It has been a long time since I pulled off the double header. My fellow BBSD bloggers and radio hosts have been talking about this non sense about a Monday night war that is going on right now. I know the guys on BBSD are smart but they are jumping to some great conclusions. Wrestling fans have been dreaming of a War to start ever since WCW was bought out over nine years ago. The WWE has had a monopoly over the wrestling world. Enter TNA. They have been doing some serious work, trying to start the new war. The truth is this war has not begun.
Before I tell you exactly why this MNW (Monday Night War) has not happened yet. I want to take a trip back to 1997. For years, WCW had only a Saturday night show on TBS. Once Ted Turner decided to put up some big money into his wrestling promotion, WCW hit the big time. The move to Monday night along with Eric Bischoff's mind, history of the wrestling promotion and the biggest name in wrestling history, Hulk Hogan combined to shock the wrestling world. The ratings every week were huge. If you add Nitro and Raw's numbers, they were pulling in between 10 to 14 million people each and every week to their programs. The wrestling business was at the top of the pop culture world. Hogan had good years with the promotion and a number of other headliners along with several hard working mid carders made one hell of a wrestling promotion. We know what happened after a while. WCW had no focus and no control over their main event stars. Ted Turner decided to sell the company and Vince defeated his competition.
Now TNA has decided to do go to war with the WWE. They have Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and some talented mid card wrestlers. Does this sound familiar? TNA has a chance if they were to have Vince McMahon's brain. Say what you want about the product of the WWE, Vince knows how to make stars in the wrestling world. TNA is full of wrestlers who made their name in Vince's world. Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, X-Pac, Jeff Hardy and Hogan all made it big in the WWE. TNA would be smart to showcase some of this talent and keep the other ones off the damn television. Kevin Nash has nothing to give the wrestling world any longer and neither does Pac or Hall. Jeff Hardy is a guy you can build around. The biggest issue is Jeff Hardy has always been on the cusp of being a great wrestler. Only when Vince had his hand on Jeff's story, did Jeff take off like a rocket ship. WCW took away all the talent Vince felt he didn't need any longer. TNA is doing the exact same thing.
I am not going to write about how TNA is turning into WCW, I am making comparisons. TNA has a few things going for them like the X-Division and the Knockout division. TNA knows how to put on a great women's match and their young high flyers can deliver a stellar five star wrestling match. The writing is what has to be great for TNA to start seeing increases in the so called War. Vince is a great story teller when he wants to be. TNA has yet to shine in this department. I have not seen a story being told on TNA that has made me want to switch and make sure I catch it. Now, I know I am a little biased because I am the WWE writer on BBSD. I did watch WCW more often in the old war because they had good story lines for a while. TNA has to do something that is not only going to grab the attention of the wrestling world but also the pop culture world.
Perhaps that is the biggest hump both companies have in front of them. The WWE has been using celebrity guest hosts for months and only a few times did it help their ratings. If you look at the Nielsen ratings, they are no where near what wrestling was bringing in back in the late 90's. Why is this? Pop culture changes constantly. The wrestling fans during the first war are watching MMA or grew tired of the wrestling product. Raw has roughly four million people watching every week. TNA has around a million or so watching every week. I have no idea how either wrestling promotion is going to draw in a brand new crowd. TNA has to hope they can pull some of the die hard WWE fans away. I look at it as your preferred soft drink of choice. I like Pepsi products and always have. If I like the product, why would I ever change and switch to Coca-Cola? Coke would have to give me a real reason and if they keep doing the same thing, I won't be changing a damn thing. TNA has to do something completely different for either the WWE fans to switch their weekly habits or gain a brand new audience of wrestling fans. A brand new audience is harder with all the choices people have to watch on their television.
TNA doesn't have the rich history WCW had. TNA has to start going nation wide and show off their own talent. TNA Impact would mean more if it wasn't inside a puny building every week. TNA has to go all in much like WCW. Tour the world but not in the same area as the WWE. Promote yourself as being a different product with your own unique wrestlers. TNA also have to stop using anything WWE related. Abyss is using Hogan's WWE Hall of Fame ring for power. You're telling me that the ring of the opposing wrestling promotion has some great power on one of your bigger stars. Ok that makes complete sense. No mention of the WWE ever!
The battle is certainly an up hill climb. The real Monday Night War shot has not been fired yet. I believe it can happen and would be the best thing for the business. We need to give it some time before we start touting wins and loses every week. WWE is the established brand and TNA is the new comer. TNA can start to throw some body blows and see if they can rattle the champion. Hopefully in one year, I will be writing another blog entitled Monday Night Wars II Bigger than Ever.
J Call
No comments:
Post a Comment