The negotiations between Spike TV and TNA Impact Wrestling aren’t going so well according to reports. The WWE also failed to get the massive TV contract they had hoped for their TV programs, vastly overvaluing their interest. Fellow LWOS writers Jeff DeHaan, Aaron Wrotkowski and I sat down to engage in conversation and discuss why exactly things has fallen apart. We managed to conclude that in the case of TNA, although Impact Wrestling does the best ratings on Spike, they don’t make ad revenue that would usually go along with those ratings. Why is that the case?
First we discussed wrestling. How it differed in perception around the world and what other companies were doing to be successful in their native lands. Then we discussed television. How shows like The Big Bang Theory are looked down upon for their pandering to a niché audience that is also seen as “lesser than”. Sadly we all came to the same conclusion that professional wrestling is hard to sell anywhere in the world, and that although they aren’t acclaimed, shows like the Big Bang Theory get triple that pro wrestling numbers receive but also get the cash to go with it. We were still left asking why.
There were many ideas put forth during our discussion: Wrestling’s notoriously bad stigma as low brow entertainment, the refusal to fill their advertising pond with little fish rather than being satisfied with a half full pond of bigger fish, and the general cost of a professional wrestling event being so much more expensive than many shows on television right now that produce the same ad revenue. It all begs the question: How does the modern day professional TV wrestling program evolve?
Aaron mentioned something that brought our attention back to square one. During his tenure in TNA, it was rumoured that Eric Bischoff had approached Spike TV with an offer to produce a cheaper pro wrestling product that would retain the same audience numbers. Was that all Eric Bischoff bravado? Possibly. Was the rumour even true? Maybe, but the question remained: How could Bischoff conceivably pull that off?
If one is to evolve the modern day pro wrestling television product, then one needs to address the problems it faces, including the high cost of production, and a minimal return on ad revenue caused by a belief that pro wrestling is low brow entertainment. TNA is reported to be asking for $100,000 per hour of programming on Spike, while Spike is reported to be unwavering on $60,000 per hour of programming. That’s a difference of $80,000 per Impact that TNA reportedly cannot afford.
Our conversation became a true brain storming session with hypothetical’s and scenarios tossed around. Reality television seems to have taken over the airwaves largely due to its low production costs and compelling human drama, but there have been a number of professional wrestling reality shows that have come and gone, with most biting the dust without making a dent in the ratings or their pocket books.
The Internet alternative was also discussed. Could things have gotten so bad that it would be better for companies like TNA to put their focus into other aspects of their business that could reap benefits? Had things become so hopeless that it was necessary to cut off a foot in order to save their leg? It became quickly apparent that answer wasn’t good enough, and ultimately, a step backwards.
After a brief discussion it was decided that an outside the box (or ring) idea was needed. A pro wrestling melodrama that focused on the characters and their own personal stories that built to a climax held inside the wrestling ring. As Aaron put it: “Imagine a show like Sons of Anarchy that builds for four weeks and culminates with the bikers fighting in front of a crowd.” A show like this could conceivably be inexpensive to produce, and in the right hands have the potential to bridge the gap between the typical pro wrestling fan advertisers hate, and the demographic they desire. One only need to use the success of Darren Aronofski’s “The Wrestler” as proof that this can happen. Pro Wrestling fans went to see it because they are fans, and film snobs went to see it because it was artistic. Both audiences enjoyed it for the same reasons: characters and story.
Perhaps Vince McMahon had the right idea when he started hiring Hollywood writers for his television shows. Maybe he just needs to attract better than soap opera and Freddie Prinze Jr. After all, he’s got an entire network he can fill with new programming.
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