TNA releases thread

[John Austin]

I think Hulks and Stings contract are with Spike. I remember reading they were splitting the bill of Stings contract with TNA

[jaedmc]

 

Will cutting Kennedy, Hardy, Hulkster, Bischoff, and a few others hurt their ratings? Probably not. Are they selling that much merch or house show stuff to make up for it?

 

I'm not a fan of his work, but Hardy probably is their top draw... especially on the house show and merch side of things.  He probably doesn't effect ratings much. 

 

I'd be interested to know how the merch side of business is for TNA. I'd also like to know what being a big draw for the company is. The North Carolina show from a ways back, I'd say Jeff and Matt helped out a lot. But what is their house show business even like? And how many would show up if there was no Hardy? I don't know the answers to these questions.

 

To me, it doesn't really matter who is on their roster, if they don't have a strong direction they'll just keep treading water. The A&8s deal was hot for a minute and then people realized, "Oh they have no idea what they're doing with this." Now people wish it would just end. And it's not just the big storylines, they don't know what they're doing with characters. Joey Ryan was interesting for a minute and then I don't know what happened to him. He just became multi-man match filler. Why bring a guy on TV if you don't have a plan for them? 

 

WWE brought in Colt Cabana  on TV with out a plan. They didn't know what to do with him and the audience realized it and promptly didn't give a shit. Kizarny was another guy they didn't know what to do with, they just thought "Put him on TV". Fail. To me that's TNA on everything. Bring in Jigsaw. Give him a different name. Then...whatever. They take good ideas and rarely know how to finish. The only time I remember them really coming through for me was Austin Aries winning the title. But sadly after that they were like "Uhhhh...now what?"

 

I really do wonder what creative meetings are like there, from week to week.

[RIPPA]

I was joking the other day that when TNA folds and the WWE buys them - it will be really amusing when the only guy on the roster they hire would be Sting.

 

But that did raise an interesting thought about who the WWE would actually pick up because I think the number would be less than a handful and some would be almost merch related only

[Bustronaut]

Pick-up: Sting, Beer Money, Bubba, Gail maybe, AJ (foolishly turns them down)

Developmental: Magnus, Daniels

Legends: Angle, Hardy

[Domino_Not_Deuce]

I was joking the other day that when TNA folds and the WWE buys them - it will be really amusing when the only guy on the roster they hire would be Sting.

 

But that did raise an interesting thought about who the WWE would actually pick up because I think the number would be less than a handful and some would be almost merch related only

 

You've got to think they pick up Angle for a DVD and a part-time kinda deal. 

 

Knowing WWE, they'd pick up one guy completely out of left field like Anderson and team him with Hornswoggle for 6 months on Saturday Morning Slam. Actually, that'd be pretty great.

[RIPPA]

I mean Sting is obvious for the Taker mania match, a DVD and the Hall of Fame

Jeff Hardy would be a merch move first though he can easily be thrown on Smackdown to be the uber super kid friendly superstar that Rey Jr never is anymore. Plus they would keep him around to take the fall when Randy Orton avoids his third strike again.

One would assume that Kurt Angle would suddenly be all THE WWE IS THE GREATEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD!!!! again but I can't remember what his current relationship with Vince/Hunter is. You would think they would be willing to work something out just for DVD and Hall of Fame purposes but if crazy Kurt is around, who knows if they want to take the chance on him killing himself in the ring.

Everyone else, I feel the WWE would be like "Eh we already have our own guys who are exactly the same".

Hunter hates the divas and since apparently so do the Bellas - no one is getting picked up there.

And Mike mentioned Daniels. Daniels is old, old, old - there is no way they are putting him in development (or signing him)... unless it is to be a trainer.

I guess folks like Punk and Bryan might go to bat for a couple of their friends but the juice probably isn't worth the squeeze

[Bustronaut]

Shoot, yeah I did mean as an FCW trainer.

