10 Big Changes To Make TNA Great Again
8. Become A True Alternative
TNA was at its peak in 2006. AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Samoa Joe were producing elite tier performances at the heart of the company’s thriving X Division. The tag scene was flourishing with exciting teams like Team 3D, America’s Most Wanted, and LAX. Sting, Christian, and Kurt Angle gave the main event scene real star power, and for a while, TNA was one of the most thrilling companies in the world.
This time period was also the last time TNA represented a true alternative. They weren’t flawless in 2006/07, but the following years saw them slowly gravitate away from what made them special in the first place, and this was compounded by Hogan & Bischoff’s arrival in 2009.
TNA aren’t a WWE alternative anymore: they’re WWE Lite, and they’ve been this way for a while. Though Impact has been a largely enjoyable show throughout 2016, the company still relies on the same show format and storytelling techniques as WWE’s flagship show, and when it comes to hiring, their first course of action is always to scoop up any recent WWE releases.
Fans are crying out for an alternative to WWE, but why would they go to TNA when all they’re going to get is a smaller scale version of the exact same thing?
Corgan must look elsewhere for inspiration. Competing with WWE is a pipe dream, at least in the short/mid-term, and aping their product won’t help TNA split from the pact. The company must find its own identity in the wrestling business, find a way to stand out, and shift its focus away from sports entertainment, and perhaps back towards traditional pro-wrestling.