10 Worrying Signs From TNA Impact Wrestling's Reboot Episode
2. Stagnant Ratings
Jeff Jarrett & co. embarked upon a full-on promotional blitz ahead of last Thursday’s episode. The company’s social media accounts were busier than ever when it came to promoting Impact’s rebirth, and the #MakeImpactGreat movement looked like it was gaining steam. To their credit, the group did almost everything in their power to try and generate buzz for the episode, and theoretically, this should have resulted in at least a small spike in viewership numbers.
Unfortunately, the marketing campaign completely failed at building interest among potential viewers. Impact Wrestling’s revival drew just 292,000 viewers, down from 293,000 the week before - an incredibly alarming statistic.
It shows that Impact’s perception problem may be too big to overcome. New eras are supposed to bring hope and enthusiasm, and Impact’s promise of a fresh start should have at least attracted a few thousand curious wrestling fans. Instead, the stagnation suggests that most potential viewers have completely written-off Impact’s credibility as a show, and it’s hard to blame them.
It was a horrendous episode, but most fans wouldn’t have known that until the show had actually aired. There’s little reason to believe that these numbers will improve anytime soon, particularly after one of the worst episodes in Impact history. Drastic changes are needed to save this sinking ship.