2017 WHATEVER THE HELL USED TO BE TNA DISCUSSION THREAD

[RIPPA]

The TNA Updates from the newest WON

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Jeff Jarrett has replaced John Gaburick as the main guy in TNA. This happened about two weeks ago but has been largely kept quiet. Gaburick is still with the company, but Dixie Carter and Serg Salinas are gone. Salinas is completely gone while Carter may still have a title but no longer is working out of the office and essentially is a non-entity. Salinas is listed as having left the company last month to become General Manager of Trifecta Entertainment. Trifecta Entertainment was the publicity company that Carter ran prior to the family purchasing TNA. Jarrett has spoken with people with the idea he’ll be able to make deals soon. Dutch Mantel is back on creative, and Scott D’Amore, who booked TNA when it was doing its best PPV business, is also in, so it is basically the Jarrett regime. The general feeling is that the way things shake out is Jarrett will be in charge and Mantel and D’Amore and Jarrett will run creative

An interesting thing would be announcing, since it was Gaburick who replaced Mike Tenay with Josh Matthews, who he knew from WWE. Matthews didn’t exactly get stellar reviews, but Tenay had a high contract when he was in TNA and they are in a cost-cutting mode

Jarrett has been trying to set up a meeting with the people doing ITV World of Sport. World of Sport wants someone to run their wrestling operations as they don’t want to be running a wrestling promotion, have no experience at it, but are interested in a promotion so they can run a weekly television show. The expectation is ITV will be making a decision shortly about wrestling. We’d heard talk of February tapings, and obviously that’s not happening but they are still in touch with people and talking like it’s a go, but this is also the television business where you operate like it’s a go as long as the idea is still alive. It does look like Jarrett may be trying pull of an international relationship with TNA, Crash, NOAH and ITV just judging from recent meetings. Jarrett and Crash makes sense given that Jarrett is working the main event himself at the next Crash show, and bringing Eli Drake from TNA in as well. The problem is that the biggest stars Crash and Konnan have would be Rey Mysterio Jr., Penta 0M, Rey Fenix, Jeff Cobb, Ricochet, Brian Cage, etc. who are all under contract to Lucha Underground which means they can’t work for TNA. Masayuki Uchida, the new President of NOAH, announced on 2/7, that they have a working agreement with TNA, for the first time since 2012 (when Samoa Joe and Magnus worked NOAH shows and even won the GHC tag team titles). They announced that several TNA wrestlers would be appearing on the 3/12 show at the Yokohama Bunka Gym. Uchida was the point man for Wrestle-1 a few years ago when they worked with TNA and even had Bound for Glory at Korakuen Hall in 2015. While nothing has been announced, Moose on Twitter teased the idea he was going to NOAH, and Eddie Edwards, who used to work for NOAH, is also going over soon. D’Amore was the conduit for the NOAH deal, which will also include NOAH wrestlers coming to TNA, and they’ve got some great ones like Katsuhiko Nakajima, Daisuke Harada , Naomichi Marufuji (who has some of the best timing of when to do what of perhaps anyone in the business right now), Takashi Sugiura and others. Masa Kitamiya is great given his level of experience. Plus NOAH will send young wrestlers to D’Amore in Canada and TNA for training

We’re told that things have gotten a little uncomfortable in the TNA & ROH relationship, which at this point is really only the Hardys vs. Young Bucks match in Lakeland, since there are lingering past issues involving the Jarrett led version of the company and ROH from the past

A lot of the top talent in TNA is apprehensive about the changes and there is the thought that if anyone but the top few guys leave, Jarrett has all the GFW guys he was using that can fill the holes, but right now nobody knows exactly how things are going to shake out. Because Anthem has spent so much money between the loans and the Billy Corgan settlement, and there is no way to make money right now, they are looking at cutting costs and there has been talk of cutting pay which has talent unhappy. The basic idea is to cut talent pay and not necessarily have a hiring freeze, but not to aggressively pursue outside talent that would cost money unless it’s a unique circumstance. The last taping was really just a continuation of the Gaburick regime, while the next set of tapings in March will play a part in whatever the new direction is, who is being pushed, etc

