TNA’s Future: Bound For What?

Hi, I’m Justin Watry. You may remember me from such classic columns as March 2012’s “WWE WrestleMania 28: Sheamus Should Defeat Daniel Bryan in Less Than a Minute” and October 2015’s “WWE NXT: Bobby Roode, You’re Next.”

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Going forward, I will be doing ‘reader feedback’ only once a month. Going to scale back on all the nonsense. Still not sure how I will go about replying to comments in late October. Any ideas?

Backstory

For the past week, the biggest news story in the wrestling world has been TNA Impact Wrestling and their 36,576th impending sale rumors. Not another dull WWE Raw. Not a forgettable AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose main event on Smackdown. Heck, not even anything with Ring of Honor OR Bound For Glory barely got much buzz. Honestly, not many cared. It was all about the TNA behind the scenes drama, as usual…not their on air product.

*opening to Fall and Fall of TNA DVD*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn13PwaRQ6s

Last Week’s Thoughts

Just to be clear, here is only a portion of what I wrote last week on the topic:

You know, when I have ripped TNA for their business decisions, lousy product, terrible television deals, and overall reputation, it is NOT because I am some “hater” or didn’t have a clue. Or any of that nonsense.

It is because that was the truth.

Either they get another short-term money bump, Corgan outright takes over, or WWE swoops in last minute and just buys everything on the cheap.

Three scary options. All with their pros and cons. Ultimately, it comes down to Dixie Carter and her massive ego. All those reports and stories about her business savvy are now coming to a head. Years and years of mistakes have finally caught up to her, her company, and her DIE HARD (to a fault) fans. Will she take the money from Vince McMahon and and run to her mansion while TNA closes its’ doors OR does she swallow her pride, let Billy Corgan take over, and step aside in hopes of ‘her’ former company succeeding without being at the helm?

…

In the column, I said I thought the company would eventually go to Billy Corgan, with somebody offering up another fat paycheck to get through the weekend. Just how TNA has done business in 2016. Month to month without a care in the world for the “future.” As long as they get by another set of tapings, all is well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbaVBQj80X0

WWE?

Never did I buy into the WWE talks. With them even being involved, there are not much ‘talks’ to be had. They throw a low ball figure at you for the tape library. Either you take it or leave it. WWE has zero reason to get into this huge bidding war for TNA. They barely did for WCW. You think they will for TNA? Please. Immediately after the reports started trickling in, I said this felt like WWE was simply “kicking the tires.” No different than probably a thousand other investments/deals that have been presented to them over the years. The company will listen to offers, check out the details, and complete their due diligence, whether they have any REAL interest or not. Just like an owner or general manager in sports being in “trade talks” for their high dollar star athlete. Nine times out of ten, there is nothing to the rumors. Just one phone call, an offer, and a polite decline. That’s it. WWE very well could swoop in down the road and get back in the game. Not now though. Let them bleed more money.

Oh, and one last thing on WWE. Forbes is NOT a reputable source for wrestling. Never has been. The stuff being credited is from their blog section with a guy simply writing his opinion. It isn’t reporting news at all. You’d think we all would have learned that after his scoop on Daniel Bryan returning to the ring…

Bound For Glory

I always figured the week of TNA would go on as planned. Like the WWE junk, it was mostly BS. Of course, somebody would come in last minute and fund the TNA PPV and upcoming tapings. Of course.

As for Bound For Glory, I didn’t see the show. Obviously. Zero chance I spend a dime on this event, much less $40 in the year 2016 for a three hour wrestling pay-per-view. I read the results though. Hardyz get another moment in the spotlight (they are basically running the show these days). Cody showed up. Some guy named “Aron Rex” is still wondering what happened to Damien Sandow. The lights went out at the non-paying tourist attraction Impact Zone, Dixie Carter got her segment in, and a heel retained the title over the top face in the main event…of the biggest show of the year. Yeah.

What Now?

Well, TNA has some tapings this week. At Universal Studios. Where else? Maybe that lucrative India tour will freshen things up. Remember that was just “postponed” for summer 2016. Or winter 2016. Or sometime later.

The shows will take them up to the end of November. Maybe even the rest of the year if they squeeze in a few best of special episodes or a big rundown of the Hardy stuff for a holiday special. TNA appears to be obsessed with it; I imagine they will keep heading to the well until it is dry. Regardless, another marathon taping for the company. Nothing new there.

Then it is down to business. Real business.

The latest report is Dixie Carter got yet another bail out for the week, and as of now, Billy Corgan does NOT own the company as speculated before Bound For Glory. If so, he would have made the announcement in the ring on Sunday. Back to the negotiating table for TNA, Dixie, Billy Corgan, and this mysterious third party that keeps funding them. Doubt WWE even cares at this point. As stated above, I assume they took the phone call, did some research on the financials, put in their offer, and let it be. Maybe the stock holders shared a laugh afterwards like in 2011, with Vince and Stephanie McMahon mocking Dixie Carter…

“I don’t know that they’re for sale. Maybe.”

Since this is being finished BEFORE the tapings, it is under the assumption that no agreement for the sale of TNA has been reached. That tells me two things. First, the last week or so of rumors has been over stated and blown out of proportion. No shock there in the wrestling media. If things were as dire as portrayed, not even another hail mary cash in would have done the trick. Since everything is going on as planned, not much as actually happened, at least not out of the ordinary. Minus all the rumors and reports, what has really gone down?

Nothing.

Secondly, it tells me TNA is still Dixie Carter’s call. The cockroach that is Impact Wrestling is not drifting away without fanfare nor are company officials making this inevitable transition easy. Whether being calm and collected or kicking and screaming, the status quo is still the status quo. As fine as that is now, it can’t last forever. We all know this. No paying audience, no touring, no DVD distribution, invisible PPV numbers, little merchandise sales, and a magical television deal that may or may not even bring in money. How any of this brings a profit is beyond me. The money pit can only get so big. Imagine adding Alberto Del Rio to the payroll or somebody else with a bigger name. No way can these last second payouts keep happening with no change in ownership. Can’t imagine Cody is cheap either…

Bound For…What?

What happens to TNA heading into 2017?

That’s the question here.

I know this will feel like a cop out, but my prediction is nothing happens. TNA remains TNA, and we all resume these talking point in another three months with the normal rumors (where there is smoke, there is fire). Maybe I’m in denial, but I don’t believe any of the WWE stuff. Billy Corgan definitely has the money to buy out Dixie and take over, but my only concern is the next month and the month after and the month after that. Okay, say Corgan gets the company. Great! Alright, still no tour, no TV deal worthwhile, no paying fans, and nothing on PPV that brings in a profit. How many MORE millions will he sink into TNA for 2017 before he faces the same problems Dixie has now? Or the mystery third party investors. Unless they are totally clueless, the group has to eventually want a return in their investment, right? It stinks, but I find it difficult to see a way out of this mess and actually become a thriving company rather than a surviving one.

Through all the turmoil and drama, the can won’t be kicked down the street forever. At some point, the story will be told. What that is remains to be seen. Until then, feel free to fill in the blanks.

TNA: Bound For _______

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