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Not Your Usual Wrestling Smackdown

Not Your Usual Wrestling Smackdown

Posted: Apr 6th 2010 By: CMBurnham

When Total Nonstop Action Wrestling begins its three-city tour through Kentucky and West Virginia on Thursday, fans will find something a bit different than what they see weekly on Spike TV.

Because of the growing wrestling company's business model, not all of its highest-profile stars attend the non-televised live events, commonly called "house shows." But those who do put on "the most fan-friendly, interactive live event that I've ever been affiliated with," said Jeff Jarrett, who founded the company with his father, Jerry.

Jarrett is among the stars, including TNA World Heavyweight Champion "The Phenomenal" A. J. Styles and Kurt Angle, who are slated to appear at the shows this weekend in Corbin, Pikeville and Huntington, W.Va.

But absent will be stars like Sting, Hulk Hogan, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, and Kevin Nash, who have increasingly become centerpieces of the company's weekly television show, which has moved to Monday nights to face off against the flagship Monday Night Raw telecast of wrestling megapower World Wrestling Entertainment.

It's a move that has its roots in TNA's business model. When Jarrett and his father founded the company in 2002, a year after WWE bought its rival World Championship Wrestling, TNA made money by selling weekly pay-per-views. As the company evolved and became a more familiar name, it ditched the weekly pay-per-view model in favor of weekly cable television shows building to heavily promoted monthly pay-per-views that are more expensive. And it added house shows.

Jarrett, whose family promoted events in Rupp Arena in the 1970s and '80s, said that in TNA's first five years, it put on probably 15 non-televised live events. In 2008, it ran about 20 and then increased that to 80 or so last year. This year, they're looking to do as many as 90.

House shows can be a major revenue stream ? 22.9 percent of WWE's 2009 revenue came from live events, that rises to 27.1 percent when you add in merchandise sold at the shows ? but they also have high costs. Wrestlers are brought in for the shows, and production teams bring the ring and set-up.

"Going to a building the size of Rupp Arena doesn't make financial sense for us at this point," Jarrett said.

And with TNA still growing and maturing as a touring company, "You can't load up a card with up to 20 superstars," Jarrett said.

"You've got to be smart and strategic about it and build your base and make sure the shows aren't money-losers," he said. "All of our shows are financial winners."

He declined to give the percentage of the company's revenue that comes from house shows but said merchandise sales at recent live events is up more than 130 percent year-over-year and attendance is up 27 percent.

James Caldwell, assistant editor of wrestling industry publication Pro Wrestling Torch and PWTorch.com, said TNA is smart in how it chooses locations.

"It's been successful because they've been able to reach fans that WWE doesn't go to," he said. "WWE typically goes to the larger cities and larger venues. TNA kind of fills in the smaller towns."

TNA, he said, might choose a 600-person arena and pack it by bringing in just a couple of major stars, he said. That way, the costs stay low, "but they can make up for it with the interaction."

Jarrett said TNA shows are famous for crowd interaction and autograph sessions with the wrestlers for some fans afterward, as well as customized merchandise unique to the show.

The relaxed schedule is also an attraction for many wrestlers who shun the hundreds of dates a year required by WWE.

"Even if a wrestler did a full-time TNA schedule with all the pay-per-views, TV shows and live events, it still wouldn't come close to WWE's schedule," Caldwell said.

But some of that might be changing soon.

Jarrett said TNA is considering whether to bring more top stars along to house shows.

"The issue you're talking about of the (Kevin) Nashes of the world not making it, we are graduating or progressing so that won't be the case by the end of the year," Jarrett said. "What you see on TV will match the live events."

Caldwell said that could be realistic "if the cost-benefit is in TNA's favor."

"If they're going to step up and start doing 3,000-seat arenas, they're going to have to bring the top stars or they won't draw," he said.

 

Tags: TNA, Jeff Jarrett, A. J. Styles, Sting, Ric Flair, WWE

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  • 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion

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  • 09-15 1969 The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) def. Alberto Torres & Ramon Torres for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
  • 09-15 1980 Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
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  • 09-15 2007 Anthony Jackson def. AWOL for the ComPro Heavyweight Champion
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  • 09-15 2012 Double D def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-15 2018 Chavo Guerrero, Jr. def. MVP for the WCR Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-15 2019 Chaz Sharpe def. James Southard for the ASP Inter-County Champion
  • 09-15 2023 Jastin Taylor def. Sam Stackhouse for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-16 1988 Michael Hayes & Steve Cox def. The Samoan SWAT Team (Fatu & Samu) for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 09-16 2005 Lily McKenzie def. Chiquita Suzuki for the SRPW Womens Champion
  • 09-16 2006 Michael Barry def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
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  • 09-16 2017 Paige Turner def. Erica for the IZW Womens Champion
  • 09-16 2017 Skyler Fayden def. Riker for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
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  • 09-18 2015 Sons of Texas (Moonshine Mantell & Killer McKenzie) def. The Imperialists (Charlie Haas & Griffin) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-18 2021 Thrash def. Jermaine Johnson for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
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  • 09-18 2022 Fuel def. Koko for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
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  • 09-19 1979 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Mike George for the MSW Mississippi Champion
  • 09-19 1982 David Von Erich def. Bill Irwin for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 1988 The Samoan SWAT Team (Samu & Fatu) def. Michael Hayes & Steve Cox for the WCCW World Tag Team Champion
  • 09-19 2014 Simply Irresistible (Matthew Palmer & James Johnson) def. The Dark Circle (Mace Malone & Apoc) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-19 2015 Loaded Guns (Jon Cross & Brandon Walker) def. The Rising (Riker & Abel) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-19 2015 Brian Breaker def. Clint Cassidy for the UWE United States Champion
  • 09-19 2015 Zakk Sinizter def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2015 Jon Cross became the WFC Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2019 MVP became the WCR Imperial Champion
  • 09-19 2020 Pastor Brent became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Maui Mike def. Thrash for the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Brixton Barricade def. Brandon Barricade for the ASP All Time Champion
  • 09-19 2021 Malik Mayfield def. Jerome Daniel Griffey for the ASP Livestream Champion
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  • 09-20 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 09-20 1978 Jose Lothario def. Assassin 1 for the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 09-20 1985 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich) def. The Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Chris Adams) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
  • 09-20 2008 Michael Barry def. Angel Williams for the IZW Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-20 2008 New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) became the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2008 The Gentlemen Thugs (Cast-Iron Cothern & Shane Morbid) def. New Canada (The Canadian Red Devil & The Canadian Luchadore) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2009 Jermaine Johnson def. Ky-ote Joe for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 09-20 2013 Mike Foxx def. Tim Storm for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-20 2013 Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) def. The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Genesis (Carrion Arcane & Kristopher Haiden) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Kevin Morgan & became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Jordan Jacobs def. Drake Gallows for the IZW Impact Division Champion
  • 09-20 2014 Claudia def. Bree Ann for the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 09-20 2014 The Brotherhood (Kyng Benjamin & Akuma Jones) def. A. C. Slaughter (Aaron Anders & Clint Cassidy) for the UWE Tag Team Champions
  • 09-20 2014 Fuel def. Tim Rockwell for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-21 1954 Johnny Valentine def. Joe Christie for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 09-21 2002 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
  • 09-21 2012 Tim Storm became the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 09-21 2012 Kyra Maya became the NWA-TXO Rose Champion
  • 09-21 2013 Nasty Swag (Robert Lee & Ace Archuleta) became the UWE Tag Team Champions
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