For me, TNA seems like a nightmare place to be if you want to be a talent that isn’t kept in the dark about the company and it’s future.
The higher ups in TNA seem to like the idea of ignoring certain problems, telling talents that everything is going to be OK, and then probably just praying that those issues resolve themselves or otherwise fold the company entirely so it won’t be there problem any more. I don’t know, but it does not seem healthy.
As soon as rumours began to circulate that TNA was looking for a buyer, I immediately saw alarm bells ringing in the heads of the executives. Even if you aren’t looking to sell, it will not look good to anyone involved. The sale seemed about 90% legitimate as far as reports would go. You have the obvious Vince McMahon thrown in, I guess as a humble gesture (and if all the millions of fake YouTube videos are concerned), but you pause for a moment and think, “How are TNA going to handle this media storm?”.
Poorly, is how.
Firstly, you have reports of company-wide emails being sent from Dixie Carter saying it’s all nonsense and to ignore anything they read about a sale.
The next, you have claims of inside talks between Panda Energy and individuals to essentially get pen to paper.
What’s hard to deny about these reports is that TNA was tightening it’s belt a little, they brought TNA off the road and released a shed load of talent. What wasn’t clear, even for the talent, was who would be running the show?
Skip forward about a year and you’re in 2014, TNA had stayed mostly out of the headlines, few releases here and there, but then, low and behold, they were back, and oh, were they going with a bang.
Spike TV drop TNA Wrestling from it’s broadcasting after a solid 9 year stint on the network.
This would have been the biggest part of the story for me. I mean, it is the story, but I wanted to see how TNA, and more importantly Dixie herself, would handle this one.
Again, it wasn’t good.
More company-wide emails about how they were going to be fine and Spike TV hadn’t dropped them and that unicorns existed or whatever, I mean, she could say anything and they’d have to believe it, right? she is the one in charge after all.
At this point in time, you look at the wrestlers who got out while they still had time left in their bodies.
AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian are among others.
These men made a decision to up sticks and look elsewhere for work, and it’s paid off. (Well, AJ has been boasting, that’s for sure.)
These were the guys that held this company together and what pushed them out the door was most likely that loss of trust. There was no faith in the company for these guys, especially AJ Styles. He got low balled so badly it’d make Hogan consider possibly not selling this particular product, maybe.
This trend of the big names abandoning ship could carry on if they’re not careful.
All I have to say is, Dixie, just be honest with your talent. They aren’t your kids, they don’t need to hear about how the Easter bunny is going to hop by and sign all their contracts and give out free hugs. Be honest about your sinking ship and try to save as many relationships as possible before it’s too late.
