Welcome back! Last week, I went to everybody’s favourite TNA fansite, TNAInsider, to cover the “WWE’s storyline is racist / somehow stolen from TNA even though TNA’s storyline totally isn’t racist” debate, which can be found here.
This week…
RUMOR: SPIKETV AND TNA FAIL TO RENEW DEAL
Darren Grett
July 28, 2014
Link: http://www.tnainsider.com/rumor-spiketv-tna-fail-renew-deal/#ixzz399j3MTgk
TMZ.com is reporting that TNA Wrestling and SpikeTV have failed to come to terms on a new television contract and that Impact will no longer be airing on Spike.
The report claims that Spike execs contacted TNA President Dixie Carter late last week to break the news — and the following day Carter informed members of her inner circle.TNA’s current deal with Spike reportedly runs through October. It’s unclear at this point when “Impact Wrestling” will stop airing on Spike.
We’re told there’s no bad blood, and Spike gave TNA such advance notice so it would have time to shop for a new TV deal. TNA’s show debuted on Spike TV in October 2005 — and helped the league rise to #2 on the wrestling scene … behind the WWE.
And now… the comments. They’re sorted from first comment to last except for the ones that turned into threads with other commenters, and I went through them in this order, so my responses represent my actual stream of consciousness as I read through these things.
Actually, “stream of consciousness” is probably a bit generous. Reading through some of these, I yearned for the soft kiss of sweet unconsciousness.
vantheman77: I don’t know why this is originated from TMZ of all places rather than other wrestling sites when usually report these thongs first. Rather hear from both TNA and Spike themselves.
BD: All right. First comment in, and that’s actually a very well-reasoned response. You can certainly debate TMZ being a reliable source, but the main point here is that Van would simply like to hear something from TNA or Spike TV themselves before he reacts one way or another about this news.
I wonder if the other residents of TNAInsider are going to be this rational, or if…
Omen: Brilliant move Spike, now you free up time for Cops reruns from 1993, that crap Bellator you kept forcing Dixie Carter to cross promote, oh yeah and the 8000 tattoo shows. Inked even sucks now. You did TNA a HUGE favor cutting them loose, now they can sign with a network people actually watch!
BD: … they’re going to react like they’re happy their wife threw them out of the house because they’re totally going to start going to the gym and dating hot women all over town! Because sure, they were a little out of shape because they spent all that time raising the kids, but the accounts receivable girl at the office was still TOTALLY flirting with them ALL DAY on Thursday so FUCK YOU SHARON, you just made a HUGE MISTAKE.
Namor1987: Good I hate spike.Nobody cares about Gangland, Cops or Bar Rescue. Find a better network
BD: Okay, I’ll admit that I’ve never heard of two out of three of those shows. But it’s not like wrestling has a huge history of finding a home on hugely successful cable networks.
TNT was home to the second-most watched cable wrestling show in history with WCW Monday Nitro, and a Google search reveals that it’s most famous original series was something called…
TBS also hosted WCW programming for a very long time, and the only series whose name I even fucking recognized on their Wikipedia page of original content is…
WWE’s RAW on USA Network is considered the most successful cable TV wrestling series of all time, and while USA fares a LITTLE bit better in the “original series” department, even IT’S most popular original content is…
And TNA has never gotten anywhere near WWE or WCW, so I don’t know how anyone assumes they’re going to do better than Spike. Spike was actually a pretty lucky get for TNA. At this point, they’d be lucky to get on this network:
saytoomuch: let the wwe fanboys celebrate
BD: Ahhh, we have our first volunteer from the mongoloid “fans MUST pick a side!” crowd. I’ve never really understood why wrestling fans never evolved past the Monday Night Wars and think you still HAVE to pick a side. Even back then it made no sense.
Is the wrestling community really still this stupid? Can’t we all just admit that there’s good and bad on both sides? And this goes to WWE fans who talk like this too.
Christ, Al Qaeda thinks you need to get over it.
kgb: I don’t think TNA is getting canceled as we will be seeing Destination X on Impact this week, we may see Impact on Spike run through October till the deal expires. I wouldn’t fully trust TMZ as they have been working with TNA to work the internet.
BD: So because TNA is still airing THIS WEEK, the cancellation rumours can’t be true. And your justification for this is that you think TMZ is helping TNA “work” the internet? Are you fucking serio…
kgb: In the past TMZ has reported non serious news like Robbie E farting when he does yoga.
