Total Nonstop Analysis #3 – Take the Money & Run

At the time of this writing, there are rumors that TNA will be cutting upwards of 15-20 wrestlers but we’ve yet to see anyone officially be given their walking papers. Speculating on who might be/should be cut is all over the place right now, and if you check out the roster page on TNAWrestling.com you’ll see a robust pool of talent that, instead of being in danger of being jobless, should be featured on a 2nd TNA show. With the WWE constantly gobbling up TV time with failed experiments like ECW, NXT, and the rumored WWE Channel, TNA better grab a piece of the pie before it’s even more oversaturated.
In my perfect little TNA-loving wrestling world, they would have their flagship iMPACT! on Thursdays, a second show on Saturday night primetime, and a once-a-year free 3 hour PPV show on SpikeTV (their version of Clash of the Champions) and I’ve already got a name – “TNA: Free for All”. Why not? Although most WWE shows get more ratings, TNA gets some of the top ratings for Spike. Then again, Spike only really shows TNA, the Ultimate Fighter, and a mind-numbing constant stream of CSI reruns. They could use the extra original content.   
TNA likes to talk about taking “the next step”. First it was getting on national TV. Check. Then it was getting prime time. Check. Then it was going to 2 hours. Check. Then it was acquiring bigger names. Checkaroo. Then it was going to Mondays. Checkish. Now their back on Thursdays for 2 hours in primetime with big names and looking for that next step, apparently on a budget. Because hiring guys with WCW & WWE on their resume’ ain’t cheap, no matter how old, broken down & risky they are. It’s so completely sad knowing that the MMG work harder, work more dates, and have more passion while Hall & Nash work less dates, wrestle like they could care less, and make top dollar doing it simply because of past accomplishments. Or that Hulk Hogan is banking big but can barely walk down the ramp without pain while 20+ wrestlers might be let go to compensate. 
Now I’m a huge fan of Hogan, Hall & Nash. And I know they bring name recognition and rake in the nostalgic fans. But knowing Amazing Red might be cut while Scott Hall wrestles like, well like he’s drunk, just isn’t right. You can’t blame Sting, Flair, Hogan, Hall & Nash for getting old, that’s not their fault. But standing by saying you want to “give back” while making money you know the company can’t afford as the women bust their asses to make pennies and a double-digit amount of fellow wrestlers will be unemployed due to a lack of funds partly because of you, well sometimes giving back is more than just sharing a ring with a young star or, depending on how giving you are, laying down for them. 
The big, expensive names have proven to do close to nothing to advance the ratings. So when these contracts are up, offer them lower amounts and see whose really all about TNA. WWE is where you go to make money. TNA is where you go to wrestle. Use the money you save on reduced top-dollar contracts to give raises or fund a 2nd show where they can at least wrestle more, thus earn more. A 2nd show expands the TNA brand, let’s them showcase more talent, more storylines, gives them extra time to push PPV’s and takes a bite out of the monopoly WWE has on weekly wrestling. Then again, technically TNA owns weekly wrestling on TV since WWE considers itself sports entertainment, while TNA proudly proclaims “We Are Wrestling.”
– Dillon Avery