Wrestling Forum banner

10 years on: TNA appreciation

2K views 24 replies 22 participants last post by  TheKorean 
#1 ·
I decided to make this new thread because of the times I have read "TNA iz dying" and "Vince McMahon will own TNA". Not to mention the WWE fans I know personally that when they find TNA on the EPG love to say "TNA's crap".

Yes, Dixie Carter seems more Jim Herd than Vince McMahon. Yes, they have shot themselves in the foot many times through strange booking. Yes, the ratings have remained stagnant since 2008 and buyrates have probably dropped to dismal levels. But I watched this promotion from the very first show in June 2002. The first few months were totally wrestlecrap - The Johnsons, Rainbow Express, midgets etc. But against all odds (and with quite a few million dollars!) have stayed in business and gained an international presence that is increasing to this day.

2004
Deal with Universal Studios to film Impact (TNA Impact Zone)
First TV deal (Fox Sports)
Monthly 3 hour PPVs

2005
TV deal with Viacom

2006
Went ‘Prime Time’
Went on the road - they now run over 80 houseshows per year, including tours of Europe

2007
Went 2 hours

2008
Video game released by Midway
Went HD

2010
Toy line released by Jakks

2011
Subsidiary promotion (Ring Ka Ka in India)

2012
Goes live every week

Since the deal with Spike TV they've established with international companies for TV rights:

Altice (Ma Chaîne) - Available to France
Ananey Communications (Ego TV) - Available to Israel
B Sky B (Challenge TV) - available to UK
BT Vision - Available to UK
Chellomedia (Extreme Sports) - Available to UK
ESPN International (ESPN Star Sports) - Available to India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Fox Cable Networks (Fuel TV) - Available to Australia
Fox Entertainment Group (FX Middle East) - Available to Saudi Arabia and Middle East
GMM Grammy (Grammy Sport One) - Available to Thailand
Naspers (Super Sport) - Available to South Africa, Nigeria and numerous sub Sahara African countries
Osman Mag (Bayaz TV) - Available to Turkey
Sky Deutschland (Sky Sports) - Available to Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Sky Network TV (The Box) - Available to New Zealand
Telekomunikacja Polska (Orange Sport) - Available to Poland
YES TV Ltd (All Sport Network) - Available to Hong Kong, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Mongolia, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, Macau, Myanmar
ZON Multimédia (Sport TV) - Available to Portugal

Some acts they have introduced to mainstream television include:
Bobby Roode, Cowboy James Storm, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Abyss, Austin Aries, Desmond Wolfe
Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, Monty Brown, Jay Lethal, Petey Williams, Sonjay Dutt, Awesome Kong, Velvet Sky, Homicide, Hernandez, Doug Williams, Magnus, Eric Young, Low Ki, Amazing Red

Other good concepts they brought to a wider audience:
The Six Sided Ring
X Division
Ultimate X
All Cage PPV
King of the Mountain
TNA Gutcheck

Had numerous identifiable acts of the 80’s and 90’s on their roster:
Hulk Hogan, Sting, Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Dudley Boyz, Booker T,
Rob Van Dam, Scott Hall, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, New Age Outlaws, Raven, Ken Shamrock,
Steiner Brothers, DDP, Macho Man, Roddy Piper, Dusty Rhodes, Sabu, Shane Douglas.

Good tag teams:
Motor City Machine Guns
Latin American Exchange
Beer Money Inc.
British Invasion
Triple X
America’s Most Wanted
Generation Me
The Naturals
3Live Kru

Some other cool things:
Ron Killings
Sports Entertainment Extreme
Monsters Ball
Samoa Joe’s undeated streak
Styles vs. Joe vs. Daniels
Team 3D’s funeral
Giving Christian his first world championship
Paparazzi Productions
Knockout Division
The Main Event Mafia
Hiring and giving Matt Morgan and Elijah Burke something to work with
Fortune
The riot angle
The ECW invasion angle
Bully Ray
 
See less See more
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top