 

I really don't know if they'd give Hardy another chance after all his issues, and Angle's Gold Medal will guarantee him a HoF spot/Legends contract no matter what issues Vince/Hunter have with him personally.  Nothing short of suicide/homicide/rape charges will change that.

[jaedmc]

I would bet that if Edge can't wrestle, Kurt probably couldn't get cleared by WWE's medical either.

If they went under Sting would for sure get picked up for the Mania match. I would have said Hardy would be to risky, but RVD is on TV winning these days. I think the Dudleys would be brought back for a quick nostalgia bit. Dudley's vs. Shield or Dudleys vs. Wyatt Fam.

I think if Vince bought TNA's stuff, he'd bring in a few to do another invasion angle, so he'd pick the guys he felt could fit in right away with out going to development. Beer Money guys are probably the safest, but really Rippa is right - WWE has a lot of samey guys. And if they wanted Bobby Roode, they would have picked him up when he was doing negotatios a while back.

[muhammedboehm]

Wouldn't it be more likely if Vince went to buy TNA he would just say fuck the roster all I want is the tapes?

[jaedmc]

I'd say it's 50/50. I never know with that dude. He's crazy. On one hand he could be like "Let's do a big angle!" On the other he could be like, "Who wrote this check for TNA?" He could probably say both in a five minute span.

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

I could see Vince buying the company for dirt cheap just so he can gloat and make puns about what little 'impact" TNA has had on the industry.  He can also publicly humiliate Jeff Jarrett again since he still holds a grudge from when JJ held him up for money.  In all reality I would like to see JJ back in the WWE someday.  Why???....I have no idea. 

[JonnyLaw]

I would love to see him ask the crowd for their input on guys, WCW-style, and instead of "What?" chants, he gets "Who?"

 

Which naturally leads to a Neidhart return.

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

Mark Henry squashes the entire TNA roster, then HHH puts them all in a box labeled "OVW"....actually that is crossed out and it says "WWE performance center...ATTN:beginner's class".

[caley]

I think WWE would take a long look at Samoa Joe, too.  They were interested in the past and Austin was not-too-recently talking him up.

[ExcellenceofAirPollution]

I think the no brainers would be Magnus and Roode.  Magnus probably has the most potential of anyone to get a strong WWE run.  He's got the size, the look and youth on his side.  Roode would probably get lost in the shuffle, but I think they'd sign him at least.  Joe would have some key supporters in Cena, Punk and Danielson so I think he'd get a shot.

 

I could actually see Garrett Bischoff being brought in simply because of who his father is, and he's not a bad looking kid

 

A few of the women might get a look.  Taryn is the youngest and has the most potential, but I doubt they'd bring her back after the previous drama.  Not sure what happened there with Brooke Adams/Tessmacher, but she's the other one with star potential.

 

Storm might be a tough sell.  He's got kind of a bloated/gassed look going on, not really the type of look they like, he's not young, and he seems to be slowing down with injuries.  He'd probably get the "doesn't know how to work" knock too.

 

I could see Vince doing something crazy like hiring Dixie and making her a tv character simply for humilation purposes

 

I think they'd bring Jarrett back if they thought there was money to be made with him, Vince will bring anybody back if he thinks they have value, but I doubt they see money in a Jarrett run.  And I doubt he'd want to go back.

 

I'm inclined to think if they wanted to deal with Angle he'd already be back.  He's been in TNA for almost 7 years and there's been multiple chances for WWE to bring him back.  Too risky.  As a HOFer and DVD subject after he retires, sure, but I doubt he ever works a match for them again.

 

Hardy would absolutely get another run if he wanted it, that's been a given since the day he left, but he's got a pretty easy schedule with TNA.  More interest on the WWE side than from him

 

Not sure about Styles.  He seems to have made a good living with TNA, has a family, I doubt he wants to be on the road 250 days a year

 

Hogan will always get brought back.  Always.

