Major TNA news

DESTINATION AMERICA PINS DOWN DEBUT DATE FOR IMPACT WRESTLING

-- Impact Wrestling Debuts with a Special Live Broadcast on Wednesday, January 7
Before Moving to Its Regular Time Slot on Fridays Beginning January 16 --

(Silver Spring, Md.) – Brace for IMPACT! Destination America iskicking-off the New Year as the new destination for professional wrestling following the announcement that Discovery Communications and TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Entertainment have signed an exclusive broadcast deal bringing IMPACT WRESTLING to the only network dedicated to celebrating the people, places and stories of the United States. IMPACT WRESTLING debuts on Destination America with a special LIVE broadcast on Wednesday, January 7 from 9-11 PM ET, televised from New York City’s legendary Manhattan Center. IMPACT WRESTLING will move to its permanent time slot on Fridays from 9-11 PM ET beginning January 16 on Destination America.

“We’ve been listening to what fans have to say and, with their feedback in mind, IMPACT WRESTLING’s live debut on Destination America will be nonstop, in-your-face action with no filters, big personalities, and epic battles,” said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “Wrestling is a national pastime that combines dynamic entertainment with intense crowds, and we can’t wait for IMPACT WRESTLING’s passionate fans to bring their ‘fandemonium’ to Destination America in January!”

“A week after the ball drops in New York City, fists will fly as IMPACT WRESTLING begins a new era with our LIVE debut on Destination America,” said TNA President Dixie Carter. “IMPACT WRESTLING will be the most compelling two hours of wrestling on television.”

The special live broadcast on Wednesday, January 7 will feature a main event for the richest prize in IMPACT WRESTLING: the World Heavyweight Championship, Roode vs. Lashley III. A decisive rematch in this epic trilogy, reigning champion Bobby Roode defends the title against dominant former heavyweight champion Bobby Lashley to prove who’s the best in IMPACT WRESTLING. Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Gail Kim, Ethan Carter III (aka EC3), and all the stars of IMPACT add to the explosive debut. An encore will follow from 11 PM-1 AM ET.

Destination America welcomes IMPACT WRESTLING with a marathon on Wednesday, January 7 from 9 AM-9 PM ET, looking back at the biggest moments and most heated rivalries, leading into the special live broadcast from 9-11 PM ET.

IMPACT WRESTLING on Destination America premieres in its permanent time slot Friday nights from 9-11 PM ET starting January 16, immediately followed by an encore from 11 PM-1 AM ET. Miss a matchup or just can’t get enough? Check out IMPACT WRESTLING: UNLOCKED on Saturdays from 10 AM-12 PM ET beginning January 17 for a reloaded edition of the previous week’s IMPACT WRESTLING that will be a whole new viewing experience featuring extra content and never-before-seen footage.

As this got the metaphorical attention the roast gammon did at a bar mitzvah, I thought I would highlight what it means.

Basically, TNA now is moving to a Friday night, the slot that was vacated by Smackdown.

Its also getting a repeat show straight afterwards.

And a revamped repeat on a Saturday with extra bonus footage.

there is also a rumour going around that they are trying to stream it on netflix, which would be an incredible turnaround for a company allegedly going out of business.

On top of this, the first show is live with a whole days build up to the first show, where the title match is Lashley vs Roode III (maybe my Lashley predicition will come true!).

They are also already advertising IMPACT during RAW advert breaks in the states (or so I read).

It looks like that if TNA can continue there strong programmes from the end of the year and build on it, they could actually get some traction at long last!

It looks like that Destination America are really wanting this to work.

Good luck to them.

Adam D wrote:As this got the metaphorical attention the roast gammon did at a bar mitzvah, I thought I would highlight what it means.

Basically, TNA now is moving to a Friday night, the slot that was vacated by Smackdown.

Its also getting a repeat show straight afterwards.

And a revamped repeat on a Saturday with extra bonus footage.

there is also a rumour going around that they are trying to stream it on netflix, which would be an incredible turnaround for a company allegedly going out of business.

On top of this, the first show is live with a whole days build up to the first show, where the title match is Lashley vs Roode III (maybe my Lashley predicition will come true!).

They are also already advertising IMPACT during RAW advert breaks in the states (or so I read).

It looks like that if TNA can continue there strong programmes from the end of the year and build on it, they could actually get some traction at long last!

It looks like that Destination America are really wanting this to work.

Good luck to them.

TNA continues to prove the naysayers wrong. They're going to be around for a while yet and could even get stronger with the right support from Destination America.

I've not watched Impact for a few months now. I hope it does well. But I do see another way of reading this information.

1. The Friday spot is vacant because Smackdown chose to move to Thursday's as more of the key demographic are at home then.

2. The encore show straight after the show, just feels like a way of filling out viewer numbers so you can count both. If Destination thought Impact was going to bring a lot of eyes to the station, surely they'd have progammed it such that something they want people to watch would follow Impact.

