TNA- There's No Audience

Let me start by saying I come here to praise TNA, not to bury it. TNA have the more talented workers and the more accessible roster for the casual fan however the move to Monday doesn't seem to have worked and many are concerned that TNA is overstretching.

TNA has in Scott Halls words the 'hottest babyface in the world today' Jeff Hardy, the man who revolutionised wrestling in the 90's Eric Bischoff and the most recognisable wrestler of all time Hulk Hogan so why how does a late night repeat of raw beat the first showing impact when wrestling fans have been crying out for a viable 2^nd company for years and finally there is one?

TNA loyalists will tell you it was HBK's retirement and it was a taped show which was easily spoiled online but the truth is wrestling fans are just unimpressed with what TNA is producing. It at times just confusing and at other times nonsecial. TNA is not alone iin producing confusing TV, WWE does it to at time (Why spend months burying Swagger then have him win MITB and become champ a week later?) but TNA does it at a much higher level.

TNA mistakes often come through the best intentions. Jeff Hardy appearing on the January 4^thImpact was as exciting for the modern wrestling fan as Hogans appearance on the same night but Hardy did not appear again for over 2 months and although he has been a high profile roster member since TNA have made mistakes. Many believe a major reason Vince Russo failed in WCW was because he didn't have Vince McMahon to edit him, much of Jeff Hardy's shine has been lost because TNA have let him express himself too much. The decision to let Hardy do his own entrance music was poor and at the best of times Hardy seems to be phoning it in in TNA, yes Jeff's got a lot on his mind and with his courtcase coming up TNA are obviously wary to push him to the sky so the question is was Jeff Hardy a wise signing with the baggage he carries when or is Jeff Hardy using TNA for a light schedule and an easy pay cheque.

Eric Bischoff once stated that when starting Nitro to go against Raw he stated to his staff that their choices when taking on WWE was to be different than, less than or better than. As the WWE was established he figured they couldn't be better than them at what they do but they could be different been; less than wasn't an option. The Abyss push around Hogans hall of fame ring is almost like TNA made an active decision to be less than as they have centred a storyline around the WWE Hall of fame ring and involved their own world champion in it, at times making the belt seem less valuable than a decision made on Vince McMahon's whims.

TNA also made a strange decision in it's timing to take on WWE. WCW took on Vince during a steroid trial and at a time when Vince McMahon had to clean the companies image, TNA had a PG WWE to aim at but managed to choose the worst possible time to take on the company as Wrestlemania build is always felt to be the WWE's strongest creative period where TNA seems to struggle to plan from one week to the next at the moment.

TNA in house show form is as good a wrestling show as you'll see and a much more enjoyable experience than WWE's. However when it comes to putting together a storyline WWE hit's the mark much more regularly than TNA, and although wrestling fans will loath to admit TNA and WWE fans are more storyline based fans than fans of the athleticism of these guys. TNA has to up there game or else they will join UWF in the footnotes of Wrestling companies who stretched too far. The will among fans and critics is to give TNA a chance (and I'm hopeful they turn it around) but how long can they keep disappointing before fans turn away for good?