Matt & Jeff Hardy and Drew Galloway still haven’t signed. A thing to watch out for is that the Hardys, Matt in particular, had been given free reign for their gimmick, and with the Jarrett crew back in charge of creative, whether that will continue remains to be seen. The one thing TNA had as its advantage over everyone else as far as the Hardys being here is that they knew they could do their ideas whereas elsewhere they wouldn’t have nearly the control. One would think the thing that would threaten their deals more than anything, aside from a pay issue, and in their case, I don’t see that happening because they are considered top guys, is if the Hardys no longer had full control over what they were doing

 

[Spritenaut 32]

I'm giving this a chance, but Jarrett back in charge + Anthem not wanting to pour more money into the promotion = me thinking this doesn't end well.

That said, hiring D'Amore back is a smart move.

[RIPPA]

TNA put tickets on sale for the March TV Taping - so their schedule is gonna be

Thursday - quasi live and tape another show

Friday - one taping session

Saturday - Double taping

Sunday - one taping session

[bobholly138]

On 2/8/2017 at 11:02 AM, NikoBaltimore said:

When they were at MCW recently they charged $50 for a photo or autograph with the Hardy Family and $100 for both options.  Then there was the $100 VIP line for a seemingly shorter line and whatever else.  There was a huge line for both regular and VIP so they were busy for quite a while.  For a Hardy bash at a WWN event they have similar pricing options.  Long story short, they're making tons of money and won't need WWE if they wish.  And considering all that they've been putting into this I'm very happy for them.

Damn about 4 years ago met Matt at Wildkat sports Luke Hawx vs Matt Hardy show. Matt was asking 5 for autographs and 10 for a pics with him or him and Reby. Matt was a bit shocked when I told him "Hey John Henry Delong says Hello". I doubt Matt was expecting to hear about the old OMEGA time keeper.

[J.T.]

Hiring back D'Amore is a good move. JJ being allowed anywhere near Creative is a disaster.  The last thing that TNA needs right now is the upper card nepotism that put it in the chasm it has languished in since inception.

Not allowing Matt and Jeff to continue to have free reign with their gimmick is stupid.

If Anthem is worried about costs and the workers are worried about making money, the best thing to do is give the guys free reign to take other bookings to supplement their income and cross promote and share costs and talent with other feds.

The key to success (success = continuing to function as a business) is Jarrett accepting that the days of a #2 fed that is close in stature to WWE are over and not running TNA any further into the ground.

[RIPPA]

Josh Matthews - deciding that his recent gimmick of trolling everyone - announced he was leaving social media because of too many trolls

[Technico Support]

On 2/14/2017 at 7:31 PM, bobholly138 said:

Damn about 4 years ago met Matt at Wildkat sports Luke Hawx vs Matt Hardy show. Matt was asking 5 for autographs and 10 for a pics with him or him and Reby. Matt was a bit shocked when I told him "Hey John Henry Delong says Hello". I doubt Matt was expecting to hear about the old OMEGA time keeper.

Hey, speaking of Omega, I was watching PWG and Excalibur mentioned on commentary that Trevor Lee is a 2nd generation wrestler and his father wrestled for Omega.  Who is his father?

[Linus]

TC Brimstone

[RIPPA]

Holy Shit - I legit didn't know that

[J.T.]

Trevor Lee's old man was TC Brimstone?  Fuck..

[RIPPA]

Per the WON update - TNA has made an offer to Magnus and the talks are at least serious

[Thibs]

Ed Nordholm on Dixie Carter:

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The buck has to stop someplace. The reality is the company got into a dire position and she was CEO. There was never any question [she wouldn’t be involved in the day-to-day operations], but not out of any particular animosity. If we’re going to invest...we’re owner-operators, we’re not passive investors. If we’re going to own it, we’re going to own it.

Also, they've announced taping dates through August. Looks like they're sticking with 3-4 day taping scheduled, with most being single day tapings. That's encouraging. 

