Impact Wrestling: Despite Ratings Slide, TNA Continues to Shine with Live Show

For the past month, TNA has taken Impact Wrestling from a taped to a live show environment in a direction that has been receiving praise from fans.

However, over the course of its Summer Series Bash, TNA has yet to put a single dent in the ratings department. How is that so? Impact Wrestling has been a very solid product, sometimes or most times outshining what the WWE is producing. It has answered its fans by taking Impact live over being taped. 

Could it be the new time slot change or tough Thursday night television competition? Whatever the reason may be to blame, TNA has shined with Impact Wrestling. 

Overall, the current product TNA has is a solid one. The company features a very good wrestling roster, filled with veterans and lots of young, hungry talent. Impact in 2012 is a much different program than it was in 2011. Last year, despite achieving much higher TV ratings, was centered around the Immortal storyline, led by then-heel Hulk Hogan. 

In 2012, TNA presents a new kind of Impact. It is a show that mainly features younger talents, including well-known veterans in the wrestling business. Impact has also been centered on more wrestling and has trimmed down the backstage and in-ring talking. The show also takes fans behind the scenes where cameras are not meant to be.

Yet, in 2011, despite some larger disappointments in its direction, TNA surged higher in the ratings department. This year, it is back to 2010 levels, after it made the switch to Monday nights.

Impact has been a solid product, but TV ratings do not show it.

What is wrong?

Nothing at all. TNA is in a ratings struggle because of two items: TV competition and a new time slot. The matter of the fact is ratings do not shine right away. Viewers are still finding their new Impact Wrestling start time at 8 p.m. EST. TNA needs to remain focused, which it has been, on continuing to make Impact a solid product for fans to watch.

As a wrestling writer, I would say that TNA is doing things right. Of course, like all programs, nothing is perfect. Impact still has flaws, but most of the product is shinning.

If the ratings disappoint, so be it. As long as wrestling fans aren't disappointed in the company's direction, TNA should see that is the win-win decision to take Impact live this summer.