have to tag in and out? Like on impact last week.
What the hell is up with that? Tagging in a fatal four way non-elimination match?

[hb2k]

It's a ratings producer and I doubt they are going to be giving it the PPV quality treatment are they?

WWE do it all the time, Tonight they have Cena Vs HBK again, which won't be anything like the Mania match, but is being used as a way to bring in the ratings.


But it likely won't produce ratings, and if it does, it'll be for one week. And in the grand scheme ratings don't matter. Plus, if they aren't doing the PPV treatment then why do it - any outside fans you draw in to see this huge match are getting burned by not getting what they imagine from the match and a fuck finish anyway. It's designed to fail. And with this, you can never say they haven't touched, you can never do the first match again, and the allure of the big PPV clash of titans is gone.

And to justify it by saying WWE is doing it is a little silly - they're a billion dollar company, they can afford to put these matches on TV. TNA's been losing money since the day it opened, and still is.

[Dave Youell]

But it likely won't produce ratings, and if it does, it'll be for one week. And in the grand scheme ratings don't matter. Plus, if they aren't doing th PPV treatment then why do it - any outside fans you draw in to see this huge match are getting burned by a fuck finish anyway. It's designed to fail. And with this, you can never say they haven't touched, you can never do the first match again, and the allure of the big PPV clash of titans is gone.

And justify it by saying WWE doing it is a little silly - they're a billion dollar company, they can afford to put these matches on TV. TNA's been losing money since the day it opened, and still is.
TNA started turning a profit 18 months ago, they may still be in debt overall, but they are no longer losing money each week. So to use the WWE has more money argument is just as silly, I thank you.

If it isn't going to increase ratings, having Angle/Sting certainly isn't going to hurt ratings.

When was the last realy Clash of the Titans match? Really? I can't remember to be honest, I know ones that should of been recently, but were poorly booked (on both companies)

[hb2k]

I guarantee TNA is still losing money - they'd have made it publically known by now if they were making money. And even if they were making money, given their position in the wrestling landscape with a fraction of the audience WWE has, throwing this match on TV for the first time and not getting every possible dime out of it when they are hardly doing great PPV numbers is a complete waste. WWE put the first match, which in this era is what sells best, on WrestleMania, and made millions off it, and they didn't even need to because they're mainstream and could afford to make that mistake if they made it (which they didn't)

It won't hurt ratings, but why render the first ever match of former 5 time WWE Champion Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle and the legendary Sting to a throwaway. And an unecessary one at that.

And of course most clash of the titans matches are poorly booked lately - 2006 was a horrible year booking wise in WWE and TNA, but that doesn't mean it can't be done, if anything it makes it potentially even more successful if it's done right because it's been so long. Rock Vs. Brock is the last one I remember.

[Rammsteinmad]

In fact I have now decided to hell with Angles and Sting. I wanna see Kurt Angle VS Christopher Daniels. :drool:

[Dave Youell]

I guarantee TNA is still losing money - they'd have made it publically known by now if they were making money. And even if they were making money, given their position in the wrestling landscape with a fraction of the audience WWE has, throwing this match on TV for the first time and not getting every possible dime out of it when they are hardly doing great PPV numbers is a complete waste. WWE put the first match, which in this era is what sells best, on WrestleMania, and made millions off it, and they didn't even need to because they're mainstream and could afford to make that mistake if they made it (which they didn't)

It won't hurt ratings, but why render the first ever match of former 5 time WWE Champion Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle and the legendary Sting to a throwaway. And an unecessary one at that.

And of course most clash of the titans matches are poorly booked lately - 2006 was a horrible year booking wise in WWE and TNA, but that doesn't mean it can't be done, if anything it makes it potentially even more successful if it's done right because it's been so long. Rock Vs. Brock is the last one I remember.
Dixie Carter did announce 18 months ago that TNA have started to turn a profit, it was made public.

In TNA's current position whilst negating a new deal for a potential 2 hour slot, the ratings mean everything, if they can get better ratings if only in the short term, they can get a better deal when it comes to the renewal of the TV contract.

I just want to say now for the record, I don't really watch TNA that much and don't consider myself a fan of the product, but I do see why they have done what they've done.

[hb2k]

Dixie Carter did announce 18 months ago that TNA have started to turn a profit, it was made public.

Maybe she just found a five dollar bill on the bus home.

