Pro Wrestling Illustrated recently interviewed former WCW and WWE star Chris Jericho. The subject of TNA Wrestling came up and Jericho had the following to say, “I just think a company with that much talent should be doing better than they are. They’ve had the same ratings for the last three years. It’s just unacceptable with the amount of talent they have there, just as a business. I run my own business as well. I run the business of “Fozzy.” And if somebody’s not performing and we’re not getting bigger, than something has to change. So I just wish they would look at it that way, instead of relying on the same old things and the same old people. They’ve been trying different things and something isn’t clicking. They’ve had the same million and a half viewers for the last three years.
Just as an outsider looking in—as any business owner looking in—if you had the same return or the same results after three years, maybe you might want to try something different to make it grow. But maybe that’s their ceiling. Maybe that’s what they can get. And if they can make a profit with that and have a successful company with one a half million people, they don’t care about doing anything differently. It’s not my concern. I’m just calling it as I see it as a business owner and as a fan of wrestling. I would love nothing more than for TNA to get 2 million viewers, 3 million viewers, 10 million viewers. Whatever it takes, I’d love to see that happen. I pull for them every time I hear about them.”
While I agree with Jericho that you want to grow a business year to year I think it’s a mistake to focus on television ratings as the main metric. The bottom line as always is profit and since TNA does not have a cut of the ad dollars from iMPACT! the ratings do not matter to them nearly as much as to Spike TV. If a million and a half is making Spike a return on their licensing fee that is the main concern. Granted increased viewership will grow the business. But there are many other ways to increase profit with the existing viewership, such as licensing and touring. So it is entirely possible the business has increased without seeing it in the ratings. I’m sure if it hasn’t increased there would be heads rolling.
Jericho hit the nail on the head, TNA as of late been relying on OLD storyline and ideas thats been done by wwe,ecw, and MOSTLY WCW, and that type of poor ideas are pushing them further and further from reaching WWE not that WWE is any better im talking about “prominence” “recognition” beyond the small around of fans who follow TNAs current big stars wherever they go im talking about the “Angle’s”, “Hardy’s” “flair’s” “foley’s” ect thats what most of TNAs fans come from they have acquired some of WWEs,WCW’s and ECW’s biggest stars and their fans follow whatever promotion they go to TNA originals don;t have as big a fanbase as the other’s do. TNA should be better than it is now, and it had that chance too but TNA lost it’s faith and brought in OLD idea bringers Hogan and Bischoff and that corny over-rated over done Fortune/Immortal Takeover aka “NWO-Takeover pt 100” thats been done way too many times in WCW as well as WWE. i mean what is Hardy the NEW Hollywood Hogan? they are like WWE relying too heavily on the Heavyweight division instead of looking at the BIG picture in their X-Division is the BIGGEST future for TNA to step in line with WWE but TNA is trying to make MONEY and well right NOW the X-Division can’t pull the sae amount of money the Heavyweight Division can. TNA has worked too hard to get to where it is today and since 2010 they have taken a giant step backwards. “TNA VS WWE” WHEN is it going to happen? TNA is the only one who can make that happen but the route they are taking we will never see it, and that TNA VS RAW that ONE night last year was a fluke since it happened only because of Hogan joining TNA so that was a big let down. TNA needs to be more ORIGINAL and put ther money on it;s younger stars and stop keeping has-beens at the top, thats how they will grow, this so called “WCW 2.0” is only bringing them down.
Thanks for you feedback. While I certainly respect your opinion I think it’s a bit misguided. ALL wrestling organizations have acquired talent from other organizations.
Undertaker, HHH, Shawn Michaels WWE originals? Nope. WCW and AWA originals.
Also the myth about TNA being WWE rejects is covered very well by Joe here. It’s a great read, check it out.