BD: … okay, that wasn’t what I was expecting. But okay, good. You’re not serious.
kgb: The only serious news I heard about TNA from TMZ was Kurt Angle getting a DUI.
BD: You just countered your own point. Now I don’t know what you’re trying to get at. Moving on.
kgb: TNA has been drawing 1.4 and 1.42 ratings lately and only going up. I see no reason why TNA would not be able to find a new deal with a new network, but I doubt they would be going back to 1 hour only. I feel like TNA knew what was going on for a while now, ever since they signed a deal with UTA to help them negotiate with a new network or renegotiate with Spike. TNAInsider.com recently covered a story about TNA’s interest in shopping to other networks along with the UTA deal being signed for that purpose.
What is true, is the I have not seen a single currently employed TNA wrestler commenting about this story in social media like twitter, indicating a non disclosure agreement was signed by current TNA talent forbidding them from commenting on the story. I have seen non currently employed talent like Kevin Nash, The Pope Elijah Burke, and even The Blue Meanie and Jim Ross commenting on the story, concerned for the jobs of their friends, but all that is, is more speculation.
Maybe TNA knew they might be going dark in the US, so they chose Japan as the location for Bound for Glory? We are still hearing about TNA British Boot Camp on Challenge TV. Also about a month or two ago Jeremy Borash commented on his Twitter that if he were in charge he would move TNA HQ to the UK.
BD: Okay. Fine. You don’t believe it. That’s cool.
kgb: I don’t even think TNA is considering starting its own network, but TNA could do it without losing money unlike WWE.
BD: Of course TNA isn’t considering starting it’s own network. Everyone knows that TNA is 5 years behind copying everything WWE does, and WWE are, at the best of times, 2 years behind keeping up with current trends themselves.
So expect the TNA Network to launch in February of 2018.
kgb: WWE is currently in a civil lawsuit started by investors that purchased WWE stock from October 2013- May 15th or 16th, 2014 because WWE lied and made false claims about its NBC Universal TV deal.
BD: Well, what WWE actually did was just make a bunch of noise about how much they were going to make on the deal, because they actually thought that’s how much they were going to make on a deal. Definitely presumptuous on their part, but they certainly didn’t PLAN to come out with less money than they’d hoped. That would be silly.
Regardless, none of this has anything to do with TNA’s current position.
kgb: TNA could partner with YouTube, signing a YouTube Live contract and run a network through YouTube without losing the amount of money WWE did. Realistically, I still don’t think TNA is considering this, though they survived the internet era and going dark in 2005 to still jump to Spike by 2006, so who knows?
BD: Yeah, and I can drive a car with my feet too. That doesn’t make it a good idea.
kgb: Could TNA and TMZ be working us for a GFW takeover of the TNA timeslot? Are TNA and GFW doing dirty inside trading tactics with partnerships of 2 different Japanese promotions Wrestle 1 and NJPW?
BD: No.
kgb: In any case, I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions or trust TMZ’s credibility until Spike TV or TNA officially makes a statement.
BD: Man, why could that just not have been your whole comment? You could have saved us all some time.
Lady Katherine: We do not know what went on in that meeting what you hear are from TMZ there sour is Bitter for tna stars and employees..
BD: Oookay.
Lady Katherine: I wondering if the Tna roster getting bombarded with question about there Rumors all they can say is no comment How long can they last
BD: Indefinitely, as long as they maintain an adequate supply of food and water.
Lady Katherine: Why will TNA resign 3 wrestlers when they do not have a deal?
BD: Because the company doesn’t necessarily live and die with a US TV deal.
Lady Katherine: TNA Fans – Wait for Dixie /TNA or Spike tv they are reliable source not TMZ
UnbiasedTNAFan: If this were wrestling observer reporting this, I would be in agreement with you. But, TMZ has done a very good job of reporting their stories and getting them right.
Lady Katherine: I will wait for Dixie to make an announcement
BD: Okay.
Lady Katherine: We do not know what went on in the meeting They might have a new deal that we do not know about
BD: I suppose – but you already said that first part.
Lady Katherine: Do not believe what you read on the Internet wait for Dixie announcement.
BD: I said okay.
