Originally posted by the Torch Multichannel News is reporting in its Monday edition that Spike TV and TNA are expected to finalize a deal soon for a late night Saturday night TV clearance following the Ultimate Fighter series. TNA wouldn't premier on Spike TV until October after WWE switches to USA.
Story excerpt: "World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. fare will depart this fall, but Spike TV evidently won’t go without grappling. Sources close to the network said the men’s-targeted service is finalizing a deal with Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling (TNA) for a weekly late-night run. Just two weeks ago, it appeared as if TNA was moving toward a pact with Superstation WGN, but sources said those negotiations broke down late last week. Spike officials would say only that the network is in “continuing discussions” with the upstart pro-wrestling outfit. But sources said Spike is targeting a one-hour, late-Saturday-night time slot for TNA, which has been without a network outlet since its one-year agreement with FSN expired last month."
This doesn't sound like a great spot, but then again, it's a huge step above having no timeslot at all. And again, since this hasn't been confirmed yet, this could turn out to be as true as the TNA-WGN stories, which is not very.
I was really hoping TNA would get a 2 hour deal. My thinking though is that they need a TV deal A LOT quicker than until WWE leaves Spike TV. Are they just going to show IMPACT on their website for months?
Also, does TNA really want to join the network that WWE is leaving?
(edited by The Vile1 on 20.6.05 1330)
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Slamming Saturday Nights on Spike TV was a great slot, before they started showing movies; I think it would fit in quite well. If they package it along site ULTIMATE FIGHTER 2...I think it'll make for a great two hour block.
(edited by SOK on 20.6.05 1449) I play chicken with the train, play chicken with the train train, uh-huh uh-huh!
TNA is getting a spot on a channel in which people have been used to watching wrestling for 5 years. And if they DO get the Velocity timeslot, it's the exact same time period. In other words, they already have a fan base waiting for them.
Is it a huge amount of television sets? No, but it's STILL probably bigger than the following they had previously. It's not a bad spot to be in at all.
But I think, as others have mentioned, the key will be whether they can hold on until WWE leaves in the fall. Without television, that could be tricky... maybe they'll have to shut down for a little while (again).
The potential of this deal lies more on what Spike's expectations are going to be. Obviously, based on where they're putting it, they don't seem to be aiming higher than a 1.0
And TNA can pull off a 1.0
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And TNA won't be paying Spike for this Saturday night show, right?
The only problem I can see with this timeslot is that surely WWE will run Velocity or something else on USA at roughly the same hour. If TNA got, say, a third of the audience that tuned into Raw on Monday nights, it wouldn't be bad.
If TNA pulls in a third of the Velocity viewership, it would be disasterous.
Having their foot in the Spike door is the only real positive thing to come out of this deal.
TNA is going to have to produce a show significantly better than Impact up to this point before they would have any hope of getting a 1.0 rating in that timeslot.
As far as choices, beggars can't be choosers, and TNA should be delighted if they got a spot, ANY spot, on Spike without paying for it. (But I suspect since the deal is not official, details have not been release, so maybe they are going to pay for the spot) Ratings for Impact were abysmal, so they were/are in no spot to negotiate for much.
As far as surviving without a TV deal until then, there really isn't any reason why not. It's not like they are turning a profit right now anyway. The company backing them seems more than willing to sink money into this project. I mean, they've done it for three years, I don't see them pulling out just as they get a TV deal.
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Wow, this would be fantastic for TNA if they can pull this off. I've never made it a point to watch Velocity or Heat, but those are both B-shows. If TNA can put together programs that I must see, believe me I'll make it a point to do what I can to see them. (Whenever I can get Saturday nights off, that is.)
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Originally posted by StevieRichardsThe only problem I can see with this timeslot is that surely WWE will run Velocity or something else on USA at roughly the same hour.
Isn't Velocity being cancelled when they make the move because USA only wanted one weekend show instead of two?
Originally posted by StevieRichardsThe only problem I can see with this timeslot is that surely WWE will run Velocity or something else on USA at roughly the same hour.
Isn't Velocity being cancelled when they make the move because USA only wanted one weekend show instead of two?
Gray area.
Originally posted by WWE/NBC Universal press release In addition to Monday Night Raw, USA will air a one-hour weekend RAW-branded program, and NBCU's Telemundo will air Spanish-language versions of RAW. NBC will also air at least two yearly, 90-minute Saturday late night RAW specials.
Smackdown's contract's up next year, and there's some thinking that the WWE is shopping RAW brand & Smackdown brand rights around seperately, and that if/when Smackdown gets picked up somewhere and they don't want to do the Smackdown B-show, they can wriggle into it within the confines of the Universal deal.
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