On a recent edition of his “The Kurt Angle Show,” WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle discussed the state of TNA Wrestling in 2010.
The Anthem-owned promotion switched to Monday nights to compete with WWE RAW at 9:00 PM EST in March 2010, but quickly moved back to Thursdays by May.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On TNA Wrestling moving to Monday nights in 2010: “I was excited about it, to be honest with you. I was really excited because I wanted to compete with WWE, but we learned very quickly that you cannot compete with WWE if you don’t have the money available. TNA had money, but they didn’t have the money that WWE had so it was really hard to compete against WWE. And I’ll give you an example: Hogan and Bischoff wanted us to rent bigger venues, so we had to pay for those up front. And those bigger venues, they were for house shows, not even TV. Some of them were TV, and some of them were house shows. But they wanted to rent these out, and it’s a lot more expensive. So now we’re booking all these shows all over the country, and we have to put up the deposit. It’s a good bit of money.”
On where TNA went wrong: “So, I just think that we did everything really too quickly. I think maybe we should start with Monday night with your TVs [in] bigger arenas. But we did it all really quickly, and it was just too much. That first Monday, I mean, it was our best rating ever. We were consistently doing about 2 million a week at that particular time. So I’d say that was the highest peak in our company’s history. I think that we had the highest ratings at that particular time. And I think that’s the only time that we could probably take a chance and try to go up against WWE. But it didn’t didn’t work out. And I told Dixie, ‘Listen, back off, back away. That’s it. You don’t have to be number one. It’s okay to be number two, especially where we were in this.’”
On the TNA roster in 2010: “You know, we had Hulk Hogan, we had Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Ken Anderson. The roster was loaded. So, there was no reason we couldn’t continue to work and try to build the company.”
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The State of TNA Wrestling in 2010: A Look Back
In the world of professional wrestling, competition has always been a driving force. In 2010, TNA Wrestling, now known as Impact Wrestling, attempted to take on the industry giant, WWE, by moving their flagship show to Monday nights to directly compete with WWE RAW. This move was met with both excitement and skepticism from fans and industry insiders alike. Let’s take a closer look at the state of TNA Wrestling during this pivotal time.
TNA Wrestling, under the ownership of Anthem, made the bold decision to switch their weekly show to Monday nights in March 2010. The goal was clear – to go head-to-head with WWE RAW and establish themselves as a legitimate competitor. However, this move proved to be short-lived, as TNA quickly moved back to their original Thursday night timeslot by May of the same year.
One of the key factors that hindered TNA’s ability to compete with WWE was the difference in financial resources. WWE had a significant advantage in terms of funding and production capabilities. Kurt Angle, a WWE Hall of Famer and former TNA wrestler, discussed this issue on his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show.” He explained that while TNA had money, it wasn’t on the same level as WWE, making it difficult to keep up with their larger-scale operations.
Angle provided an example of the financial challenges TNA faced during this time. The company’s management, including Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, wanted to rent bigger venues for their shows. However, this required upfront payment for the venues, which proved to be a significant financial burden for TNA. Despite their best efforts, TNA couldn’t match WWE’s financial prowess, which ultimately impacted their ability to compete on a larger scale.
Reflecting on the situation, Angle believes that TNA made some missteps in their approach. He suggests that they should have started with Monday night shows in bigger arenas, gradually building up their presence and fanbase. Instead, TNA attempted to make a big splash right away, which proved to be overwhelming and unsustainable. While the initial move to Monday nights did result in TNA’s highest ratings ever, it wasn’t enough to sustain their momentum against WWE.
Despite the challenges, TNA had a stacked roster in 2010. Superstars like Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Ken Anderson were part of the company’s lineup. With such a talented roster, there was no shortage of star power and potential for TNA to grow and establish itself as a major player in the industry.
In the end, TNA’s attempt to directly compete with WWE on Monday nights didn’t pan out as they had hoped. The financial limitations and the rapid pace at which they made changes proved to be detrimental to their long-term success. Angle advised TNA’s management to step back and accept their position as the number two promotion, acknowledging that it was okay to be in that position given the circumstances.
The story of TNA Wrestling’s move to Monday nights in 2010 serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by any promotion attempting to take on the industry leader. It highlights the importance of financial stability, strategic planning, and gradual growth. While TNA may not have achieved their goal of becoming a direct competitor to WWE, they have continued to carve out their own niche in the wrestling world and provide fans with an alternative product.
As the wrestling landscape continues to evolve, it’s crucial for promotions to learn from past experiences and adapt their strategies accordingly. TNA Wrestling’s journey in 2010 serves as a valuable lesson for anyone looking to make their mark in the industry.