TNA - an announcement that will shock the world

Probably.

- As of this writing, TNA's website has been replaced with a countdown clock that looks to expire at around 10am EST on Thursday morning, November 19th.

The TNA Twitter accounts, including Dixie Carter's account, have all "blacked out" their profile photos and headers.

Probably be news that Bram has signed a new contract... Again.

The internet is literally ablaze talking about this

Werent they in talks to sign Goldberg?

Their in talks with WGN America one of the biggest TV companies in 'Murica was the last time i heard anything about TNA tbh.

If it's Goldberg then got issues & bigger ones if to do with Indian tour

I'm going for them hiring a young up and comer who's probably the biggest free agent on the market right now...... Billy Gunn!

Either that or a new TV deal.

When will TNA learn not to go overboard with their hype for announcements?

Somewhat appropriately, its world toilet day

I so want that clock to stop at 3:16 just to see if the internet really can blow up.

Adam D wrote:Probably.

- As of this writing, TNA's website has been replaced with a countdown clock that looks to expire at around 10am EST on Thursday morning, November 19th.

The TNA Twitter accounts, including Dixie Carter's account, have all "blacked out" their profile photos and headers.

Mental image of Dixie's Twitter profile having her blacking up sprung to mind there.

Hero wrote:

Adam D wrote:Probably.

- As of this writing, TNA's website has been replaced with a countdown clock that looks to expire at around 10am EST on Thursday morning, November 19th.

The TNA Twitter accounts, including Dixie Carter's account, have all "blacked out" their profile photos and headers.

Mental image of Dixie's Twitter profile having her blacking up sprung to mind there.

Its Bling!

I'd watch TNA again if she changed her name to Blaxie Carter (how offensive is this?)

Ah i love TNA. The countdown clock is over and it won't load the website for anyone

Perhaps it was that it's now all finally over?

Well they have managed to botch their own announcement All we need is a sin cara gif and we're done here folks.

It's been moved to 4pm

Oooooh 2 minutes.

What's going to pop up?

TNA are moving to POPTV.....January 5th

What is POPTV

Basic Cable channel in the U.S so I assume this would be an excellent move Adam?

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – Nov. 19, 2015 – Get ready for #ImpactOnPop. Pop, a network that celebrates the excitement of being a fan, will soon become the exclusive U.S. television home of IMPACT WRESTLING, the hard-hitting, high-flying global sports sensation enjoyed by millions of fans around the world.

Pop will premiere IMPACT WRESTLING with a live two-hour, action-packed broadcast on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, and the show will continue to air every Tuesday night at 9:00 PM, ET/PT. The show features some of the biggest stars in professional wrestling, including Jeff and Matt Hardy, EC3, Kurt Angle, Bobby Lashley, The Wolves, Eric Young, Tigre Uno and Gail Kim.

“Wrestling has been a fan-fueled staple since the ‘50s, and continues to be some of the most-watched appointment television today. The die-hard fandom and extraordinary passion surrounding IMPACT WRESTLING captures the spirit of Pop as a network that celebrates fan-driven entertainment and excitement,” said Brad Schwartz, President of Pop. “We’re committed to this new partnership and psyched to bring the show’s loyal fans a dedicated night to watch their favorite show on Pop every week.”

IMPACT WRESTLING is a strong global brand seen on networks in more than 120 countries around the world and broadcast in 17 languages. Its fans are some of the most devoted and socially active in sports, with more than 15 million aggregated social media followers and nearly 700 million video views on YouTube, making it the seventh-most-viewed sports channel, ahead of MLB®, NHL®, MLS® and FIFATV®.

“Pop’s enthusiasm for our partnership and the network’s fan focus is a perfect fit for our company,” said TNA President Dixie Carter. “Wresting has always been at the forefront of pop culture with the most passionate, loyal fan base. We’re thrilled to be in business with Pop and to bring IMPACT WRESTLING to more than 80 million homes."

To find IMPACT WRESTLING on Pop, go to http://poptv.com.

Pop on the Web: poptv.com
Pop Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PopTelevision
Pop Twitter: https://twitter.com/PopTV
Pop Instagram: @poptv

ABOUT POP
Fans don’t sit at the outskirts of pop culture making snarky comments. They live right smack in the middle of it, sharing, creating, and connecting their passions with others. At Pop, fans finally have a destination that celebrates the fun of being a fan. Fans aren’t even fans anymore — they’re gladiators, tributes, human beings and blockheads. Seen in more than 80 million homes, Pop gives fans a dedicated channel that loves being a fan as much as they do. A channel that respects talent over celebrity. A channel filled with optimism, passion, humor, and excitement. A channel that understands the fun doesn’t stop when the credits roll… it’s really just the beginning.