Lady Katherine: There Tna Hater out there who want tna to die they are bitter and angry former wrestler & employees. to spread rumors We should wait till we hear from reliable source TNA or spike TV
BD: Okay, you need to just calm the fuck down.
Michael Schnell: Wcw all over again :-(
BD: Now now, no reason to jump to that conclusion. After all, WCW was financially successful for a time.
UnbiasedTNAFan: This is terrible news BUT…it’s not the end of the world. TNA will be on Fox Sports and / or Fox Sports 2 in the fall. Take that to the bank!
BD: Optimism! To be honest, I have no idea at all if this has a chance of happening or not. I think I was just so happy to read someone who processed this rumour logically and wasn’t about to slit their fucking wrists all over their god damn keyboards that I didn’t even feel like thinking about it.
The Baron: It’s a bit twisted and demented on my part but I might as well say it: If TNA is gone for good. Now, what are the TNA haters / WWE fans going to say now? Who are they going to hate now? Nobody cares about ROH and NJPW. Are they going to be picking on GFW? So, the haters wanted this. They got it.
BD: And here it is again. Unreal.
Listen, I’m sorry Baron, but this is how it is – there’s matter and there’s anti-matter – conversely, there are ratings, but there are no fucking “anti-ratings”, you idiot. People who don’t watch or like TNA can’t score ratings AGAINST the show, or COST TNA money.
Did you ever consider that maybe WWE fans or the so-called “TNA Haters” aren’t the problem? I don’t want TNA to go under, but if it does I hope that the TNA fans with these kinds of DEBILITATING persecution and blame complexes could be, if not cured, at least put in remission.
Jsquad nation: I refuse to get riled up or panic because I actually think this could be a good thing..Tna is one of spikes only shows that crack one million viewers on average. lets be honest Spike is not a network that people search for or crave for. If you’ve ever been into a hotel, name the times spikes been on the local cable selections..
BD: Yeah, no argument here. For the people who actually still have traditional cable, Spike is basically a network that you see when you’re flipping channels, nothing’s on, and you go “fuck it, I’ll watch COPS.” It’s the “Dominoes Pizza” of networks.
Jsquad nation: If Tna and UTA can sell to a better or more established network that they averaged a million viewers on a channel that most people dont even pay attention to, I believe that Tna and UTA can reiterate to that network and sell them that they can expand their ratings and viewership on there more known network.
BD: I suppose it’s a possibility. It’s unlikely, but you never know. It’s wrestling. Crazier things have happened with wrestling. Remember 3PW? That Jasmine St. Claire whore sold that thing on e-Bay. Unbelievable. She sold 3PW on e-Bay. It’s just amazing.
Jsquad nation: One thing Tna has is a following and alot of networks look to find shows with minor followings and convert them to major followings. So everybody just calm down and relax. Tna can get through this and possibly they can gain from this.
BD: I don’t know how likely this is or not. Actually, to be honest it strikes me as highly unlikely at best. But again, it’s optimism, and the guy does make some good points. And again, it’s wrestling. Crazy things happen, and optimism never hurt anyone.
TNAmarkFromIndia: I doubt they can find a better network than Spike from here. They might even have to go back to a 1-hour format so that more networks would be willing to give them a timeslot. Here’s hoping for the best.
BD: ANOTHER honest and frank assessment of their current situation AND a logical and optimistic view of TNA’s potential future. Two in a row basically! I wonder how long until I get to the next…
Michael Reyes: Thanks Vince Russo. You destroyed TNA because you cannot find a real job in the real world.
BD: … THERE it is.
UnbiasedTNAFan: It actually does all make sense. No wonder they were hush-hush about him working their or not. I do remember reading that one of the executives at Spike did not like Russo’s style -despite getting good numbers. Unfortunately, Russo’s ineptness in sending an email inetnded for Mike Tenay instead got in the wrong hands and he had to admit he did work for TNA, which may have angered Spike TV.
BD: Hang on a minute.
Wait.
Whoa.
Are you telling me that Vince Russo was exposed to be working for TNA because he sent an email to the wrong person? That is FUCKING HILARIOUS if it’s actually true. Again – only in wrestling.
Anyway, whether the reason that Spike didn’t want Vince Russo in TNA was sound or not isn’t really the issue here. The issue is that TNA knew this, and their ACTUAL workaround was trying to keep Russo’s working there a secret from the world and from Spike… aka, the network that pays them to produce their wrestling show.