Absent from the taping schedule is dates for May/June so it looks like they might go on the road for those. Maybe those TV's will be taped in India. 

[MonteCarl]

So Galloway has been released/not re-signed. How long before he shows back up in WWE?

[Casey]

[RIPPA]

Yeah - I am listening to Meltzer's radio show from last night and basically he said it isn't 100% certain the Hardys are going to WWE but it does appear they aren't re-signing with TNA. So much in so that it appears they will not be using them at the tapings this week

Dave's exact quote was "We will know Thursday. If they are not at the tapings they are going to the WWE"

Dave said that supposedly the Hardys are telling promoters they won't commit to anything beyond March since they don't want to have to pull out of dates if necessary (which basically means they are considering WWE)

It seems that it is just a matter of working through who is gonna handle creative and how merch is handled

[RIPPA]

Dave did an update on the website

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The prolonged contract situation with three of TNA's biggest names is coming to a head this week.

Drew Galloway announced on Twitter Sunday that he was not signing a new contract and was done with the promotion. TNA had only contacted him about a new deal in the last week or so, and he said what while TNA did try hard to make a deal in the last week and make things right, he had already made up his mind not to sign. They did go back-and-forth with talks until yesterday.

Galloway is expected to continue working with groups like WhatCulture, ICW, and EVOLVE, as well as other promotions in the U.K and around the world. He noted he made up his mind about not staying when it came to close to his deal expiring and he hadn't been contacted, and thus had made decisions about his future that didn't include TNA.

The situation with Matt & Jeff Hardy remains up in the air. As noted in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, they are not taking any independent dates after May at this point, but have also told promoters that they have worked for in the past that could change.

As of right now, they may or may not be at the TNA tapings which start on Thursday. As of now, they have not signed a new deal but they are still in talks with the company.

In both cases, TNA was looking for exclusive deals, but the Hardys and Galloway are doing well right now booking their own independent dates.

http://www.f4wonline.com/tna-news/drew-galloway-bids-farewell-tna-matt-and-jeff-hardys-status-still-limbo-230816

[J.T.]

They would be idiots not to sign the Hardys and let them keep their relative autonomy. 

It's a mutually beneficial relationship.  The Hardys need the exposure that only television appearances and the production value that only a somewhat decent sized fed like TNA can give them, and TNA needs the cornerstone circus act that so far has proven guaranteed to bring in viewership..

How long will the Hardy's gimmick last without TNA and how long will TNA last without the Hardy's gimmick?

[Michael Sweetser]

On 2/8/2017 at 9:02 AM, NikoBaltimore said:

When they were at MCW recently they charged $50 for a photo or autograph with the Hardy Family and $100 for both options.  Then there was the $100 VIP line for a seemingly shorter line and whatever else.  There was a huge line for both regular and VIP so they were busy for quite a while.  For a Hardy bash at a WWN event they have similar pricing options.  Long story short, they're making tons of money and won't need WWE if they wish.  And considering all that they've been putting into this I'm very happy for them.

The thing is, that will start drying up once the Hardyz aren't on TV anymore - I know TNA is limited in its scope but it DOES still get their name out there.  

Then again, the Hardyz' gimmick might be the exception to the rule - no way to find out until they leave TNA.  

But yeah, dumbest thing for TNA would be to try to play hardball and lose the Hardyz - an argument can definitely be made that TNA would no longer exist if not for them catching fire last year.  Trying to squeeze more blood from the stone by restricting them exclusively - unless they're giving them full creative or a LOT more money, neither of which they can afford - is suicidal.

[Matt D]

I half think that Matt could make more money with youtube alone than TNA as a company could make with all of their current outlets. 

[J.T.]

6 minutes ago, Matt D said:

I half think that Matt could make more money with youtube alone than TNA as a company could make with all of their current outlets. 

Matt has already embraced the power social media via his recently discovered love for Twitter, so it may be only a matter of time before he figures out that he could rebrand OMEGA as an internet phenomenon and keep the party going via social media and broadcast shows via weekly YouTube content rather than rely on conventional television broadcasts..