Pop is a joint venture of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF). The partnership combines CBS’s programming, production and marketing assets with Lionsgate’s resources in motion pictures, television and digitally delivered content. Pop’s ownership structure is comprised of the company with the #1 broadcast network and many of the top first-run syndication series (“Entertainment Tonight,” “The Insider”) and the studio that produces and distributes the blockbuster “Hunger Games,” “Twilight” and “Divergent” franchises and produces such award-winning TV series as “Mad Men” and “Orange is the New Black.”

Fernando wrote:
What is POPTV

A channel filled with optimism, passion, humor, and excitement. So their blurb says.

I guess the main news is that its well funded (owned by CBS and Lionsgate), is more widely available than DA, and is starting with a 2 hour live show on Jan 5th.

Does this leave me feeling excited? No, because its the same old TNA on a different network in the US. If there's a new creative team, or they announce some fresh roster signings, then I'm excited. At the moment, I'm wait and see.

Fans aren’t even fans anymore — they’re gladiators, tributes, human beings and blockheads.

WTF?

By the looks of POP TV's schedule they will fit right in along side Dawson's Creek Things that used to be relevant years ago

Jesus christ. I hate TNA so much and all they do is reinforce that.

You can't take it away from them though, they keep kicking out at a 2.9 count.

When Matt Hardy was their champ it pretty much summed them up, they just won't die.

I think the word shock needs to be changed to disappointment.

Are you disappointed? I think TNA is beyond being able to disappoint any more. Its like having a son who deals drugs and is a huge racist. You wouldn't be disappointed if he married a prostitute, it would be the expectation

Im disappointed that they waste 2-3 hours of precious bullseye,crystal maze & robot wars time on challenge....

As someone who used to love TNA (I stopped watching after BFG), I am enthused by this announcement.

If it means that we can get back to live shows and less advance taping, then maybe my interest will come back.

The last 6 months of limbo have been torturous as a fan.

I dont get some of the comments on here - this is another chance for TNA. I am actually genuinely shocked by the news - I thought they were all but cooked. This gives renewed hope that they might get their groove back.

What's the problem? It's easy enough to avoid Impact, I manage it every week. They are hardly harbouring a lot of talent under contracts that they can't get out of and are thus keeping them away from being on better shows. And I don't really see this taking money, or opportunities away from other organizations.

I think critically we don't know two things. 1) What is the deal, i.e. how much is TNA being given, have they given the show for free for ad revenue, etc. 2) How long is the deal (not that that seems to matter given the opt outs that DA had).

If you learn by your mistakes, then Impact could be set to be the best show ever. #GlassHalfFull

Interesting that I should be made to give it some sort of slack that I wouldn't be expected to give to any other tv show. I hate the X Factor, yet you're right why even consider the entity that it is because it doesn't exactly come into my home and bend me over. 

If they ever make an actual effort to improve I'd resent them less, but their big breakthrough move was hiring the lead singer of the Smashing Pumpkins. Kind of like Little Britain trying to make signs of improvement by hiring former West Ham centre back Gary Breen.

TNA have another chance to get it right, in the past, a long time ago they akmost cracked it, they were getting peoples attention, had a very talented roster and actually had a product people wanted to watch, I recall watching it "Live" on JustinTV quite frequently at 1/2am on Friday mornings.

The problem TNA now face is genuine credible opposition to be that alternative Wrestling company fans would now choose to watch instead of WWE....ROH, PWG, LU, GFW...those for me are probably all higher up the ladder than TNA but what TNA might still have is a name value in the mainstream that others don't quite have yet, if they can get a quick turnaround on their new Channel and get someone big on board to help sell it to viewers then they could claw back up the ladder pretty quickly, I doubt it though.

Tuesday Night is a good night, I don't think thats a "big" TV night in the States so they could actually do decent numbers if they get a product together to entice people, the problem will always be Dixie Carter though, she an optimist rather than a realist and while having optimism is a positive trait just hoping/expecting things will go well are not enough, she surrounds herself with the wrong people, continuously, she has to choose a direction for her company and go for it, stop trying to be all things to all people.

Like any Wrestling promotion on TV I wish them well, the more competitive the product is the better, I just don't trust them to get there.

Kay Fabe wrote:
The problem TNA now face is genuine credible opposition to be that alternative Wrestling company fans would now choose to watch instead of WWE....ROH, PWG, LU, GFW...those for me are probably all higher up the ladder than TNA but what TNA might still have is a name value in the mainstream that others don't quite have yet, if they can get a quick turnaround on their new Channel and get someone big on board to help sell it to viewers then they could claw back up the ladder pretty quickly, I doubt it though.

I think they are in a bad position. Too small to be big. And too big to be small.

