TNA Talent End of contracts

Not only is the TV deal coming to an end but a host of talent have their contracts ending too.

So assuming that TNA gets its new deal (and its looking more and more likely that they will, along with a secondary show), which of the following talent would you keep and which would you let go?

Talent whose contractis ending in 2014:

Mike Tenay
Samoa Joe
Gail Kim
The Wolves
Kurt Angle
Bully Ray (already ended possibly)
Austin Aries

From what I've read over the weekend the possibility of a new deal with Spike is dead in the water.

All of them would be pretty dramatic loses for TNA at this point. Some real top talent there.

Hero wrote:From what I've read over the weekend the possibility of a new deal with Spike is dead in the water.

Apparently Spike arent even showing the Best of episodes that have been produced.

It looks like Destination America is the new home, which is part of the Discovery network (I believe its like BBC3 is to BBC1).

They dont have as many homes as Spike (90m homes for spike and 50m for Destination) but the current highest rated show get 400k viewers.

They are allegedly going to give them a second show (possibly a third recap show as well) and will provide them with advertising. Its most probably worth half of what the Spike deal was but obviously gives them a better platform to grow the product.

It is also rumoured to be a multi year deal meaning that you are likely to get TNA for at least another 2 years!

If you think of how the comparison between BBC3 and BBC1 is, then if the show grows and is a success, it could move up to a bigger Discovery channel over time. So basically, TNA is 2 pints and a packet of crisps (or whatever it was called).

Two pints had consistently above average storylines though

Mike Tenay - let go
Samoa Joe - keep
Gail Kim - keep
The Wolves - keep
Kurt Angle - let go
Bully Ray (already ended possibly) - let go
Austin Aries - keep

Honest assessment, if they can, keep all except Tenay.

Aries, The Wolves and Gail Kim have to stay,

I'm liking Angle as GM but I'm guessing he's on big money. Keep if possible, but don't pay more than you can afford.

Similar thing with Joe. One of the top names in the company and can be used to put new stars over...again only if the money's right.

Would like to get rid of both Taz and Tenay as I'm not keen on either as commentators.

Love Bully Ray as a character, but I can't see how they'll top what he did putting Dixie through a table. That just seemed to me like the full stop (or exclamation mark) on his time at TNA. Think both he and Devon are probably more interested in running their wrestling academy now.

I'd actually let Joe go tbh, one of my fave wrestlers but he so badly needs a wake up call to get out of the rut his career has been in.

Agreed, dont think Joe has much worth left to TNA in his current working form

If finances are tight I would let them all go apart from the Wolves.

Mike Tenay - average at best
Samoa Joe - probably on good money to do not a lot
Gail Kim - probably best paid Knockout, it doesn't add to the product so go with cheaper options.
The Wolves - keep
Kurt Angle - big money, offers little these days
Bully Ray (already ended possibly) - already gone
Austin Aries - One I'd consider keeping the most, but he has not done anything of note since his world title and I'd imagine he's on a fair chunk of money. He was one of my favourite wrestlers across both companies in his first year or so in TNA, but he's turning into the new Joe imo.

I'd be the same as Enforcer on this, offload all the guys on bumper paychecks that have all not really put a shift in and look to get some younger fresh talent in, look to guys in DragonGate USA & Chikara etc.

Aries i'd keep, he's got the ability to be big, Kim would be dependent on budget/deal, Wolves I'd keep, Tenay dependent on deal as some people will know that voice as one of wrestling, and their other commentator choices have always been poor. Sometimes think people forget that if you are working with s*** then it's pretty hard to make it a great commentary.

TNA have Josh Matthews on a contract, doubt he would work with Tenay and seems a waste to have both of them on the books.

I think, as has been discussed before, TNA has to look at this as an opportunity. I think it could be very easy for them to consider it business as usual, and just continue as is on another channel. But I think they will serve themselves much better by asking what type of wrestling promotion they want to be and then building roster around that.

For example, I think WWE is weak in both their tag division, which I've always enjoyed as a wrestling product. I don't mean this is exclusively what TNA should do, but it could be an area to focus on and in that case I'd assemble talent that worked well in that area.

It was an area that TNA excelled in at one time and could quite easily do again with a couple of quick acquisitions such as the Young Bucks back on the roster etc.

Right here's the current roster, I've starred who I'd keep:

Abyss
Austin Aries
Bobby Roode *
Bram *
Chris Melendez
Crazzy Steve
Davey Richards *
DJ Z *
Eddie Edwards *
Eric Young
Ethan Carter III *
The Freak
The Great Sanada
Gunner *
Homicide
James Storm *
Jeff Hardy
Jessie Godderz *
Kenny King *
King Mo
Knux
Lashley *
Low Ki *
Magnus *
Mahabali Shera
Manik
Matt Hardy
Mr. Anderson
MVP
Rhino
Robbie E *
Rockstar Spud *
Samoa Joe
Samuel Shaw *
Shark Boy
Tigre Uno
Tyrus *

Adam D wrote:Mike Tenay - let go
Samoa Joe - keep
Gail Kim - keep
The Wolves - keep
Kurt Angle - let go
Bully Ray (already ended possibly) - let go
Austin Aries - keep

Agree.

Tenay is getting too old and no longer relevant. I`d much rather listen to Josh Matthews.

I`d keep Joe but think TNA need to give him a monster push leading to a dream match between either Roode or Lashley where he finally wins the world title again.

The Wolves - TNA need a legitimate tag team who are in their prime and the Wolves are hot property.

Kurt Angle - don`t really care for him anymore.

Bully Ray - think he`s done amazing as a singles competitor and main eventer but he`s coming to the end of his prime and think others deserve his spot.