I would use that as leverage when the TNA hardball attorneys came calling.

[Matt D]

Maybe he could get an Adult Swim show? Is that still a thing?

[RIPPA]

PWI with a massive update (and they are more plugged in with TNA)

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Unless there is a major change over the next two days, TNA Tag Team champions Matt and Jeff Hardy will have departed the company, PWInsider.com has confirmed.  

Similar to Drew Galloway's situation, we are told that the Hardys did not physically receive new contracts until just a few weeks before their current deals were set to expire.  One TNA source acknowledged that the contracts were late in arriving, explaining that they were behind due to the changeover involved in shifting TNA from its former parent company to the new infrastructure under Anthem Media.   We are told that the Hardys were not happy with the last minute rushed nature of having to sign and some of the language in the contract, leaving all sides at an impasse.

So, the two sides, despite verbally coming terms on a new contract back in December 2016, have yet to sign and ratify a new deal that would see the brothers remain with TNA, where their "Broken Universe" has been far and away the greatest highlight of the last year of the company.  It's an interesting turn of events because there's no argument that the Hardys were the lone act that were able to take their TNA run and cultivate some buzz and attention for the company - even turning that attention into a very lucrative run on the independents, especially when merchandise money is factored in.  If you remove the Hardy content from Impact as it existed in the last year, 99% of the material that got fans talking or excited about the company - as well as a fresh take on how pro wrestling TV could be produced, would never have existed.

Another factor we have heard that Matt Hardy had extreme creative control over his character and the "Broken Universe" and under the new regime, that likely would not have continued.  So, signing would have meant not just signing a new deal, but signing off on how much he could control his direction and characters.  The irony there is that at one point last year, there had been talk about Matt Hardy coming on board creative himself, with the idea of putting his wrestling mindset  towards helping other storylines and talents in the company while continuing to develop and perform the Broken Hardys act.  Instead, Anthem brought back Jeff Jarrett as the new Chief Creative Officer and Jarrett began installing his own booking team, including Dutch Mantel and Scott D'Amore.  

We are also told that new contracts being offered by TNA management include a clause that would require talents to have their outside appearances approved by the company and would require the talent to pay TNA 10% of those earnings.  Multiple TNA sources declined to comment on whether new contracts indeed featured that clause.

So, from the perspective of the Hardys, they were looking at signing deals that would curtail their creative control (and leave them open to being broken up as an act, as Jeff Jarrett has been said to be keen on pushing Jeff Hardy as a top singles talent) and require the Hardys to pay a percentage of outside earnings to TNA after not receiving their deals until pretty much the last minute.  So, the Hardys haven't signed and time is running out for the two sides to come to terms.

The TNA management side appears to be that the company is looking at rebuilding the entire company and from their perspective, no one is irreplaceable if they don't want to be on board with the regime.  The mindset appears to be that since the company viewership has been so low in comparison to the Spike days, that they are left in a rebuilding phase and that rebuild will not be changed if any of the current talents exit.  One TNA source stated the company made what was described to PWInsider as a "big money offer" that would have seen the Hardys be one of the top paid, if not the top paid act, in the company, and if the Hardys didn't want to come to terms, then it was time to move on.   If the Hardys indeed depart, we are told it will free up a lot of money for other potential signings under a regime that is very much about the bottom line financially, as opposed to spending money frivolously. 

We are also told that the Hardys have offered to come to this week's TV tapings and drop the belts if requested, but as of right now, there's been no agreement that could or will be happening.  There is a chance they will not work TNA's Impact Wrestling TV tapings, which are scheduled for 3/2-3/5 in Orlando at Universal Studios.  