That was their actual workaround. And that is a fucking DUMB IDEA.
Also, think about this for a second – the grenade pin to this already REALLY dumb plan plan rested in the hands of a man who apparently hasn’t figured out how to use his email contact list. That’s like asking Jeff Hardy to keep an eye on your painkillers while you go have your match. It’s the kind of dumb that usually comes with a bike helmet and some plastic scissors.
If your head hasn’t already spun around twice reading this, many of the comments on the issue seem to be placing the blame on Spike for not wanting Russo there in the first place, instead of how unbelievably fucking stupid TNA’s plan was. It’s just fucking incredible. It MAY have angered Spike TV? Spike TV pays TNA to produce their only TV show and said they didn’t want Vince Russo working there. TNA then lied about Vince Russo working there. Then Spike found out about it. Why WOULDN’T they be pissed?
Anyway, I only read this Russo / TNA / Spike TV story once I saw this comment, and I have no idea if it’s actually true. If it is though – again, amazing work on TNA’s part. This is right up there with almost burning down their own arena live on PPV and employing Orlando Jordan.
Regardless, the ONLY uncertainty here is whether Spike should be angrier about TNA lying to them or angrier about how fucking stupid TNA’s plan was.
I’ll leave that one to the philosophers.
SpecialFNK: looks like the end of Impact on Spike, but I don’t think this has to mean the end of TNA.
BD: Optimism!
Special FNK: throwing this out there and it may be extreme reaching. could this be storyline/work to have GFW take over TNA and then GFW gets the TV spot? last I heard GFW does not have a TV deal, or any wrestlers signed. a TV spot just opened up. Jeff Jarrett still does have ownership in TNA. TNA has a bad name, and I don’t think that was ever going to change. there could be a new start with GFW and it would be a positive for GFW/Jarrett to take over TNA/Dixie.
BD: … how to let him down gentl…
Mr.Anderson: No. Just no.
BD: There we are.
Mr.Anderson: Nothing we can do now but hope they find a network that will pick them up.
BD: I don’t really have anything specific to say to this one. This guy just makes some good sense. There’s not a lot of people on TNAInsider that do this, so I feel obligated that the ones who do are also accounted for in these pieces. Sit back and hope that a network will air the wrestling show you want to watch. Totally cool. You would think this would be more people’s first instinct, but then again this is the commenter that actually calls out some morons on TNAInsider for their ridiculous bullshit.
Like, last week, when he told some fucking moron that maybe Xavier Woods isn’t channeling Colonel Sanders.
Speaking of that fucking moron.
Christian Parazuli: Looks like the scumbag IWC finally got what they wanted.
BD: If a bunch of people with a keyboard and an internet connection or a half-decent data plan can topple TNA, then TNA is – at best – a wobbly wrestling company.
And for reference, there is no “IWC” – and if there is, it’s the guy calling wrestlers “vanilla midgets” and blaming fans of the opposing company when one company runs into problems.
That’s the most IWC thing that’s ever existed.
See that? You killed TNA.
Shame on you.
Christian is the guy I tried to engage to get some kind of a dialogue going. It never went anywhere. He had absolutely nothing to say other than calling me a WWE fanboy despite me saying I wasn’t, as if there would be some kind of incentive for me to lie about that. Anything I asked him or said to him, he just replied to with stuff not even related to what I said. CB and Sawyer went over there as well, but they quickly realized it was like trying to fly a skateboard. The guy is the fucking Kool-Aid Man in terms of how much Impact Zone juice he’s got in his system, to the point where he can’t see past the lame Instagram filter on his profile pic. Normally, that’s the kind of funny stuff I enjoy posting but honestly, there’s not really all that much to it, so I didn’t. If you do want to check it out, click the article link and see for yourself. Or if they’ve deleted it, let me know – I have it saved, so maybe I’ll throw it up as a separate post but honestly, I’d advise you not to bother. There’s nothing that funny about how looney this guy is that’s not illustrated in what I’ve already put up from him.
God, that was fucking exhausting. This was one of THREE entire articles on this very topic. This is all I can handle for now though. More soon.
This has been “Interinactivity”. Thanks for reading and have a great day.
BD
