Has Kurt Angle improve TNA?

[BigDaddyCool]

Seriously, has Kurt Angle actaully helped TNA? I think it is hard to argue that he he himself has helped them at all. With out Kurt Angle, I think they could have still gotten a 2 hour show and done pretty much everything else they have done since his arrival. The only thing that I can point to that he actually helped was get the best ppv buyrate with the first Angle v Joe match. But since then, everything has slipped down.

While it is also hard to prove he has hurt the product, but it doesn't seem like he is really helping. From rumors and reports, he has a heavy hand in booking and where the show goes. From simply watching Impact, you can see it is either focused on him or focused on Karen with his minions getting a smaller portion as well. His opponets almost seem written off or made to look bad.

To his credit, he is going out there and selling TNA constantly. He was on pro v joes. He was featured fairly heavily on the pre-match crap for Lesnar v Mir. Also he does tons of radio spots and other such stuff.

But I have a feeling he is hurting the overall product more than he is helping. It seems like this is WCW all over again with him in the role of Hulk Hogan and booking the promotion into a hole.

[Dorkchop]

I don't think he's adding anything really. His wife gets either the same or more tv time than Christian, who is arguably one of the best things in TNA currently. There are so many other guys that could improve every show if they took away some of Karen's tv time and gave it to someone else (Even someone like Jay Lethal).

I appreciate him trying to promote TNA, but the things he says makes him and the whole company look ridiculous (since he's pretty much the spokes person for the company these days).

Since TNA is making Kurt, his wife, and the Angle Alliance the main focus of the company, they should, long term, be building up a superstar to eventually take them all out (Like Austin against HBK to some extent).

[Xero]

One person is not going to save TNA, and Angle is the proof of that. He was one of the WWE's biggest stars and still failed to bring TNA to another level.

It's going to take a complete change in booking philosophy for TNA to go up in level.

[Tommy Gunn]

I still can't watch TNA, everytime I try and watch Impact, I have to turn it off after 5 minutes because it looks like WCW Thunder on a lower budget. Not that I judge it on production values alone, the booking is really frustrating because TNA has so much potential in the right hands.

I still hope Kurt comes back to WWE, but the fact that he has two young children and a history of marital problems makes me think he'll stick with TNA and avoid travelling around the world.

[BigDaddyCool]

I agree with everything said so far. I don't understand for the life of me why Karen is given more screen time than anyone else on the show.

[BigDaddyCool]

I don't agree with him coming back to WWE. That would be pointless.

[Dorkchop]

If they really want to push the Angle Alliance, they're going to need an opposing stable. I have no idea who would be in it though. Even though I hate thew guy, maybe Samoa Joe can lead the stable. The only thing is that they gotta stick with it.

TNA is still years away from being a huge company that will actually draw profit. It takes a long time of character development, feuds, traditions, and growth to last.

[Mr. JL]

Besides the first Angle Versus Joe PPV buyrate and TNA having the ability to say they have Kurt Angle under contract, I don't think he has done much to improve things in TNA.

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I would blame TNA for their piss poor booking rather than Kurt Angle himself and if TNA just lets Kurt walk all over them (in terms of having full creative control and him booking segments) then it is still TNA's fault in the end.

[IC Champion]

One person is not going to save TNA, and Angle is the proof of that. He was one of the WWE's biggest stars and still failed to bring TNA to another level.

It's going to take a complete change in booking philosophy for TNA to go up in level.

I Agree. Plus BDC should retire already, thought it was official.

[Hanso Amore]

Kurt hasnt done much, and adding guys like Lashley (if its true) Booker T and the such is going to slowly put TNA back in the Red.

[Lock Jaw]

Angle gives them a strong player to build the company and main event around. The problem, as stated, is that there is no long term opponent being built up to defeat that huge guy. Joe is I guess the closest, but his feud with Angle is more on and off, on and off. And each time its like they start fresh with no history.

[Mr. JL]

^^^

AJ Styles should be THAT guy but TNA has made him look like a weak fool.

[Kane Knight]

Angle's done little, but I think that's more TNA's end than Angle's. He's amazing, and if in a program worth a shit, I think he COULD help TNA.

[Hanso Amore]

With my 2000th Post, I would like to actually commend Karen Angle.

She may get too much TV time, but she went from never being on camera before, to being TNA's Steph MacHHH in a matter of months.

And I want to suck her pussy.

[Bad Company]

Kurt Angle has definately Improved TNA.

[Kane Knight]

So here's the thing: TNA doesn't have the same big league feel as WWE. this doesn't automatically make WWE better, mind, but it does affect your perceptions. This happens in many ways, but a big part of it is the production that WWE works so hard on. TNA feels like it's something put together without much thought. And while there are a lot of benefits to primarily performing in the IMPACT ZONE, the place itself is rather unimpressive. Again, this isn't immediately bad, but what it does is make everything feel smaller.

Anyway, there are a ton of reasons, but what you end up with is the feeling of a small promotion. It feels like those shitty local promotions you get late night on network affiliates, except it's clear that TNA is TRYING to be WWE. They push anyone who has been with their competitors, meaning a bunch of people who shouldn't get pushes near the main event do, while a lot of their own talent is left by the wayside, and it gives them the taint of just being a bunch of castoffs. It's not bad with Cage or Sting or Angle, but let's face it. They're not the only ones to ever get that treatment.

Part of the problem with Angle and Sting is that they feel too big for TNA, and instead of trying to bring the promotion to their level, it's like they're trying to bring these guys down to the promotion's level. I'm not a big Sting fan, but with that name value, they should try and elevate themselves, and to be honest, I can't say they've done muc hof anything to that end.

[Lock Jaw]

^^^

AJ Styles should be THAT guy but TNA has made him look like a weak fool.

Agreed. They had a big chance with the whole "Christian/Kurt, which side will he choose?" thing, but they didn't do anything with it. I wanted to see him screw both of them, proclaim himself his own man and go on a big rant about how he was here before them, how he was the first TNA grand slam champ without them, and how he is Phenomenal and such.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Kurt Angle came in about the same time as Vince Russo, so it kind of made it hard for Angle to efficiently do anything. I would not blame Angle, and rather TNA themselves, because they brought Angle in, proclaimed "We Are Wrestling," and then have pretty much failed with almost everything since then.

TNA is meant to be the alternative, but they are pretty much WWE-lite. Not even that. They are a homebrand-lite knock-off of WWE-lite.

[FourFifty]

I'm not going to read this thread, but everyone is wrong if they said "TNA needs....".
What TNA needs is higher production value.

[Londoner]

Im not sure, illd say he's done what he can to improve it and im only ever interested in tna when he or christian are on tv normally but the people in charge are the ones who really havent done enough.

[Xerzes]

I'm amazed he isn't dead yet.

[BigDaddyCool]

You know, I never thought about it, but the Impact Zone or whatever is small. Dumb question, was that WCW old tiny ass arena they used for the Saturday morning show? Seriously, how many people fit in there? 500? PRobably not ever that. But to TNA's credit, at least they aren't shooting with the porn quality cameras that ECW had.

[Loose Cannon]

yea, like most have already said, they could bring in Undertaker, HBK, Batista, Randy Orton etc...., but if the product is shit, the show will suck.