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CALDWELL'S POLL ANALYSIS 4/30: Mick Foley Morning Poll - Torch readers say whether they're excited about TNA product with Foley as champion Apr 30, 2009 - 6:12:14 PM
TORCH MORNING POLL 4/30: With Mick Foley as new TNA champion, what is your interest level in TNA right now? This morning, we asked Torch readers to evaluate their interest level in TNA based on five general options of Excellent, Good, Average, Not Good, and No Interest.
There wasn't a clear consensus from Torch readers, but the results leaned closer to a lack of interest in the product despite the title change. The two options of "Same - No Effect on my interest in TNA" and "No Interest - Foley as champion doesn't do anything for me" were the most popular options for Torch readers.
"No Effect" could mean several different things. Some Torch readers could have selected this option because they're hardcore of hardcore fans and nothing could effect their loyalty to the TNA brand. Or, some Torch readers could absolutely despise the product and nothing could change their opinion of the Nashville company's product.
Or, most likely, Mick Foley as TNA champion simply doesn't inspire that much change in becoming more or less excited about the TNA product. It's not a knock on Foley, but some readers might view the title change as just another example of TNA's business operations -relying on old stars as headline wrestlers.
Readers might see Foley as champion not being much different than Sting as champion; that it's the same group of stars in the main event storylines and there isn't much change to the mix of Angle, Sting, Jarrett, Foley, Nash, and Steiner. The belt simply shifted from one WWE/WCW star to the next one.
The next group is "No Interest," which are Torch readers who simply don't care about the TNA product no matter who's the champion. Perhaps they've been turned off to the product from what they've seen on TV, the mix of old stars on top, or from the negative vibe on the Internet that generally follows TNA around.
The takeaway is that the majority of Torch readers who voted in our Morning Poll have not been moved, stirred, or excited about Foley's title change. 55 percent of voters went with an option identifying No Change in their attitude toward TNA.
Now, Foley's title change wasn't meant to be an earth-shattering decision by TNA. Simply watching his match against Sting at Lockdown, it looked like both men were having a "Legends of Wrestling retirement tour" match than a state-of-the-art match that would show both men are still capable of performing at a high level in 2009.
Mix in the general feeling that TNA has reached a glass ceiling with its current TV product mix of anti-boring, throw-it-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks, very short TV matches. There are only so many tricks in the bag that TNA can come up with to excite fans to invest more in the product.
That leads to the Torch Poll option that received the least amount of votes - "Excited - Looking forward to each week's Impact for what's next." Only 12 percent of Torch readers who checked in are of the mentality that they can't wait for 9:00 p.m. EST to roll around for Impact. Only 16 percent of Torch readers who voted say they are perking up and becoming more interested in what TNA's up to with a new champion.
Our poll is only indicative of a certain segment of TNA's viewing audience. Ratings have steadily increased over the past few months and WWE's ECW program is very much in danger of being over-taken by Impact in the 2009 ratings battle.
TNA is obviously on the right track by increasing its audience level. But, based on our poll, Torch readers need to see - or hear about - improvement in TNA with Foley as new champion. Otherwise, Foley as champion will be viewed as just passing the belt around from one former WWE/WCW star to another.
Poll Results as of 6:00 p.m. CST on Thursday Excited - Looking forward to each week's Impact for what's next ... 12% Perking up - More interested in what TNA's up to with a new champion ... 16% Same - No effect on my interest in TNA ... 28% Less excited - Maybe watch TV or read results, but very casual interest ... 16% No Interest - Foley as champion doesn't do anything for me ... 27%
Torch readers write back! How do you see the voting? Have additional thoughts on the poll results? Send in your feedback to pwtorch@gmail.com
Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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