TNA's Hardcore Justice, will the gamble pay off?
With TNA’s Hardcore Justice Pay Per View just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at what many people are considering a “publicity stunt” or even a desperate attempt at improving ratings, and buy rates for a company that is having trouble producing both.
Lots of people are bashing TNA management for rolling out the ECW brand, and trying to cash in on its success with yet another reunion type show. Of course for a while we were led to believe that this was going to be an invasion angle. And maybe in the beginning it was. But since WWE is already doing one, with those Nexus kids, it was probably a good idea to go in a different direction. Especially when you consider that The Nexus are all younger, and just starting out in WWE, and the ECW boys are a little long in the tooth. Meaning of course that one will most likely be around longer than the other. Either way, the plans have changed, and now we have TNA’s “One Night Stand” But is this idea worth doing in the first place? And will it have any sort of long term benefits? I think the answer to the first question is, yes. The fans that loved the original ECW, still love it today, and just about everyone hated to see what Vince McMahon did to it, before he eventually decided to kill it off for good. So, for TNA to bring back as many people as they can, and having a (hopefully) final goodbye to the brand is not only a good idea for generating interest for the Pay Per View, but it is also nice for us fans. But then there is the second question. What, if any long term benefits will TNA see from this? Well, that all depends on how they decide to follow up.
I have a link at the bottom of this post to a great blog written by former ECW star Lance Storm, and his thoughts on how things could be booked. The general idea that he proposes is something along the lines of the current TNA wrestlers, the originals, being upset over the fact that management is pushing them aside to bring in (yet again) stars from the past, and using them on a Pay Per View. So, the TNA originals then become the invaders, and rebel against the company. This way, it is the younger talent taking back their own show. The ECW faction could still have a stable within the company for a while, but eventually the TNA originals would win out.
But who knows what TNA has in mind after this show is over and done with. I personally like the one shot idea for this Pay Per View, but if you are going to do it, then you might as well try to milk it a little longer. Just be sure to put over your own talent by the time its all said and done. And be sure to read Lance Storms thoughts on this.
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