The first question asked when they move is "what is the reach of the station?" And you get figures like 75 or 80M viewers. And so from week 1 the ratings will be under a microscope, and the channel will also be looking at them. But right now, with the roster they have, it is almost like TNA needs to be under the radar, to rediscover themselves and their niche in the wrestling entertainment world and develop their own roster. Because the pressure will be on. Bring in Goldberg to get eyes on the product. Or, make Matt Hardy the champion, because people know him from WWE. Or, have Tigre Uno as the X-Division champ, because Lucha Underground is a thing. I don't think any of that is what TNA need right now.

Is this better than no deal? Of course it is. Is it possible to turn it round? Absolutely, but it will really take some creative abilities to play the short game (i.e. to get and keep viewers in the first month) and the mid-term game, i.e. to keep them and show they are not WWE-lite and offer something other shows don't have.

This genuinely is good news for TNA though and for TNA fans, it's certainly promising for them. They've actually managed to improve what network they're on. Destination America will have to be viewed as a huge mistake. They had too small coverage, were too meddling and seemed to sour on TNA almost as soon as they signed them.

I don't know what TNA is getting from POPTV but it's certainly a step in the right direction. I'm not a TNA fan at all, but I do recognise that being on a better network is going to improve their chances in creating a good show. It wasn't that long ago that TNA were performing well, they do have a talented roster and I imagine TNA being in a stronger position could lead to them having an improved relationship with GFW and probably some talent sharing.

It's also good news for wrestling, with Lucha Underground getting renewed and TNA getting a new deal, it shows there is demand for professional wrestling after it looked like both could have been dying.

Apparently TNA are paying for their TV slot & will make it up with advertising.

Ballsy.

Oh lord. That, I would say is not good news for them. They don't sell tickets, or PPVs, how are they going to generate ad revenue?

As Adam has discussed at me many times, TNA have a base of fans and can do big numbers in comparison with some channels other shows. With a base then you have a target market to direct advertising at. Could work well

But wrestling ad revenue is an anomaly with viewer numbers. WWE is just, just starting to get some prime ads, and they've got the best team working on that. Their US TV deal was so much less than expected because of it being a poor draw for ads. DA lost interest with TNA, not because of viewer numbers, but ad revenue. This is an uphill task.

And I do think MVPs tweet was funny "Spike $$$, DA $, Pop -$"

It depends how they can do it. Targeted ad work is certainly very different to being drawn with a station and what they are offered. They are obviously on a bit of a unique thing here so may be allowed to move some stuff for it.

Here's my first question as a prospective advertiser. How much are TNA viewers spending on live events, merchandising and PPVs? Because if those fans aren't buying the show, why would they buy my product. Also a lot of pressure on TNA to be live because recorded programs are more likely to be DVRed and those are dead ad revenue, so Dixie needs those Tues night figures, not the +3s and +5s she talked about with DA, thus missing how ad revenue is not equal to viewers.

But TV channels pay for programs with ad revenue, so maybe TNA are saying "look, we can make more by getting our own advertising than what you offer with your advertising"? I dunno, but if the other option was no one showing them on tele then its probably worth the risk

They are paying to be on TV. That is jumping back 20 to 30 years in terms of wrestling on TV. It may well work (though I see zero pointers from TNAs business model and history to indicate it will). But paying someone to show your programming is IMO really not a great deal. Good luck to the, but they need a lot more than luck this time.

Its a better deal than not TV, especially considering Dixie's Daddy's money being there. They would have had to present numbers, so there must be some reasoning to it

Like Adam I too gave up watching TNA after BFG. For me, until the root of the problem is addressed it doesn't matter what network picks them up. As far as I see it, this is just the Pop Network taking a punt with TNA. It may work, it may not. One or two ill-worded and careless emails by Dixie could ruin this "third" chance TNA have been given for all we know. Maybe DA was a mistake. Maybe the Pop Network will be a better fit. But, this news doesn't change anything imo.

I do feel like there is a bit of hating on TNA for the sake of it in regards to this. It's not ideal, but it's better than not being on TV. It's a risk but one they needed to take and I don't see the harm in wanting to see them succeed. If TNA get their act together, write a good show then that's great news for us, another possible wrestling show to watch. If they don't, it doesn't really matter.

Thats the ideal way to look at it, I doubt TNA will ever get my attention again unless something radical backstage happened, even then I've barely got enough time for RAW now but if TNA could start to put on a good product again on a channel that has an enormous reach then it can only be good for Wrestling fans, be it ones who just enjoy TNA or ones who like WWE because if they have a viable rival they'll definitely up their game too.

If it doesn't work out yet again then no-one from a fans prespectivenhas lost anything.

I'm actually enjoying TNA atm, it can be a bit bland but it's an easy watch, simple to follow and the wrestling is generally pretty good, Richards & Edwards had a match which was unsurprisingly very good

Kayfabe news seems almost real today