They don't even need the two hours for one thing, and even if they did, if their method for getting ratings up is cutting their noses off to spite their faces by throwing away stuff like Angle/Sting for a quick hotshot, then what do they expect people to be tuning in for two hours for when they've already wasted so much potential stuff. If TNA's priority is getting another hour of TV when they have one and don't know how to use it instead of making money on PPV, then they're total idiots.

[Dave Youell]

Maybe she just found a five dollar bill on the bus home.

They don't even need the two hours for one thing, and even if they did, if their method for getting ratings up is cutting their noses off to spite their faces by throwing away stuff like Angle/Sting for a quick hotshot, then what do they expect people to be tuning in for two hours for when they've already wasted so much potential stuff. If TNA's priority is getting another hour of TV when they have one and don't know how to use it instead of making money on PPV, then they're total idiots.
It's currently well known that they don't have enough time to get over all the current talent and storylines, all the matches, skits and angles are rushed and pushed as fast a possible to get the sell on PPV.

With another hour per week they can take there time with that sort of thing, yes you need to cut your nose of to spite your face, but it's also sacrificing things now for the greater good in the future.

TNA are not in WWE's position on focusing mainly on the product, they also need to think about how to get into a better position on the food chain, doing things like this will help them.

Good debate BTW

[Theo Dious]

They don't even need the two hours for one thing

No, they're just fine with shows containing 3 minute matches, most of which contain a third of their roster. :roll:

[hb2k]

It's currently well known that they don't have enough time to get over all the current talent and storylines, all the matches, skits and angles are rushed and pushed as fast a possible to get the sell on PPV.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that is there philosophy, but the only reason stuff is rushed is because they have no focus - they spent weeks with that goofy "Ron Killings Movie Career" angle and guess what, it went nowhere. They're rushing through angles and promos so that Robert Roode can get on TV, when Robert Roode isn't selling a PPV. UFC only has an hour, and they do such an awesome job promoting things as important that people are compelled to pay to watch, and it's simple - get the personalities over, get the importance of the match across, drill the point home effectively. Very basic. Meanwhile TNA will do 20,000 buys with Abyss putting his father in a coma, his mother being there, dudes being sent to heaven and reborn, prison terms and soul-saving and then say the reason it didn't do great is because they didn't have another hour. I can almost guarantee ratings would stay the same with a second hour, just like they did when they moved to Prime time, ust like they did when they did a two hour special on Monday night in the Raw timeslot.

And I agree, TNA not being where WWE is on the food chain will lead to decisions to further them along, but the downside to this particular decision is too great to consider it a positive move. There are other ways to get ratings up than hotshotting the first-time encounter of probably the biggest match they have.

[Dave Youell]

Granted the ratings won't increase because of an extra hour, but the company will be making more money off TV by having that.

Once they have the extra hour they can build feuds at a better pace and showcase more talent in a more controlled environment, so viewers have more chance to see the guys they want to see.

Then in theory, if the product is treated well (hard to see at this stage granted) they should slowly increase TV ratings and buy rates, as currently with the 1 hour shows they are doing 1.2's when 6 months ago they were doing 0.9's

[hb2k]

Right, and in that grand scheme of things that you just described, which does make theological sense, where is the upside to having the first Angle/Sting match in a total one-week throwaway that won't mean anything to ratings as compared to doing a good number on PPV, when there's a million other things they can do to try and get ratings up.

[Theo Dious]

Right, and in that grand scheme of things that you just described, which does make theological sense

Theological? When did we bring God into this???

[hb2k]

Because even he would have put it on PPV on not free TV.

Theoretic may have been a better word...like "in thoery".

[chrisat928]

TNAs website is calling this a "Dream Match".
I wanna know who ate what before going to bed to dream this.

[D Mac]

Maybe they'll have a match to rival the HBK/Cena match from Raw. Takes up the whole hour. :shifty:

[chrisat928]

Then TNA might be interesting.




If it doesn't kill either of them.

[hb2k]

And after all of this - the bottom line of the Impact rating?

1.0

Another round of applause for the idiots at TNA.

[D Mac]

Well the match only lasted about 6 min.

[D Mac]

I did mark the fuck out for Eric Young and Jarrett tho.

[M-A-G]

Dumb, dumb, dumb. At least with WCW they did something major like make Goldberg the champion.

[YOUR Hero]

I love how you guys are crying because there's a match of top tiered wrestlers wrestling for free on your TV.

Just can't win with some 'fans'

Besides, these types of matches are usually cluster fucks that ends in DQ's or cheap run in wins... that do lead to a build up that culminates at a PPV.

In summation; Shut up.