3. Kids show on Saturday suggests a PG style to Impact.

I've got an issue with the premise that TNA 'continues to prove the naysayers wrong'.

If my business kept losing money, and my dad bailed me out each time, I wouldn't be achieving anything by staying in business.

It's like somebody on benefits boasting of their financial independence.

crippledtart wrote:I've got an issue with the premise that TNA 'continues to prove the naysayers wrong'.

If my business kept losing money, and my dad bailed me out each time, I wouldn't be achieving anything by staying in business.

It's like somebody on benefits boasting of their financial independence.

people have been saying for years TNA will go out of business and every year new rumours spread that TNA will be finished by the same time the following year. Every year they prove them wrong. Whether they are financially success is another matter. TNA still exist, they are not consigned to wrestling history yet and every year they continue their "footnote" entry gets a little longer.

The reason people say those things is because the company would go out of business if it had to be self-sufficient.

They aren't surviving through any skill.

Of course the company won't go out of business if somebody is there to constantly prop it up. You're congratulating them for not drowning when they were wearing armbands. In a boat. On land

Whether I agree with Gav or not (and I do) that post is fantastic

Well, the man once known as Alberto Del Rio is joining ROH next year so I would say TNA might be unlikely

crippledtart wrote:The reason people say those things is because the company would go out of business if it had to be self-sufficient.

They aren't surviving through any skill.

Of course the company won't go out of business if somebody is there to constantly prop it up. You're congratulating them for not drowning when they were wearing armbands. In a boat. On land

But they are surviving that is the point!

I don`t think Dixie Carter is the best person to be president of TNA. I don`t trust her business acumen. Nevertheless she has secured a new TV network which will keep TNA on TV. That is something I have to give her credit for.

TNA are having to create a niche for themselves and find their identity amidst an ever changing digital/social media landscape, not to mention tap into and take advantage of it. The company have had to try and compete with the rise in popularity of MMA and the UFC not to mention their main competitor within their own market - WWE. The 21st century is a very different world to the world of the 80s and 90s when WWF and WCW were at their peak. WWE began the 21st Century as the dominant wrestling promotion in the world. WWE assimilated their rivals. TNA was born in the wake of that. Yes TNA could be run better. Yes creative could do better. But the fact that 14 years later they are still the second largest promotion in North America despite the factors mentioned above is worth congratulating.

So will it still be shown on Challenge over here, or can we only view on the interwebz now?

talkingpoint wrote:
But they are surviving that is the point!

I don`t think Dixie Carter is the best person to be president of TNA. I don`t trust her business acumen. Nevertheless she has secured a new TV network which will keep TNA on TV. That is something I have to give her credit for.

TNA are having to create a niche for themselves and find their identity amidst an ever changing digital/social media landscape, not to mention tap into and take advantage of it. The company have had to try and compete with the rise in popularity of MMA and the UFC not to mention their main competitor within their own market - WWE. The 21st century is a very different world to the world of the 80s and 90s when WWF and WCW were at their peak. WWE began the 21st Century as the dominant wrestling promotion in the world. WWE assimilated their rivals. TNA was born in the wake of that. Yes TNA could be run better. Yes creative could do better. But the fact that 14 years later they are still the second largest promotion in North America despite the factors mentioned above is worth congratulating.

Hear hear!

talkingpoint wrote:
But they are surviving that is the point!

I don`t think Dixie Carter is the best person to be president of TNA. I don`t trust her business acumen. Nevertheless she has secured a new TV network which will keep TNA on TV. That is something I have to give her credit for.

TNA are having to create a niche for themselves and find their identity amidst an ever changing digital/social media landscape, not to mention tap into and take advantage of it. The company have had to try and compete with the rise in popularity of MMA and the UFC not to mention their main competitor within their own market - WWE. The 21st century is a very different world to the world of the 80s and 90s when WWF and WCW were at their peak. WWE began the 21st Century as the dominant wrestling promotion in the world. WWE assimilated their rivals. TNA was born in the wake of that. Yes TNA could be run better. Yes creative could do better. But the fact that 14 years later they are still the second largest promotion in North America despite the factors mentioned above is worth congratulating.

I think you've missed Crip's point entirely.

All of the international TV deals are uneffected.

From a UK point of view, we get the show a couple of days earlier now (as in its only two nights between Friday and Sunday)

Samo wrote:



I think you've missed Crip's point entirely.

Well maybe, he took issue with my statement about naysayers, presumably because he identifies himself as one but I am trying to put this into the bigger picture.

Anyway expecting TNA to become the new WWE or even rival WWE the way WCW did back in the 90s I think is unrealistic. The market and landscape has changed. Times are different. I agree with him that TNA have survived by the skin of their teeth in the past, but this new deal genuinely feels positive; 2015 could see better things happening at TNA. They have a great roster, a new network and if they can get the kind of NY crowds they enjoyed earlier this year then we could see the product improve dramatically. Ratings may take a while to pick up if Destination America is a smaller channel than Spike but with more investment from DA then TNA could reach similar levels again.