A "Turning Point" for TNA?

[XL]

We've discussed TNA's pitfalls forever now, but could TNA be at a point where they could start an upswing.

One of the biggest issues was the way that TNA is present, particularly the Impact Zone. This week's Impact debuted a new look Impact Zone with shiny new video screens and new graphics.

Do you feel they've done enough to improve this aspect of TNA? What more would you like to see them do in this area?

Also, another of the big issues was the poor booking and angles. Seems that with this Main Event Mafia versus the Undercard angle could put paid to some of the dodgey angles by incorporating the whole company in one giant angle.

Do you think this is a good move or is it a case of 'putting all their eggs in one basket'? If they mess this up do they run the risk of killing the wrestlers / company?

[BigDaddyCool]

No, this is just more crap with a different name. The impact center is tiny, they need to be touring with tv if they want to be big. Just having house shows and ppvs doesn't count.

Also, the young v old story line didn't work in WCW, it won't really work with TNA either. Plus it is just a stupid story line.

[thedamndest]

Nobody would notice how shitty the Impact Zone looked if the show was good. When Raw first started it was in really small places. ECW was always in small places. WCW was in some small places. TNA just isn't good. Also I hate the six-sided ring, and I have said numerous time that I think it is a huge part of TNA's image problem to the casual wrestling fan. That's not necessarily part of the Impact Zone, but it's part of the conversation.

[Gertner]

Impact was pretty sweet this week. I love the MFM angle and I already hate them. Wow, total mark moment.

[Boondock Saint]

I'm liking the MFM angle myself. This is the first Impact I have watched in years so I didn't notice much of a difference in the arena. But one thing that does bother me is their on-screen graphics. Maybe I'm just really OCD but when the graphic says "Champ" instead of "Champion." Or when James Storm came out and it didn't say James Storm but it said "Beer Money, Inc. Tag Team Champion." Plus their music is too generic.


Yeah that shit bothers me. Sorry.

[Ruien]

Foley as commish = :love:

May have been done in the WWE, but still is awesome.

[FourFifty]

Half of TNA = :|
May have been done in the WWE, but still is booked.


Fixed

[Ruien]

You may be right, but Foley as the commish is still great.

[Xero]

I turned on TNA last night and Scott Steiner was humbling someone and Sting was acting all business-man without facepaint.

Then their music hit and I said "fuck this shit".

[XL]

Foley as "Executive Shareholder = :love:
Fixed. Whatever an Executive Shareholder is!?

And is it not MEM (Main Event Mafia) or am I missing some kinda TPWW injoke?

I dunno, I suspect that there will never be a moment where TNA will get or make that big breakthrough but I gotta say that having not watched TNA pretty much since they went to a 2 hour show, they've got my attention.

Perhaps I'm just being optimistic and not shitting on something (the young v old angle) before I see the outcome. Yeah, I know, a very uncommon approach around these parts.

[Xero]

I have a feeling they're going to try to take this to nWo territory. Which will end horribly.

[Fox]

AJ Styles is in the main event for the next PPV, taking on the World Champion, and there's only one gimmick match to be seen so far on the card. These are both pluses.

[Loose Cannon]

I really liked where they were last week. I'll watch the new TNA episode tomorrow, but last week, one of the first things I noticed was the arena change and it literally got me into the show a little more. For me, small changes like that can really make the show better to watch. I'm not too high on this angle (I do like that the angle is all over the show, which I have always been a fan of. You build the show around one main angle), but I will give it a chance.

The only reason I am not to high on the angle is that it's been done before, but we'll see

[AKin3D]

I can't stand this shit they're doning in TNA. The MEM is SO stupid and beat to death. I can't stand it. The whole thing really steps away from the number one thing TNA has always cared about. Making and giving new talent the spot light. I wish Sting go get hit by a danm truck, and they get back to having danm matches. Even if some were crappy I rather watch a danm match then them yell at each other, have random run ins, and everything else.

Can you tell I just really hate TNA right now.

