By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA Impact Wrestling on Thursday, September 22 scored a 1.08 rating off a first hour 1.09 rating and second hour 1.07 rating.

Impact peaked in the first 15 minutes of the two-hour show, scoring a 1.16 rating for a Sting-Hulk Hogan confrontation. The next-highest rating was a 1.13 at the top of the second hour. The main event segment, featuring Kurt Angle vs. James Storm, scored a 1.08 rating to conclude the show.

Each quarter-hour scored below its corresponding 2011 quarter-hour average. Most notable was the seventh quarter-hour rating 15 percent below its 2011 average. The main event segment rated 10 percent below its yearly average.

First Hour Break Down

Q1: Impact opened with a show-high 1.16 rating for the opening talking exchange between Sting and Hulk Hogan, then a Knockouts backstage segment, and one commercial break.

Unlike past episodes where Impact has divided up the first quarter-hour into content, a full break, and more content, this was a full segment of content, then a commercial break, which helped boost the rating above the last three weeks and closer to the yearly average. (down 2.2% vs. 2011 average)

Q2: Impact slipped to a 1.08 rating for a quick Knockouts match of Mickie James vs. Miss Tessmacher, a full commercial, Jeff Hardy backstage, and the first-half of an X Division match. (down 7.2% vs. 2011 average)

Q3: Impact was virtually even with a 1.07 rating for the second-half of the Aries vs. Sorensen X Division match, a full commercial, Mexican America and Ink, Inc.'s backstage segment, and Matt Morgan talking to Jeff Hardy. (down 8.4% vs. 2011 average)

Q4: Impact reached a first-hour-low 1.03 rating in their dead quarter-hour for a host of backstage segments and one commercial break, then the first few minutes of Kurt Angle addressing Robert Roode in-ring.

Second Hour Break Down

Q5: Impact added one-tenth of a ratings point with a 1.13 rating for the second-half of Angle's talk with Roode and James Storm, a full commercial, and the first-half of Bully Ray & Jerry Lynn vs. Mr. Anderson in a handicap match. (down 9.2% vs. 2011 average of a 1.24 rating to start the second hour)

Q6: Impact dropped slightly to a 1.07 rating for the second-half of the handicap match, a full commercial, and backstage segments involving Fortune. (down 9.1% vs. 2011 average)

Q7: Impact dropped to a show-low 0.99 rating for a backstage brawl involving Fortune and two full commercial breaks, which dragged down the quarter-hour rating. (down 14.6% vs. 2011 average)

Q8: Impact rebounded to about the same rating in Q6 with a 1.08 rating to conclude Impact. The segment featured a 12-minute main event of Kurt Angle vs. James Storm that didn't have nearly the hype it should have been given. Last week, Ric Flair vs. Sting - with considerably more promotion and buzz - scored a 1.30 rating in the eighth quarter-hour. (down 10.2% vs. 2011 average)

Caldwell's Analysis: As analyzed last week, when TNA conditions the casual viewing audience to tune in when the nostalgia acts (Flair and Sting) are involved in something relevant, the audience won't stick around they're not in a relevant position. It also renders the full-time, 2011 wrestling stars incapable of helping draw a rating. TNA has reinforced over and over again throughout company history that the show isn't important unless the nostalgia acts are being promoted. As expected when the rating went up last week for a Flair-Sting episode, the rating went back down this week to follow the long-term pattern.

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