It's the nature of the TNA promotion that the motivation for anything they do, first and foremost, is whether it fits the talents and comfort zones of the people who work there. Since management, creative, and talent are not held accountable in any appreciable way for their lack of growth in either television ratings or pay-per-view buyrates, that means the people in charge of TNA work the way they want to, not in the ways the market demands, and the way to prosper in the company is to affirm what management is doing, even if it is demonstrably counter to the company's financial best interest.
Just because management isn't usually comfortable with doing the things that could make TNA successful in both the short and long term doesn't mean that everything these employees enjoy doing at work is bad for business. Case in point: TNA's fan-interactive house shows
Announcer Jeremy Borash keeps things lively between matches by cheer-leading fans into getting even more excited about a show that they already are at, and then brings out special guests like Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, and Dixie Carter to do more of the same. He pimps TNA merchandise like the much-anticipated debut of the TNA wrestling video game. For an additional fee TNA fans can go backstage after the show and hang out (in a controlled environment) with many, if not most, of the performers on the show. TNA even provides a couple of stars to hang out with any fans not willing top break off any more money for their night of wrestling entertainment.
Kurt Angle and other top TNA stars have also made themselves some substantial pin money selling autographed pictures in the ring at the end of shows. TNA may not have any idea how to use their most powerful promotional tool, their television show, but they are distinguishing themselves from their powerful WWE competition with their grass roots one-fan-at-a-time approach to winning house show business.
That approach fits what TNA head Dixie Carter enjoys doing at events - making her presence felt by talking to fans, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. You don't hear too much about Vince McMahon hugging fans before and after shows, but Carter seems to get a kick out of doing just that. Fans who are used to watching their TV stars, even live, from a distance, are impressed with the intimate TNA distance, and more likely to tell their friends, particularly after the first TNA show they attend, how cool it was when Tomko or Samoa Joe or Shark Boy took time to listen to them and seemed to really care what they thought.
It probably doesn't hurt that the matches in the ring during these house shows are pretty straightforward and lack the difficult-to-follow frenetic pace and nonsensical stories of the Impact TV show.
The Meet-The-Fans, Greet-The-Fans approach is something of a gamble, in that pro wrestling is a star-driven business and a little distance, a little mystery can go a long way toward keeping a star a star. TNA also suffers from a perception among wrestling fans that they are the place where washed-up WWE star of the past go to fade away. Easy familiarity and easy access can lead TNA fans to think that TNA wrestlers aren't special, especially in comparison to their pyro-powered multi-million dollar produced compatriots in WWE.
It doesn't matter, though, whether it's the right thing for TNA's business in the long term or not. Dixie Carter enjoys the fans' attention. Kurt Angle likes the chance to put over TNA and take shots at Vince McMahon and TNA. Poorly utilized X Division performers like having the chance to ply their trade their way for a change.
At least this time, and in this way, both TNA management and TNA house shows fans want the same thing. It's too bad you can't say the same thing about management, TV viewers, and pay-per-view buyers.
Listen to Bruce Mitchell and Wade Keller discuss current events and answer listener questions about today and yesterday every weekend in the PWTorch VIP Audio Shows section at pwtorch.com/members.
LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1039 (17 PAGES)
This issue begins with a cover story by Wade Keller who attended Brock Lesnar's first UFC victory on Saturday night in the semi-main event in front of a record-setting crowd in his hometown. Keller's BBL looks at Lesnar's place in MMA and in what ways he seems more comfortable than ever... Bruce Mitchell's Memo examines the dilemma of Chris Benoit and the Hall of Fame... Sean Radican reviews the two latest TNA DVD releases... In-depth coverage of the TNA Hard Justice PPV including Keller's match report with star ratings and the newsletter-exclusive Roundtable Reviews... Jason Powell's "Page 2 Buzz" with scoops and insider analysis... WWE Newswire, TNA Newswire, and ROH Newswire with insider news, big story analysis, and notebook tidbits... Plus Keller's reports on Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, the Top 5 Stories of the Week, and more....