[XL]

Surely the point of having the "midcarders" stand off against the Main Eventers is to help elevate the younger guys!?

If the angle doesn't end with Joe / AJ going over big then it's a wasted exercise.

Shit, even WCW nearly got that bit right. Shame they picked Kidman.

[Destor]

TNA has gotten pretty good over the past few months. I've been enjoying it. Weird too though, I'm looking forward to TNA more each week, and completely skipping RAW and SD!. Dunno what that says.

[Destor]

(Still watch ECW though)

[Loose Cannon]

watched TNA this morning. it was a pretty good episode. I really am liking Sting without face paint for this angle. I remember a week or two ago, I was hoping he would lose the paint because it didn't fiit the "Mafia" type gimmick. god, Steiner is terrible though. The guy can barely move. couldn't they have found a better guy?

[Kenny]

I definitely think that things will start to turn around for TNA.

One thing they need to do is be consistent. You're not going to see a huge ratings jump in one week without the advertised addition of somebody like Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock.

Here are the reasons I feel this will eventually pay off...

1. They're putting guys like AJ Styles and Samoa Joe in the spotlight. These guys can put on a good show inside the ring and when more and more people see that, TNA will start to develop a larger fan base.

2. The Main Event Mafia is a great way to group some of wrestling's top names together at the same time. Most of the people I talk to at work don't even know what TNA is. When I say that they have Booker T, Kurt Angle, and Sting; they start to take an interest. When these men are seen together in the ring it adds a certain element that draws interest to the company.

3. Mick Foley in the driver's seat... good idea. Mick Foley is entertaining to watch and the majority of wrestling fans respect him and everything he did for the company.

4. Because Vince McMahon is such an egotistical asshole and hard to get along with, more and more people will jump to TNA. Think of it like working at McDonalds and then Burger King opens across the street. Your manager is an asshole, and then one person quits and goes to Burger King. Then, 2 more people quit and do the same. Now you have 3 former employees who still talk to everyone at McDonalds talking about how it's a better environment at Burger King. Then another quits, then another. Pretty soon the only people left working for McDonalds are the few kiss asses who feel they owe something to the manager.

[NeanderCarl]

Or those who can't afford to take a 75% pay cut to do basically the same thing they were doing in McDonalds but across the street with a different emblem on their hat in a much quieter outlet which could conceivably go tits up unless they start attracting more customers over from that same McDonalds they just walked away from.

Anyways, I have to say the last two editions of Impact have been more entertaining than anything WWE has been putting out, which is the absolute vital element to build a foundation for a product to grow and succeed.

It seems that nobody will ever consider TNA a success in its own right, however, unless it surpasses WWE, be it financially, ratings-wise, production-wise, match quality-wise... this simply isn't true. The "number two" brand in any medium doesn't neccessarily have to be poor quality just because it is number two. The cream doesn't ALWAYS rise to the top. Look at VHS and Betamax.

Sadly, it seems that TNA will eventually be pressured to go head-to-head with WWE to kickstart another wrestling war (because we all know, only by beating WWE head to head in the ratings can TNA be considered a success :roll:). Saying that, I'd like to see it personally because it can only be good for the fans in the short-term, a fired up competitive Vince McMahon is better than a Vince McMahon comfortable and resting on his laurels.

[NeanderCarl]

I think Sting working as a heel doing something fresh and new (for him) could work out the same way fans were attracted to WCW when Hogan turned heel. You see, Hogan still attracted the interest of wrestling fans, they just had no desire to see more of the same they'd seen for a decade. By turning and doing something fresh, Hogan became watchable again. Even casual fans tend to know Sting, but nobody is really jumping to TNA to watch him relive WCW 1997... but now he's a cooler character altogether, and teaming with a bunch of other famous wrestlerts too in relatively different roles, it could draw in a few curious casuals... or even a lot.

[XL]

I'm a big fan of having Sting drop the face paint altogether for this angle. The other week he stilll wrestled in the paint. They should go the Jericho route with him and have him wear black trunks or something. Just take away everything that the fans like about Sting.