The Self Destruction of TNA

Obviously the creator of the vid has taken all the positives pre Hogan and all the negatives during the Hogan era but it's still worth a watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W51VzeiRdGg&feature=player_embedded

What I'd like to ask everyone though is what positives are there for TNA since Hogan and Bischoff took over?

I think that the essential problem is that TNA was trying to portray itself as the forward thinking, future of wrestling but it now has Russo, Hogan, Flair, Bischoff, Sting, Jarrett etc in major positions in the company.

Some of those would be fine but there are too many and it is spoiling the product. That said it has probably got far more coverage than it would but what good is coverage if the product is not good enough?

Russo's writing is a bit ridiculous, Bisch's best years are behind him while Flair and Hogan are both parodies of themselves in the past.

Jeff Hardy's problems haven't helped but someone does not suddenly reach that stage and they must have know his situation when they decided to make him the front man of Immortal and give him the belt instead of allowing him to take time off.

I think TNA's problems can be summarised thusly:

1. Even in its early days it just looked like JJ's playground where he could win world titles he otherwise wouldn't be able to win in other promotions.

2. Dixie Carter tried too hard, too quickly to become the new WCW in regards to rivaling WWE for TV ratings supremacy without first fully evaluating the present cultural context of wrestling and sport viewership.

3. Unlike WCW who arguably signed talent in their prime and took some legitimate stars away from WWE; TNA has been too depend in the past on ex WCW talent (Sting, Steiner, Booker T, Nash and now present day Hogan and Bishoff etc). These wrestlers, not even Sting, are as relevant as they were 10 years ago.

4. Giving their world titles almost exclusively since Hogan and Bishoff have arrived to ex WWE talent - RVD, Anderson, Jeff Hardy. The main event scene has seen TNA original talent pushed down to mid card and almost into obscurity - AJ, Joe, Morgan, Hernandez etc This makes the company look like a poor man's WWE.

5. The writing has been irratic in the past under Russo, storylines and heels and faces have not been as consistent as they need to be to establish characters and emotional investment from fans.

I can't think of any positives since Bischoff and Hogan took over, I really can't. There have been great matches and awesome promos (I'm looking at you Ric Flair & Jay Lethal!) but you'd have expected that anyway given the talent that TNA have. Bischoff and Hogan have done nothing to improve TNA, absolutely nothing.

The sad thing is that the 2 months or so prior to Hogan's arrival were some of the best stuff that TNA has done because they put a freeze on major storylines, avoided madcap Russo booking and concentrated on the wrestling.

The biggest negative that has happened since Hogan & Bisch rolled up is the focus being taken of the X Division and majority of the "original" talent that they have.

As TalkingPoint said above they have pushed the ex-wwe to the fore front as I'm guessing they beleive them to have the star quality being from WWE.

But the things that made TNA appealing as an alternative are going or have gone.
1) Six sided ring being replaced
2) X Division talent being used as curtain jerkers
3) The likes of Samoa Joe, Styles, Daniels, Abyss, Kaz, playing second fiddle to the ex-wwe and not being allowed to shine as they did before.
4) The tag team division also seems to be dwindling.

I think the X Division title started to become less of a title (or at least lower in the standings) after the Global/TV title got introduced.

I can think of one.

Mister Anderson. Anderson.

Even for him calling Hulk Hogan "Terrance"

i just loved the bit the week before victory road when they teamed him up with jeff hardy and he was in the office with hogan ,eric and hardy and asked if they were all high.

its as if he knew what was going to happen.

Marky wrote:I can think of one.

Mister Anderson. Anderson.

Even for him calling Hulk Hogan "Terrance"

Agree on that 100%

Anderson has been the shining light of the Hogan era, he’s shown that with creative freedom on his promos that he can not only run with the big names but trash talk them something chronic.

Other positives IMO of the Hogan era...

1. The removal of the 6 sided ring. Nice gimmick but limited matches.
2. Increased coverage in the media due to his presence.

I’m struggling for another.

The positives for me are Mr Anderson, RVD, Creation of Fortune and getting a more professional 4 sided ring

Ok, guys.

I'm assuming the 'Florida court ruling' was a work, and Dixie Carter still has overall control (with JJ). Why is it that she, or any money men behind her, can't see the writing on the wall, and that aside from the increased press coverage Hogan/Bischoff just don't work for the company?

I'm not saying fire them, but at least sideline them until their contracts run out - Hogan might even be happy with that, so long as the money's still coming in to pay for divorces/son's car crashes/back surgery, etc etc....

Maybe shes having to much fun

Yeah its not going to plan and they aren't hitting figures they expected but little old TNA have Hulk Hogan, it must be a cracking ego boost

Ok I'll give you the creation of Fortune, a quality stable without doubt (personally I'd swap Kaz for Daniels, Joe or Wolfe).

But RVD would have turned up in TNA regardless of Hogan, he was looking to return and wanted an easy schedule (and the ability to smoke pot whenever he wanted).