I have had an idea for a long time on how TNA should do Pay Per View events. I actually came up with this idea before their decision early in 2013 to only have 4 PPVs a year, which it appears has not worked out well for them. But I would like to present it now and see what everybody on here thinks. I am so confident in this idea that I am posting this on all the wrestling message boards I am registered to (BigDaddyMeatybone on Wrestlingclassics, BookerT&theMCMGS on Wrestlingforum, and RicFlairsViagra on LAW Message Board and the MLW Clubhouse) and who knows maybe someone from TNA will see it and utilize it.
The problem with PPVs in TNA (and sometimes in WWE) is that they are charging a premium PPV price ($40 for Bound For Glory 2013) for 6-8 matches when in reality only 2-4 matches are worth actually paying for. The opening matches are usually filler which creates a marginal value increase when justifying the cost of a PPV event that is watched from the comfort of the homes of TNA fans.
TNA actually started with a unique PPV business model before they had a cable TV deal by charging $10 for each weekly episode. This business plan lasted 111 weeks although it is not clear how much of the stand alone PPV revenue actually sustained the wrestling promotion through it’s first year. However one could argue that die hard wrestling fans who wanted an alternate to WWE found it easier and more rewarding to pay $40 a month in weekly $10 ala carte installments then it was to pay $40-$50 in a lump sum for a WWE PPV.
TNA should definitely have atleast one annual PPV with a $40 retail price, like Bound For Glory, a big event to build to over the course of the year.
The rest of the year, I feel TNA should utilize the following idea.
Bring back weekly PPVs and use them in conjunction with your two hour weekly Impact Wrestling TV show on Spike network. Charge $10 for a one hour broadcast featuring a main event while using the regularly broadcasted two hour Impact Wrestling show to set up that main event, advertise the PPV, feature preliminary matches, accelerate angles relating to mid-card feuds and maybe set up next week’s PPV main event. The PPV hour would air on a PPV channel immediately after the two hour show on Spike ends.
Positives
*Stops giving away PPV quality main events on free TV
*More consistent PPV revenue stream
*Value for the TNA fan. If only two matches per month are worth paying for, he/she pays for those two matches and not $40 for 6 other matches that the fan may not feel are worth a PPV premium
*In a typical monthly PPV set up, a main event star will only wrestle once. In this new model, someone like Jeff Hardy can be on PPV two or more times a month.
*eliminates filler matches during a PPV.