If wrestling matters, then so does the crowd.
The Impact Zone crowd has gotten really bad, and it’s almost as though the more everyone claims that TNA needs to leave the Impact Zone, the worse the crowd gets. Impact Wrestling needs a legit, authentic crowd, not one that yells stuff just to yell stuff. You have dudes in the crowd that chant semi-irrelevant stuff. You have that screaming female that once you hear her, you cannot un-hear her. Ever. You have the crowd falling silent for the X-Division matches… is the Impact Zone crowd the reason why the X-Division fell off the map for a bit?
Ultimately, the Impact Zone crowd is counter-productive and doesn’t accurately represent the fans during mid-card matches. Don’t get me wrong, different areas will give different reactions to different wrestlers. Last year at a house show in New York, we gave Amazing Red an amazing pop, and we cheered Team 3D even though Bubba Ray was heel last year in a feud against Ink, Inc. But that Impact Zone crowd… it’s simply not a good look.
If wrestling matters, then so do the stories.
While I would like to believe that there will be fewer 15-20 minute opening segments of non-wrestling, it is absolutely ridiculous to think that just because of this new slogan, every Impact from here on out will be two hours of nothing but wrestling. Are you really expecting Impact to just ditch every storyline and just wrestle without cause? Do you really think that Immortal is complete finished will not even attempt to retaliate? While that might work with unlimited exhibition matches in video games, it doesn’t work here. Even when wrestling mattered in the WWE/F, there were storylines, promos, vignettes, etc. They’re all a part of pro wrestling, and you know this. Don’t be naïve.
If wrestling matters, then so do the main event conclusions.
I don’t know, maybe it’s me, but the conclusions of the main events ever since Victory Road just haven’t been all that they could be. Actually, let me rephrase that, the TNA Heavyweight Championship matches haven’t had solid conclusions, as the Lethal Lockdown main event was Lethal Lockdown, and it was pretty amazing. Still, I find the conclusions of other wise good matches for the belt have been sort of weak lately. Hopefully, with wrestling mattering again, I’ll notice some improvements.
If wrestling matters, then so does growth.
So this enhances the point of leaving the Impact Zone, but there are more improvements to be made. First and foremost, don’t fix what isn’t broken. Upon that realization, TNA could attempt to make all the titles competitive and important, drop the Knockouts Tag Title until they build up a deeper Knockouts Division, and fix certain aspects of their booking. To me, those aspects include better conclusions to main events/World Heavyweight title matches and better thought with putting together and carrying out certain feuds.
Overall, I like this new direction that TNA seems to be taking. Obviously it’s too early for me to make any solid determination on whether it’s worth it or not, but I like the feel. Maybe it’s simply something to create a buzz (I feel like TNA is really good at generating random buzzes), or maybe it’s something more, something where TNA is seriously trying to make a change that brings them up to the next level. And what is that next level? Only time will tell…
“You have that screaming female that once you hear her, you cannot un-hear her. Ever.”
Before I put down my comments, let me say that I’m a huge Eric Bischoff fan. The man knows the professional wrestling aspect of the television industry like no one else (except maybe Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman, but that’s good company to be in). That said, this is one of the tricks that he brought over from WCW Worldwide and the other WCW C-show that I can’t remember the name of any more.
I would watch those shows and hear the random screeching girl and literally be forced to turn the shows off. I say “literally be forced” because when I hear that shriek over and over again at inappropriate times, the lump of grey matter that sits three feet above my ass starts to twitch and involuntarily moves my finger to the “Channel Up” or “Channel Down” button on my remote control.
I CAN’T F’ING STAND THAT SHRIEKING GIRL!!!
Again, I’m a big Bischoff fan and I love what he’s helping to create with TNA Wrestling. But if that incessant, unnecessary shrieking continues, then I can’t imagine this show will ever break through to what it could be in terms of viewership. Yes – in my mind the fake shrieking is so distracting and annoying that I think it impacts (pun intended) the total viewership over the course of the show.
I’m glad you’re also aware of the shrieking, Mark, and that you also find it absolutely ridiculous!
During Sacrifice my girlfriend asked about the shrieking girl, at which point i explained she was always there. She had never noticed it, buy I’m sure she will never miss it now!
Damn, its so annoying!
I can’t tell if that girl is watching the show or not. She screams so random. Also the fat mouth breather my friend and I call ‘Chocolate Chip’ as he is shaped like one. He is always front and near center never watching the action but looking off into space. He is there every week! When did TNA add the ‘HOT CHICK’ zone. A bunch of girls front row on camera every week. Who’s idea was that one? P.s. Five women does not make a division!
Ah! Chocolate Chip! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!
I literally laughed out loud reading that – I’ve seen that guy!
Is it just me, or does the screaming girl not bother me so much? I’ve never heard her until someone pointed it out, then after that I heard her a few times. A week later, I forgot all about her and didn’t hear her. Still don’t, lol.
@Dr.Cain
LOL those models in the front row are so obvious that anyone could see they are plants!
I’ve heard the shrieking girl, but don’t notice it much. I do have several friends who do hear her and can’t ignore the scream and a few that don’t notice it. I’m glad I’m in the “do not notice” it category.
Drives me nuts. I’m not even kidding when I say that there have been times where I’ve turned the show off because the shrieking girl couldn’t get out of my ears. Definitely a bad “added attraction” for any show.
I agree. My friends that do hear it are annoyed to no end. Doesn’t make sense to do that. I’ve never seen her, even when I’ve heard her. Do they show her, could it just be piped in?
I’m pretty confident that it’s piped in. Just like the opening segment on the show this past Thursday had a bunch of extra folks cheering and jeering – they weren’t there.
In general, I’m mixed on the piped in cheers and jeers. On the one hand, I understand that it’s a television show and that the crew is trying to put out a certain product (i.e. people cheering for this guy and booing for that guy). Yet if part of the company’s “piped in” strategy is to put random screeching girls in the show – then they should drop the strategy altogether.
Screeching banshee woman aside, I just wanted ti say I really enjoyed this article and agree wholeheartedly with the points made therein. I think this last weeks Impact Wrestling was a good show, and I have high hopes for the direction TNA is going, so long as it is the same direction I think it is … And I think that direction is outlined quite well here.
On a note about the audience in the Impact Zone, my favorite regular is the guy in the corner behind the ring steps who has an unadvertised long running feud with Jeff Jarrett. Have you seen this guy? Every single time Jarrett walks down to the ring he exchanges trash talk with this dude. Once, Jeff prepared to get into the ring and it looked like he was going ti ignore the fan this time … Only to hurl his water bottle over his shoulder and get the guy soaking wet. Hilarious,