Making An Impact With Less Pay Per Views

Dixie Carter & Chad at Bound for Glory weekend
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

By Chad Smart
@chadsmart & @my123cents on Twitter

Last week TNA President Dixie Carter announced a change in TNA’s schedule for the 2013 pay per view calendar. Instead of doing 12 live monthly shows, TNA was scaling back to 4 live big pay per views and 7 taped themed shows for the year. The live shows are Genesis in January, Lockdown in March, Slammiversary in June and Bound For Glory in October. TNA taped the first two themed shows on January 12. One of the shows was called Joker’s Wild Tag Team Tournament and featured a tournament where wrestlers were paired together by drawing names from a hat. The second show was an X-Division spotlight show. Future shows will include an all Knockouts show, a return of the ECW Hardcore Justice concept (this one I’m really not excited about as I think it’s time to let ECW rest in peace) and a return of the World Cup tournament, which was a staple in TNA’s early days. The taped pay per views will carry a price tag of only $14.99. If I were a cynical, jaded wrestling fan, I’d think someone within TNA finally replaced the 1997 calendar hanging in the office with one for 2013.

On a serious note, with the changes I’ve seen in TNA over the past year, I hope fans will finally let go of their preconceived bias against TNA and give them a new fresh look. A few weeks ago we unveiled the winners of the Centies Awards. We didn’t do a promotion of the year, but if we had, TNA would have been my pick. I have been impressed with their focus on more long-term storytelling as well as starting to let homegrown (or at least non-WWE made) stars shine. Not saying they’re perfect and there is still some room for growth, but compared to the first 9 years of TNA, it seems they’re finally starting to give the fans what they want to see in an alternative to WWE.

Samoa Joe in action
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

I hope the move to only four major pay per views will help strengthen storylines and TNA builds the shows as must see events. I have been saying for at least the last five years there are too many pay per views. With monthly shows, a lot of matches get thrown on at the last minute with no build as a way to fill out the show and there are usually rematches on several shows which, as a fan I hate paying to see the same matches over and over. Even though I applaud the decision to cut back on pay per views, there is one change I hope to see coincide with less shows.

BETTER USE OF THE ROSTER

One of my biggest complaints with the current mainstream wrestling product is the same wrestlers are on TV usually going through the same motions week after week. Part of the reason is because when you’re building to a pay per view in 3-4 weeks, the wrestlers facing each other have to be focused in order to try and sell the show. Now that TNA will have 8, 13, and 18 weeks between pay per views; this should give them time to showcase more than the top 10 guys and the latest challengers to the secondary titles.

At the tapings for the Jokers Wild Tag Tournament and X-Division shows, several talents that hadn’t been on TV for months were used. Hopefully this is a sign that we may see some new/old talents appear on Impact in the coming months. One issue I find to be hindering the major wrestling promotions these days is the hierarchy of talent. It seems there are Main Eventers and then everyone else. TNA has the chance now to really establish the stars of tomorrow. Will they utilize this opportunity or will we continue to get the same old same old from week to week?

Chad & the Hogans
Photo by My 1-2-3 Cents

TNA isn’t perfect but they have been making strides to be better. Sure I’d like to see the Bully Ray/Brooke Hogan relationship angle quietly fade away and never be mentioned again. That is only one aspect of the company though. There is far more good than bad on a normal episode of Impact. I am curious to see where they go this year and have the feeling if I end up going to Bound For Glory again this year as I am planning, I will walk out of the show feeling it was a better show than Wrestlemania. That’s a big statement, I know. Given the direction WWE and TNA are headed though, I feel I can safely make the statement without having to worry about eating my words. We’ll find out in October.

What do you think of TNA’s decision to cut back on the number of live pay per views? Does the decision make you more likely to check out a pay per view? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

5 Things That MUST Happen in 2013

PAC vs. El Generico
AAPW Main Event
Photo courtesy: Wilkey Photography

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

2012 was a great year for me personally in the world of professional wrestling.  I had my first (and last match), got to see the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania live in person, and experienced my first two live Chikara shows.

So I've decided to share 5 things that I think need to happen in 2013.  I'm basing my thoughts on the promotions that I regularly watch WWE, Chikara, TNA, and Pro Wrestling Collision.  I was going to include ROH, but I've literally seen one show this year (a live event in Chicago)

Adrian Neville
Photo courtesy: WWE

Adrian Neville needs to make his main roster debut.  For those who don't know him, Adrian Neville is the wrestler formerly known as PAC, and quite honestly one of the hottest prospects in the business.  It was about a year ago that PAC was first brought to my attention.  He and El Generico had been signed to wrestle at AAPW Main Event in January.  Since I would be calling the match I needed to do some research and of course turned to YouTube.  What I saw then amazed me.  Watching him work his magic in person was even more incredible.  In addition to his match against Generico, I was able to see PAC wrestle Low Ki at a Dragon Gate USA show in Miami.

