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Memo to TNA: Some Notes for 2006
By Sheldon Goldberg | December 30, 2005
By Sheldon Goldberg
December 30, 2005
In a year of pro wrestling with not much to be happy about, perhaps the brightest story of 2005 has been TNA getting a spot on Spike TV and generating respectable ratings.
As both a fan and a promoter, it is critical that TNA succeed. Pro wrestling desperately needs a viable national alternative to WWE. TNA is that alternative and while they have to earn their support like every other public entity, some positive reinforcement and constructive criticism would most certainly be in order.
With that said, here are some notes to TNA on things I think they should be doing in 2006:
1. Turn Jeff Jarrett babyface. Putting aside that he is a part owner of the company and the accompanying criticism of him as NWA champion, people forget that once upon a time Jeff Jarrett was a very good babyface. Jarrett is a veteran and has a lot of positives in terms of name recognition and working ability, but it is wasted on him as long as he is a heel. What Jarrett lacks as a heel is that over-the-top villainous quality that for example makes Ric Flair such a great heel. The best heels in the history of wrestling were always the most colorful personas. Jeff just doesn’t have that kind of color. Besides, Jarrett is wasting another opportunity, which is to be the articulate public face of TNA in interviews and personal appearances. I believe he would really excel in that role and it’s always best for that person to be on the face side.
2. Promote the promotion. TNA is making a big mistake in terms of the lack of grass roots marketing for their product. You can’t just be on TV and expect that people will watch. You have to make a concerted effort to drive people to your product. This does not require a Vince McMahon-sized checkbook. It does, however, require a modest investment of time and money. So many of the TNA stars work independent dates, but there is no coordination between those bookings and the promotion of the company. Here’s a hypothetical example: A.J. Styles tells TNA he is booked in Chicago on a given weekend. TNA contacts the promoter and arranges for Styles to arrive a day early to do press interviews promoting both TNA and his upcoming local appearance. Styles gets booked to do a personal appearance at a retail outlet that sells the TNA videos, giving both TNA and the local promoter a boost in the process. What does this require? TNA paying for one night in a hotel? The promoter is already flying Styles in. Even if they have to pay Styles to do the PR, isn’t it worth it? No multiply this times the other stars in the company doing independent dates in major media markets. That is an example grass roots promotion and everybody wins.
Back in October, NECW did a benefit show for the victims of Hurricane Katrina that was broadcast live on radio in Boston and streamed on the Internet. I asked my friend Howard Brody, who was doing some business with TNA at the time, to contact Dixie Carter on my behalf and extend an invitation to send a match for this event. No response. Not even a “thanks, but no thanks.†All the proceeds went to charity, so there was no financial benefit for NECW to extend this invitation, just a positive gesture where everyone would come out ahead. In all fairness to TNA, there may have been a multitude of reasons why there was no response and perhaps it isn’t even fair of me to use this as an example, but the point is there is an infrastructure already out there in the form of some of the more savvy independent promotions that TNA can use to promote itself.
If I were TNA, I would even send people out at the company’s expense for certain independents to have a presence in the top markets that could be developed into house shows down the line.
3. Slow Down the TV. My biggest beef with TNA is their TV show. They are trying to cram two hours worth of stuff into a single hour and in the long run it isn’t going to work. Let the audience have time to absorb the important issues that build to the next pay per view. Give them more time to develop. Mike Tenay, who is one of the best and most knowledgeable talents in this business, sounds like he’s on speed. Relax guys. You’re on TV. Take time to tell the important stories. If you really want to use more talent, put bonus matches on the Internet and then bicycle those wrestlers on and off the TV’s.
The best think TNA can do right now is to bring some people in on the business side who can think outside the box. Pro wrestling needs and deserves TNA to make a go of it. If they are going to make that happen, it will take some bold thinking. I’m rooting for them.
Sheldon Goldberg is the owner of New England Championship Wrestling
Topics: Pro-Wrestling, Sheldon Goldberg, TNA | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
That is a great post and the website is cool. Thank you Sheldon and Zach.
TNA Comments:
– A modern version of a traveling NWA World Champ would be a good way to promote the promotion. These matches could be shown on TV and/or the internet.
– Include shootfighting style matches to increase TNA’s appeal to MMA fans.
– Alter the TNA name to provide the name of the promotion with more of a sport oriented feel.
Great post, Sheldon. Really enjoyed hearing your thoughts. I agree with pretty much the whole post. We need TNA to succeed if pro-wrestling is to recover from the stalemate that it is right now.
MMA and pro-wrestling should be kept well away from each other in my mind. Just take the New Japan/MMA Ultimate Crush scenario back in Spring 2003. MMA is pretty much killing the pro-wrestling industry in Japan right now, and has been doing so long before the NJPW Ultimate Crush PPV on 5/2/03.
Inoki thought that the addition of MMA fights on pro-wrestling cards would help boost business. In reality, MMA acts as the catalyst in the demise of professional wrestling. It takes away the realism of pro wrestling. I’m all for shootstyle pro wrestling, as I’m a huge fan of the style, but pure MMA is simply kryptonite.
Adam,
Thanks for the kind words. You are exactly right regarding the mixing of MMA and pro wrestling. They don’t mix. New Japan has killed itself in my mind, because they have not stayed true to what pro wrestling is.
Stanley,
Thank you as well. Regarding the idea of a modern trvaeling NWA World Champion, there is a reason I did not reference the NWA in my original column. The NWA is a concept for another era. What now exists as the NWA is mostly a rag tag collection of lightweights passing themselves off as businessmen. How many NWA affiliated promotions do you see written or talked about on the Net? Cyberspace is the only one I can think of. I would rather see TNA drop its NWA affiliation altogether and embrace its own network of independent promoters who have the proven vision and commitment to help TNA build their brand. Years ago, before starting NECW, I was involved with the late Tony Rumble in NWA New England. I even created the NWA’s motto at that time, “Tradition Rules.” I have a revised motto for them now. Tradition Rules, but Vision Conquers!
Happy New Year and thanks for reading.
Hey Sheldon! I enjoy your promotion and webcast show (even though I haven’t seen it in a few months, but I will again soon). About Cyberspace though. It’s a fine fed, but the promoter (Billy Firehawk) isn’t a good promoter at all. I hate to say it, but he is a money mark. I don’t want to sleight the man, but he is a money mark. And he needs better people (bookers, whatever) to work with him. Besides that, Cyberspace is a fine fed.
Sheldon, I couldn’t agree with you more. I have a feeling that the advice about TNA doing local press will come to fruition. WrestleBirmingham will be having the first Samoa Joe vs. A.J. Styles match in the Southeast in 2006. As for the MMA and Pro wrestling crossover, one only needs to look at NJPW as an example of this bad cocktail.
Could not agree more about slowing down the TV show. Also, does anyone really need to see Bob Armstrong?
Sheldon, very wise words and hopefully someone in TNA Management will be advised.