By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The following is a timeline of events over the past 2-3 months that captures Destination America's relationship with TNA Wrestling and now Ring of Honor heading into a very interesting time period for both promotions.

- Spring Season: ROH and Destination America began TV discussions, just a few months into TNA's run on Dest. America. PWTorch editor Wade Keller tweeted Wednesday: "I'm told this DestAm-ROH deal was in works long before any falling out between DestAm and TNA. This was not a rushed deal, in other words."

This could be viewed one of two ways - Dest. America was starting to sour on TNA, but not pro wrestling, so they were preparing to find a replacement. Or, they felt that adding a relatively inexpensive wrestling show to create a programming block with TNA would help strengthen Impact, which they were already financially committed to. Overall, there was not a falling-out with TNA management at the time of Dest. America talking to ROH.

- Early April: Around the same time of ROH and Dest. America continuing to talk, TNA president Dixie Carter reportedly mis-directed a snarky email in response to a press release containing Impact viewership information. The press release was issued by Discovery Communications representing Destination America. Sources tell PWTorch that Carter's email went above Dest. America to Discovery officials.

The email gaffe was just one issue between TNA and Dest. America, as there was starting to be a falling-out independent of the email that landed at their parent company. Many Dest. America employees were not fans of TNA, especially because they had trouble selling advertising, but Discovery was still in TNA's corner at the time of the email.

- Friday, May 8: About one month later, Dest. America aired a "semi-live" episode of TNA Impact that was expected to perform well airing the same day that it was taped. However, TV viewership fell 16 percent from the previous week, which was partially attributed to Impact opposing NBA top star LeBron James in the NBA Playoffs.

- Monday, May 11: TV viewership for the May 8 episode was tabulated and reported. Carter's email was considered just one aspect of an ongoing fall-out, and lackluster viewership for this expensive episode was considered a tipping point.

- Around May 11: Dest. America circulated a memo announcing they were not including Impact on their fall TV line-up, according to the Wrestling Observer. Included in the reported memo was a key line capturing angst in the Dest. America offices: "I hope this is good news given all of the advertisers that included TNA on their DNA (Do Not Advertise) list."

Dest. America also captured viewership concerns: "While the ratings were strong, the audience was not large enough to justify the program investment."

At the time of the memo, Dest. America was still talking to ROH about a TV deal. Sources tell PWTorch that TNA was not aware of the talks at the time, which captures one of the big aspects of this story that TNA was kept out of the loop on Dest. America's talks with ROH.

"All indications are TNA was relatively blind-sided by this and certainly was not part of the negotiations and endorsing this move," reported Wade Keller in his Wednesday VIP Hotline.

Also notable in the reported memo was Dest. America saying: "We plan to honor the current contract and continue to air original episodes of TNA Wrestling on Friday nights through the end of the third quarter 2015."

- Friday, May 15: Just a few days after the memo was reportedly released, Dest. America announced they were moving Impact from Friday to Wednesday nights starting June 3.

So, within the same week of the internal memo being released stating Dest. America's commitment to Impact on Friday nights, Dest. America decided to move Impact to a new night. Was that because ROH talks were close to being finalized?

- Wednesday, May 20: The Observer released its report on Dest. America marking Impact for cancellation, about one week after the memo was circulated. TNA president Dixie Carter reportedly knew about the memo and was asked to address the situation prior to the report being released, but she did not comment. Once the report came out, some members of TNA management lashed out publicly via Twitter and there were internal discussions to issue a strong response.

- Thursday, May 21: TNA released a basic statement vaguely decrying to the report, but did not address anything specific within the report, which resulted in leaving talent in the dark on TNA's TV standing.

- Week of May 25: Dest. America and ROH finalized their TV deal, which called for an initial commitment period of 26 weeks of ROH's current syndicated TV show.

TNA, reportedly without knowledge of ROH's talks with Dest. America, scheduled a conference call with talent on May 27 to discuss their TV standing with Dest. America.

- Wednesday, May 27: Around 1:30 p.m. EST, ROH announced their deal with Destination America on Twitter. This was followed by a formal press release from Dest. America, ROH, and ROH's parent company Sinclair Broadcasting. The announcement jumped the gun on TNA's internal conference call with talent.

At 3:00 p.m. EST, TNA held their scheduled conference call to address their TV standing, which was originally to address last week's news, but suddenly took on new life shortly after the ROH announcement.

As reported Wade Keller, Carter said on the call that she believes that Dest. America is committed to carrying TNA programming in 2016.

However, when pressed by talent if there is an "out" clause for Destination America to cancel Impact this fall, Carter said due to legal advice and confidentiality clauses, she could not comment other than to say escape clauses are common in TV deals.

With about an hour-and-a-half for talent to process ROH's announcement, TNA tried to put them at ease with an optimistic stance, saying TNA was making plans for the 2016 season on Dest. America and they believed the ROH deal would be mutually beneficial for both companies.

However, coming out of the meeting, talent were frustrated by a lack of communication and firm answers on the company's U.S. TV future. After the call, those who commented publicly on Twitter took management's stance that ROH's deal would be beneficial for both sides to create a three-hour block of wrestling programming on Wednesday nights.

Whether or not TNA can make a case to stay on the network beyond September remains to be seen in this ongoing story. Notably, neither TNA nor Dest. America have formally commented on TNA's TV future. It could simply be a case of not wanting Impact to be a lame-duck show finishing out its run, but unless Dest. America officially announces the end of Impact on their network, it leaves the door open for the possibility of a change between now and September.

- Going forward: Since this is the wrestling business, there are those who believe TNA, ROH, and the network are working together to create interest in the wrestling shows.

But, as noted above, TNA reportedly was not aware of ROH's TV deal until late in the game. TNA is now taking the role of being a "good sport" acknowledging ROH's presence and now presenting the idea of Dest. America housing the #2 and #3 U.S. promotions in hopes of maintaining their position on the network beyond September and into 2016.

- Thursday, May 28: To address the new TV deal further, ROH COO Joe Koff is scheduled to appear on the PWTorch Livecast with Wade Keller. The show starts at 5:30 p.m. EST at PWTorchLivecast.com.

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