The belief is that the Hardys did not want to leave TNA, as the schedule and the ability for Matt to travel with his family was a huge benefit personally and there's no sign that sort of thing would be able to continue.  If the Hardys do indeed leave the company, they are left in the position of being one of the hottest acts on the independent scene with a gimmick that has added longevity to their careers, especially in the case of Matt Hardy, who has done an amazing job of remaking himself as a talent.  Rebecca Hardy, Matt's wife, was signed to her own deal, but all signs are, obviously, that she would leave with him.  Senor Benjamin and King Maxel (obviously) were never under TNA deals.  So, the entire act could be transferred elsewhere, with the possible exception of Jeremy Borash, who has had an influential hand in making the segments look so unique as the producer and editor of the Hardy content.  Obviously, the look wouldn't be the same if it's taken elsewhere without Borash involved. 

If the Hardys leave, the obvious question among fans will be how long before they return to WWE.  It's obvious WWE has been watching the pair and their gimmick, as WWE once produced a New Day vs. Wyatt Family vignette that was obviously inspired by the battles on the Hardy compound.  One would think WWE would be more than receptive to the idea of bringing the Hardys back, but whether that would see the Hardys come back in their current form or reprise their old "Team Xtreme" personas from the Attitude Era would remain to be seen.  It could be that going back to WWE would also require giving up the ability to work with his family and his creative control, but it would also pay Matt and Jeff Hardy a lot more money than they could conceivably make elsewhere.  WWE, as seen with Sting and Goldberg, has no problems with putting nostalgia acts into major roles and in the case of the Hardys, they are a nostalgia act that would immediately be bigger stars just by returning to Raw or Smackdown - but there's also money to be made with the "Broken Universe" by exposing it to the masses that watch WWE.  Whether WWE would be willing to have it presented as it has worked in TNA or whether the act would be subject to WWE tweaks, some of which might hurt the act long-term, remains to be seen.   None of the sides involved have crossed that bridge yet, but the road for that could be open in the days ahead.

If WWE isn't an option for whatever reason, the very nature of the "Broken Universe" could allow the Hardys to continue their antics online via Youtube or their own subscription streaming platform.  It's entirely possible they could just continue a run on the independents and attempt to promote themselves via their vast social media following, something Matt especially has always been at the forefront of dating back to the MySpace era.  Obviously, there will also be a demand for them on the indy scene and internationally.

The Hardys' current TNA storyline featured them going out on an expedition for Tag Team gold, traveling to different independent promotions and winning their Tag Team straps with Jeremy Borash traveling with them to film material for Impact.  If the brothers leave, it's likely whatever material hasn't already aired would instead just be dropped.

The Hardys are also scheduled to wrestle The Young Bucks at the 4/1 ROH Supercard of Honor event in Lakeland, Florida over Wrestlemania weekend, a deal the two teams pushed to put together despite the obvious promotional boundaries involved.  Now, if the Hardys exit TNA, that bout would still take place but without all the political red tape that had previously existed around it.

This morning, Matt Hardy, possibly in character, tweeted that it was going to be an intriguing week for pro wrestling.  Whether he was working or shooting, he wasn't kidding.

http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=108009

[J.T.]

So dumb.  TNA. So very very dumb.

And holy shit, if I am Matt and Jeff do I really want to go to WWE for a guaranteed paycheck knowing that my bread and butter gimmick has a good possibility of being jobbed to oblivion because the fragile egos behind the book probably hate my trash talk on TNA and Twitter?

The rebirth of OMEGA on YouTube idea sounds better by the minute.

[NikoBaltimore]

TNA being TNA they just had to screw with the one thing that got them the most attention in quite some time.  I wouldn't blame the Hardys for leaving.  Even if they go the Youtube route or whatever else they'll still have their stuff out there to see.  But for the time being I think they'll be fine.  Besides, they made so much money over the years that this is probably all for their kids' college funds (and whatever they make past that)

If somehow WWE allows them to have full control over their stuff and work a doable schedule, this would make for yet another crazy-ass year in wrestling.  With what happened last year nothing is impossible anymore.

[Matt D]

Even though the tertiary players were never under deals, are we 100% sure that TNA doesn't have any rights to the intellectual property created by someone under contract to them, like Senor Benjamin?