Professional wrestling is an industry that runs consistently week after week. It differs
greatly from most other TV shows that run for seasons and then are off until
the next season starts. Or like sports that have a season, then an off season.
Wrestling runs year round and that’s what makes it unique. The problem is, in
order to keep viewers tuned in every week, things have to happen in such a way
where storylines start, progress, and eventually end.
Now as a TNA
fan, I recognize that they’ve had ups and downs but have consistently gotten
better recently, starting with Slammiversary. You can never underestimate the
value of a decent crowd. Impact Zone shows were pretty much crap for the most
part, but the crowds at their live Impact episodes have, for the most part,
been pretty good by their standards. This latest run of NYC tapings has been
especially good. The quality of matches have been good and the storylines have
flowed very well. For this TNA fan, I’ve had a reason to tune in every week and
I’ve done so with great anticipation. So, TNA has been doing things the right
way.
This past
Thursday, Bully Ray put Dixie Carter through a table and the fans nearly blew
the roof off the Manhattan Center. It was quite an epic moment as the crowd
exploded while TNA’s best surrounded the ring. The “TNA” chant told a very good
story of how TNA is fighting with everything they’ve got to not only stay, but
continue to improve. It was very reminiscent to the Monday Night Wars. I
remember watching WWF and watching a bloody McMahon fall from halfway up the
cage, through the announce table. My brother and I saw that act for what it
was. A message. If the owner can do it, his wrestlers better damn well be ready
to do it too. WWF needed something to regain control because WCW was destroying
them in the ratings. McMahon needed to do something about the situation so he
put himself on the line in a saving grace for his company. I saw that same
thing on Thursday. Dixie went through a table. How proud must the roster have
been to hear the 1000 or so fans chanting “TNA”? How proud did it make Dixie to
hear that?
I don’t know what’s
going to happen with TNA. I’ve always held out hope that it would all work
itself out. And it still might. As of this writing, no official announcement
has been made regarding status of Impact Wrestling as it pertains to Spike or
Viacom. But I do know that TNA needs to continue doing what they’re doing, which
is putting on great shows. The question now remains, with time ticking away and
no new TV announced, where does TNA go from here? They put Dixie through a
table. What are they going to do next week to match that, or top that? What
will they do to keep us intrigued enough to continue to tune in?