Is TNA Wrestling Having Financial Problems?
 

Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

One often-overlooked factor in TNA’s destiny to compete with rival promotion World Wrestling Entertainment are the added expenses entailed.

Since January, the company has ballooned its roster to over 70 performers with the notable additions of high priced stars such as Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy and the former Mr. Kennedy. Furthermore, the company has added the costly expense of going live every other Monday night and promotion of said move (i.e. airing commercials during Monday Night RAW and running Billboards in Times Square). Other than slight bumps in house show attendance and merchandise sales, TNA has to little to show for its efforts. In fact, ratings are at its lowest levels in four years due to the move to Monday nights.

According to a backstage source, TNA is having bigger financial problems than most realize. One source said: “I’m worried about my friends who work for TNA because they have bigger financial problems than anyone knows”.

It should be noted that TNA is far from going under. They are just spending a ton of money these days in hopes of increasing viewership.


Dixie Carter :" Daddy, more money please"

Well if you're spending a ton of money to try to increase viewership, and viewership is going down, I wouldn't exactly say you're FAR from going under.


Who writes this shit?

Man, i'm shocked.

Tea en ay stinks.

just another reason TNA should never have moved to monday nights

TNa is moving to 8 est so they can increase viewership. This will lead to an huge amount of increased activity and the ability to show WWE fans new storylines in TNA. To the people saying TNA shouldnt have moved to Mondays.. Fuck off. Thursdays fucking sucked so stop bitching. Thanks

The problem with TNA moving to Mondays is this: Their Thursday show was a clusterfuck. They moved to Mondays and guess what? Their show is STILL a clusterfuck. WWE has a bad show, but as far as logical progression: TNA isn't much better.

They're trying to be WWE-lite. When people have to choose between a shitty main brain and an equally shitty knock-off brand. The main brand wins. Every time.

how are they trying to be the wwe?

TNA has entertained me more than WWE as of late, personally. Out of the three shows they've had on Mondays so far, I've only chosen to view RAW over Impact once and that was because of Austin.

Just because TNA has stars from the WWE doesn't mean they're trying to be WWE-lite.

Yeah it means they are trying to be WCW

Precisely.

Redundant!

Ok, I misspoke. They are trying to be a more sports-entertainment oriented WCW.

Well, USA always wanted to have more 3 hour RAWs.

not sure how accurate that article is but if they have over 70 people on their roster that is absolutely ridiculous for a promotion with 2 hours of programming per week. it should be like... 30 tops.

You've got to spend money to make money and I agree with Soccer Legs, 70 people on the roster is way to many. If they also had a show on Thursday as well that might help a little, but it's still a lot.

Absolutely agree. The size of the WCW roster was one of the biggest examples of their mismanagement.

Does anyone know how big the WWE roster is? Obviously not counting developmental.
What is the Raw, Smackdown and NXT roster?

you guys keep forgetting about the live events, life doesn't start and end with television

If I'm not mistaken, that's incorrect. A good amount of that 70 is under contract, but keep in mind like a decent chunk is also pay per appearance. I'd be willing to bet somewhere around 20-30.

apart from paying the wrestlers and staff what other expenditure is there in TNA? not really that much

well there is a lot more to running a business than just paying salaries but that's not really what matters... what matters is if they are taking in more money than they are spending. at this point it's a guaranteed no, with all the investment that they've done in re-hauling the show and what not.. the question now is if and when they will become profitable, and how many viewers and PPV buys they need to become profitable? this is something i'm very curious to know myself.