5 Reasons TNA Never Became WWE's True Competitor
3. The Brand Name
While the concept behind naming the company TNA made sense on the surface, it was a rather short-sighted idea in the long run. The name clearly derived from the abbreviation of T-and-A, which is in reference to those ever so enjoyable parts of the female anatomy. TNA was beginning as a division of the NWA, so Jarrett wanted a name that expressed the company as a part of the Alliance, but without a regionalization to limit its scope. The name couldnt be relegated to a geographic location and needed to encompass a broad marketability.
The company began as a pay-per-view show, which allowed the freedom to experiment with an edgier name to turn heads. Thus, Total Nonstop Action with the abbreviation of TNA, became the brand name of the company. The inherent problem is that the name is a complete and utter gimmick. There is nothing prestigious or honorable about the TNA name, it is just a ridiculous pun that somehow managed to find the top of a letterhead. Gimmicks work for characters in the promotion, but they dont work for the promotion itself.
The two biggest things that promotions concern themselves with are 1) making money and 2) finding a way to capture the elusive casual fan so that the company can make even more money. As fans of wrestling, we are on the fringe of pop culture. Its not all that cool to be a fan of professional wrestling, nor is it all that impressive to start a discussion at the pub about how much you appreciate Super Delfins work in the 94 Super J Cup. If that blonde with the glasses and hipster clothes knows who Super Delfin is, be afraid. If she has the 94 J Cup on DVD, well screw it, marry her. But, I digress
Dixie Carter, Jeff Jarrett, and Vince McMahon dont care so much about attracting the fans that are going to be fans until the end of time. We are here to stay and we are the proverbial downside guarantees of PPV revenue, merchandise sales, and weekly ratings. We will watch wrestling, whether its called WWF, WWE, WCW, ECW, NJPW, or TNA.
The expansion of a pro wrestling company, especially an upstart promotion, comes in the ability for that company to attract the person that doesnt watch religiously. Thats the same person that isnt going to talk about pro wrestling to that chick at the pub. Hes going to keep it to himself that he pounds back a tray of fun nuggets on Monday Night while he cheers on John Cena to beat up Randy Orton.
The TNA name doesnt lend itself to put any pride into being a fan. To be blunt, its total bush league. Theres no momentum to be built off the name and it doesnt lend itself to the championships associated with the company. Does being the TNA World Heavyweight Champion carry more weight to it than being the World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Champion? It sounds cheap and illegitimate, if anything. The name might garner a chuckle and may be memorable, but it is only memorable because of the negative connotation it has. Its near impossible to rally behind a name thats nothing more than a bad joke.
In 2011, TNA shifted gears and became more eager to promote the "Impact Wrestling" name underneath the TNA logo. While it does have a nicer ring to it, the name should've been addressed at the inception of the company.