TNA News: Impact Wrestling On POP TV

Some positive TNA news for a change as Dixie Carter has now announced that Impact Wrestling will move to POP TV, according to a report from Wrestling Inc.

For much of the past year, the sky has been falling for TNA. A substantial number of the promotion’s fans doubted that management could keep things afloat, and TNA’s demise was predicted by the masses. Many felt that when the company’s contract with Destination America ended in 2016, there would be one less professional wrestling promotion in the United States.

Carter wasn’t going to let that happen.

Over the years, the internet wrestling community has given Carter a hard time. Everything that goes wrong for TNA gets placed on her shoulders. Whenever something positive happens, Dixie is overlooked as fans refuse to give her an ounce of credit. Much of the criticism stems from the fact that people do not know what Carter actually does in the company. She simply works in the background and tries her hardest to make things happen.

Since an announcement on a new television deal had not been made, many were under the assumption that Carter was not doing anything about it. The truth is that she spent a good amount of time and effort in finding the right deal and the right network for Impact Wrestling. No one wants TNA to succeed more than Carter. It’s the biggest project of her career, so she knows this is what people are going to judge her on.

The deal with POP TV means that we should get at least another year of TNA. The promotion would have struggled mightily without having a weekly television show. In addition to the revenue that it brings in, the lack of exposure would simply make it harder for the company in other aspects of their business. By moving to a new network, the company lessens the risk of losing their performers to other promotions.

Impact Wrestling being on Tuesday night might be a really good thing for the company. They won’t have to compete with Monday Night Raw, NXT on Wednesday and Smackdown on Thursday. WWE Main Event airs on Hulu Plus, so fans can tune into that show whenever they want.

POP TV might turn out to be a better business deal for TNA than Destination America. Impact Wrestling is now available in 75 million homes, as opposed to the 57 million that they were reaching. POP TV also happens to be owned by CBS and Lions Gate Entertainment, which could open the doors to other business arrangements for TNA and their performers. Performers like Kurt Angle, Brooke Tessmacher, and Robbie E have expressed an interest in Hollywood.

TNA has parted ways with several members of their roster over the past year. Familiar and popular faces like Samoa Joe, MVP, and James Storm left the promotion. The new television deal should mean that they start looking for more talent to add to the Impact Wrestling lineup. Expect to see TNA news about wrestlers being signed as opposed to wrestlers being released or allowed to leave.

Once management gets everything in order for Impact Wrestling, you can bet that they are going to increase their focus on the touring aspect of their business. TNA was forced to heavily reduce their traveling schedule this year due to budget constraints. The company knows that touring helps them to connect with the fans, which in turn should increase the number of viewers TNA attracts to their television programs.

TNA has a long way to go, but this is a good step in the right direction, and Dixie Carter deserves a lion’s share of the credit.

[ Featured Photo by Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images ]