 

Bully Ray?  My understanding is he doesn't have many supporters backstage and is not considered worth the trouble.  The book on the Dudleys was that everyone liked Devon and couldn't stand Bubba

[Pete]

Didn't the WWE really give Droz a job for life, and generally take care of everything he needed?  Just sayin'.  When Vincent Kennedy McMahon is a paragon of humane employee treatment compared to you... well, you suck.  

 

According to the new WON he was released from full-time employment, but he still did/does work on their website and refuses to say anything bad about how they treated him.

[Victator]

WWE was trying to get Hardy back this year. He is like RVD, he will come back when he wants to. I think Sting will retire before going to WWE. I can see him doing one or two appearances to promote a dvd. 

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

Nice comeback Dixie....

http://www.impactwrestling.com/news/item/4892-A-Message-To-Fans-From-TNA-President-Dixie-Carter

[Cole Miner]

 Will cutting Kennedy, Hardy, Hulkster, Bischoff, and a few others hurt their ratings? Probably not. Are they selling that much merch or house show stuff to make up for it?

I've never seen anyone wearing a TNA shirt. I've always wondered if they ever sold any of these. 

[ben.]

Yeah, I just read through Dixie's letter and think it is funny how she is trying to be business about it. She never addressed what she did to Sorenson (I'm on her side but at least bring it to light). Honestly the best thing TNA could do with this is turn it into an angle, people already don't like her, turn her into a Vickie Guerrero-type heel.

[Bustronaut]

There were specials aplenty at the TNA house show last week.  $20 got you the Blue Bag special with four T-shirts of your choice, $40 got you the Brown Bag special with 2 t-shirts, 4 DVDs, and 2 action figures.  Titles belts were on sale for $375, which included two action figures, a t-shirt and back stage passes.  Backstage passes were being sold at $20 each (max 50 people), but they also gave out six during the course of the show.

 

I believe 8 people were carrying/wearing belt replicas.  Insane.

[RazorbladeKiss87]

 

 Will cutting Kennedy, Hardy, Hulkster, Bischoff, and a few others hurt their ratings? Probably not. Are they selling that much merch or house show stuff to make up for it?

I've never seen anyone wearing a TNA shirt. I've always wondered if they ever sold any of these. 

 

Not that shirt specifically but I did see someone on my college campus a few years back wearing the "Pro Wrestling Is Real...People Are Fake" shirt. Was that slogan the other way around? I don't remember for sure but it had that sentiment on it.

[LooseCannon]

Not that shirt specifically but I did see someone on my college campus a few years back wearing the "Pro Wrestling Is Real...People Are Fake" shirt. Was that slogan the other way around? I don't remember for sure but it had that sentiment on it.

 

 

That's what it said.  I thought it was a find idea for a shirt for people willing to wear one that has the word "wrestling" on it.

[Kyle Casey]

 

 Will cutting Kennedy, Hardy, Hulkster, Bischoff, and a few others hurt their ratings? Probably not. Are they selling that much merch or house show stuff to make up for it?

I've never seen anyone wearing a TNA shirt. <snip>

 

 

I actually had a Curry Man shirt that I got when I went to Hard Justice 2008. But, yeah, I don't recall seeing people wearing TNA shirts at any point.

[Web Conn]

 

 

 Will cutting Kennedy, Hardy, Hulkster, Bischoff, and a few others hurt their ratings? Probably not. Are they selling that much merch or house show stuff to make up for it?

I've never seen anyone wearing a TNA shirt. <snip>

 

 

I actually had a Curry Man shirt that I got when I went to Hard Justice 2008. But, yeah, I don't recall seeing people wearing TNA shirts at any point.

 

Back in the spring of 2005 I was vactioning with my family in Reno and we went bowling and some guy the lane next to us was wearing a Jeff Hardy TNA T-Shirt. The only time ive seen somebody wear a TNA T-Shirt.