Impact Wrestling: Promise or Ploy?

 

On 5/19/11 TNA repackaged their flagship program, TNA Impact!; to give the impression that it was to feature more wrestling at a time when another company decided to sever ties with its wrestling allegiance. Recently, in an attempt to broaden their marketability the WWE had dropped the words that made up their acronym (which would normally be translated into World Wrestling Entertainment) in favor of primarily focusing on the Entertainment aspect of the business and less on the uneasily sold, commercially taboo term “Wrestling”. Fellow Pro Wrestling writer Albert Albanese has more on WWE’s decision to “End Wrestling”, and his article can be found at this link: http://www.prowrestling-fans.com/articles/the-end-of-wrestling_042211.html. So now TNA wants to capitalize off of the backlash that the WWE is experiencing from “wrestling” fans who are proud be just that; “Wrestling” fans!

 

A creative decision was reached for TNA Impact! to be re-titled Impact Wrestling, with the accompanying slogan “Wrestling Matters Here”. There is a lot of skepticism amongst fans that are hoping wrestling returns to the forefront of their programming, but they are also aware that this “change” is directly in correlation with what the “other” company up North is doing. After watching Impact Wrestling, I too am in disbelief that the overall product will change. Usually when you hype a change, the “Impact” (no pun intended) is immediate and the initial surprise subsides over time. Thursday’s Impact featured four lengthy promos and a main event match consisting of Generation Me vs Matt Hardy & Eric Bischoff (??). Anytime Bischoff is involved in your main event match it’s safe to say that there was much left to be desired as far as the in-ring competition is concerned. Week 1 of the newly re-branded Impact Wrestling is in the books, but the question remains; does TNA’s proclamation of more wrestling have promise, or is TNA involved in an elaborate ploy to draw more attention to their current product?