While the recent booking on TNA Wrestling’s iMPACT! program has been universally condemned, the more pressing concern among those within the industry is that the company has not done enough to hype the impending move to Monday nights.
Specifically, the feeling is that TNA has largely failed to get across the fact that some major surprise appearances–three have already been confirmed–will populate the premiere Monday night. Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair do have some casual appeal, but as their segments have not produced monster television numbers, many believe TNA would be better served hyping the rest of Monday’s card.
At press time, F4WOnline.com was reporting that the three “surprise” appearances would be made by Sting, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy. While the former two had been revealed on the Internet, neither was hyped in a significant way on television. Hardy’s planned appearance has largely gone without any attention.
Go TNA Kick WWE’s Butt .
You know its kinda weird. TNA head writer Vince Russo has stated time and again that TNA creative cant pander to the internet wrestling cummunity(IWC).Yet without hyping any of these “BIG” surprises the only wreslting fans aware they are even happening are the ones who troll thru the net just for such news. We arent taliking about even a “viral” campaign here, TNA just doesnt seem to know how to promote itself. Most of which has to do with the fact they lack a cohesive direction. They are stuck ina little brother mentatlity with the big brother being the WWE. They had better step it up a couple of notches if they are serious about competing on the same level as WWE.