It wasn't long after that I learned that PAC had been signed by WWE.  He's toiling away now in developmental, but with Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Big E Langston all being called to the main roster, I'd like to think that others will follow suit in 2013.  There is a lot of talent in NXT, but in my opinion, Neville tops the list.  I know he's new there and the chances of him moving up that quickly may be unrealistic, but with a resume like his, I feel he deserves a spot on the main roster, but I hope he doesn't get moved up and then lost in the shuffle.  Timing will be everything in 2013.

Mr. Touchdown & me
Photo by: My 1-2-3 Cents

Mr. Touchdown needs a shot against Chikara Grand Champion Eddie Kingston.  No doubt about it, 2012 was the year of Mr. Touchdown.  Mark Angelosetti made his debut as the cocky jock in Chikara earlier this year.  He and Dasher Hatfield formed an impressive team as the new Throwbacks.  Then he won the Young Lions Cup championship and had some amazing matches with ACH.  Outside of Chikara, Mr. Touchdown won the Top Banana title in Wrestling is Fun.  He also forced Mixed Martial Archie out of the Chikara and destroyed the mascot of the Handsome and Mysterious Stranger.

It seems that the next logical step would be a shot at the grand championship.  Don't get me wrong, Kingston has had an outstanding year too, holding the title since the end of 2011 when it was created.  Angelosetti has earned a shot at the big belt.  It seems right now he's still tying up the loose ends from the feud with Archie and Veronica.  I'll be curious what happens in the first couple of months of Chikara's new season in a couple of weeks.  Hopefully before the year's end, Touchdown will have at least earned a shot at Kingston.

ODB & Eric Young as Knockouts Tag Team Champs
Photo courtesy: TNA

TNA needs to do away with the Knockouts Tag Team titles.  I'll admit, I don't watch a whole lot of TNA at this point, but seriously the Knockouts Tag Team titles lost their luster a long time ago.  A company the size (and TV exposure) of TNA doesn't need six champions.  I'm not knocking female wrestling with this either, but really adding Eric Young into the championship picture in my opinion made the belts a laughing stock.  If TNA was serious about intergender wrestling, then I could get behind this idea.  It's something that's being done on the indy scene on a pretty regular basis, so it's not unheard of to do.

Bull Bronson vs. Justice
AAPW Summer Chaos
Photo courtesy: Bullbronson.com

Bull Bronson needs a shot at the Pro Wrestling Collision title.  Pro Wrestling Collision makes its debut on January 19, and already I'm calling for Bull Bronson to have his spot in the sun.  In All American Pro Wrestling, Bronson was the company's most dominate performer.  He went through everyone he faced, even in handicap matches.  He took out big names like Farmer Billy Hills, Justice, and the wildly popular (and larger) Mississippi Madman.  The next step for Bronson would be a title match.  He has an open challenge set for the January 19 inaugural show, so I'll be curious to see who's brave enough to step up to the plate.

Besides all the competition he's mowed over in AAPW, Bronson made it to the finals of the 7 Deadly Sins Deathmatch Tournament in Chaos Pro Wrestling.  Seeing the pictures from that event proved to me that Bronson is without a doubt a legit bad ass, but really I already knew that.  Bull is also a former NWA Midsouth Heavyweight champion as well.  2013 looks to be a promising year for this still rising star.

Christian Rose & Matt Cage
Photo courtesy: Jason Wilkey

Indy guys need to be recognized more for their efforts.  This is more of a blanket statement. I think 2012 proved that the rising stars on the indy scene have a place with the big boys.  Heath Hatton and Ace Hawkins appeared on WWE Extreme Rules as Jay Hatton and Aaron Relic in a squash with Ryback.  Sure, it was a squash match, but it meant a lot to these guys and their fans to have their names in the spotlight briefly.

I want more indy talent to get a shot on the national scene.  Besides Hatton and Hawkins, guys like Matt Cage, Christian Rose, Brandon Espinosa, Joey O'Riley, Bull Bronson, Alex Castle, The Great Cheyenne, and Angelus Layne all deserve a chance to shine on the national stage.  As Chikara continues to grow in popularity, I'm hoping some of these guys can find a place with the company.  Of course as more NXT guys get called up to the main WWE roster, it'll create openings there as well.  Indy wrestling is the lifeline for the national scene.  It's time for all of us to start supporting these men and women more often.



 

Boo: Divas in Disguise

Divas costume party...

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger on Twitter

Since the WWE started introducing us to the Divas division years ago, the ladies of the ring have been dressing up for various holidays.  We've seen them dressed as elves around Christmas, Pilgrims at Thanksgiving, and various sexy figures for Halloween.

So, instead of writing a lot today, I'm going to borrow some photos from the WWE and TNA and show some of the Diva Halloween celebrations through the years.  Ladies who read this blog, if you're offended, I'm sorry...

Melina as Spiderwoman 

So Cal Val as Jessica Rabbit

Various Divas

Velvet Sky as Rambo

Eve as a Ninja Turtle

Kelly Kelly through the years

Trish Stratus as Wonder Woman

In This Corner...

Escorting Velvet Sky to the ring (photo from SI Miners)

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a wrestling manager.  I knew that I would never be able to cut it as a wrestler.  I don't have the athleticism or physique to get in the ring and perform.

I've had a couple of opportunities in recent years to ring announce, ref, and even do some color commentary.  On June 10, I got the ultimate opportunity.  I was in the corner of TNA Impact Wrestling Knockout Velvet Sky.  Although it was a brief experience, it's one I'll never forget.

Let me start from the beginning.  A couple of months ago, TNA announced plans to hold a Basebrawl event at Rent One Park (home of the Southern Illinois Miners, in the Frontier baseball league)  As soon as the show was announced, I made contact with the folks at Rent One about getting a TNA star on the morning show I anchor.  In the past I've interviewed Billy Gunn live on the air, as well as Sid Vicious and Jerry Lawler on the phone.

D'Lo Brown in the house!

It wasn't until Wednesday that I found out who would be coming in.  It was D'Lo Brown, a former star in both TNA and the WWE.  Now he is an agent for TNA.  I've got to tell you, D'Lo was absolutely awesome.  We spoke briefly before the show and he was really cool.  I think sometimes wrestlers are leery about doing media interviews, but they are pleasantly surprised to learn the guy doing the interview is a die hard wrestling fan.

I know the product, and I think that helps make them comfortable.  Plus, I'm not going to ask silly questions or act like a mark.  At least I try not to!  D'Lo did great and told me to look him up at the stadium that night.   I had won a local radio contest to get the shot at being a manager.  D'Lo let me pick who I would manage, and I went with his suggestion of Velvet.

I made a video for the contest to get the chance to be a manager for the night.  My Facebook friends wanted me to head to the ring as Professor Wrestlestein.  But once I got to the show, I was asked not to dress up.  They didn't want me taking any attention away from Velvet, Angelina Love or Winter.  I was cool with that, but somewhat disappointed.  But it was their show, I was just there as a guest.

Our match was the second, and I waited in the "backstage" area on the field before the show started.  Cookie, Robbie E., and Eric Young kicked off the event.  I got to meet Dave (or Earl) Hebner as I waited for the ladies to show up.  D'Lo arrived with them on a golf cart and introduced me to Velvet.  He explained to her that I was a local news anchor and she started to tell me what I needed to do out there.  D'Lo interrupted and told Velvet I was a big time wrestling fan.  I think that put Velvet a bit more at ease too.  But honestly, my heart was pumping and I was so nervous.  I just didn't want to look like a tool in front of a crowd that big.  It's different than looking like a tool on the news, because those people aren't there yelling at me in person.

Hello!

We ran through the inflatable dome together and I walked around the ring as Velvet did her provocative entrance.  The fans ate it up.  And I'm not bragging here, but there were some loud "Kevin Hunsperger" chants from the front row.  Of course it was a group of guys from the AAPW group here in southern Illinois.  Other viewers of our morning show were also calling my name.  That was a great feeling, despite the fact that I felt I looked very lame out there.

This was the write up from the PW Insider on the match: ‎"Velvet Sky w/ Kevin Hunsperger defeated Angelina Love w/ Winter. Kevin won the "Be a Manager" contest from ESPN Radio. He's an anchor for WSIL TV. The ringside fans seemed more interested in chanting for Kevin, as he's a well known personality, at least in the section I was at. I believe the ending saw a failed interference attempt form Winter, which led to Velvet rolling Angelina up for the win."

Keeping Winter at bay (photo by Jim Olsen)

Basically all I did was go after Winter when she attacked Velvet.  Of course there was no contact made, as I was the baby face and baby face guys don't hit women.  I also played the role of cheer leader, pounding on the mat and starting a "Let's Go Velvet!" chant when my gal was down.  After she picked up the win, we went back stage and did an interview with the local ESPN station.  Again, it was surreal experience, and something I have always dreamed of.

I went back to my seat with the rest of the My 1-2-3 Cents posse.  My friends crack me up as they were taunting and yelling at the guys in the ring.  They even had a "We Hate Kevin" chant.  Gotta love friends.  Chad and I had a chance to go back stage again and meet several stars and get pictures taken.  Other than managing Velvet, my other highlight was getting in the ring after the show with Kurt Angle and having a picture taken.

Representin' the 3 I's...

I know in the past we've taken shots at TNA and the management of the company.  I will say this about Friday's show.  They make the evening as fan friendly as possible.  Considering this was a house show, they had a lot of meet and greets and chances for fans to get up close and personal with the stars.  The only time I've seen anything like that with the WWE was at Wrestlemania Axxess, which costs a heck of a lot more than the TNA event.

This is the tip of the iceberg, I'll do a video response a bit later.  Thanks for reading.  Check out all the photos from Friday night on My 1-2-3 Cents on Facebook.  Follow us on Twitter.  And subscribe to the YouTube channel.