TNA Wrestling, now known as Impact Wrestling, was founded in 2002 and has had a complex and often tumultuous history. The promotion has undergone various changes in ownership, creative direction, and television partners over the years, but it has managed to survive and evolve as a significant player in the professional wrestling world outside of WWE.
2002: Founding of TNA Wrestling
Formation: Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) was founded in May 2002 by Jeff Jarrett, a former WWE and WCW star, and his father Jerry Jarrett, a veteran wrestling promoter. The Jarretts wanted to create a new wrestling promotion after the WWF (now WWE) had bought and dissolved its main competitors, WCW (World Championship Wrestling) and ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling).
Concept and Early Vision: The Jarretts' initial concept for TNA was to offer weekly pay-per-view events as an alternative to traditional television programming. They believed the pay-per-view model would allow them to generate revenue directly from fans while building a new wrestling brand. The first show took place on June 19, 2002, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
NWA Affiliation: TNA quickly aligned itself with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and gained control of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Tag Team Championship. This affiliation gave TNA immediate legitimacy and a lineage that traced back to professional wrestling’s early days.
2002-2004: Early Struggles and Establishing a Roster
Weekly Pay-Per-View Model: TNA's original business model revolved around weekly pay-per-view events. However, the concept proved difficult to sustain due to high production costs and the challenge of building a consistent audience. The company struggled financially and relied heavily on talent who were either up-and-coming wrestlers or established stars who were no longer under contract with WWE.
Key Talent and Divisions: During its early years, TNA developed several unique aspects, including its X Division, a high-flying, fast-paced style that combined elements of cruiserweight wrestling with innovative, risk-taking moves. Stars like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Low Ki (Senshi), and Amazing Red became key figures in this division. Meanwhile, veterans like Ken Shamrock, Jeff Jarrett, and Raven provided star power.
Financial Backing and New Investors: To stabilize its finances, TNA attracted the investment of Panda Energy International, a Texas-based energy company. Panda Energy, led by its chairman Bob Carter and his daughter Dixie Carter, acquired a controlling interest in TNA in late 2002. Dixie Carter became TNA’s president, and Panda Energy's financial backing allowed the promotion to continue operating.
2004-2010: Expansion, Spike TV Deal, and the Rise of TNA
Move to Weekly Television and Pay-Per-View Events: In 2004, TNA moved away from its weekly pay-per-view model and began airing a weekly television show, "Impact!", on Fox Sports Net. However, the partnership with Fox Sports Net lasted only a year. In 2005, TNA struck a deal with Spike TV (later known as the Paramount Network) to air "Impact!" in a more favorable time slot. This gave TNA access to a larger audience and marked a turning point in its history.
Signature Pay-Per-Views: TNA established several recurring pay-per-view events, such as "Bound for Glory," "Lockdown," and "Slammiversary." These events featured marquee matches and drew significant attention. "Lockdown," in particular, was notable for having all its matches inside a steel cage, which became a unique selling point.
Key Signings and Main Event Stars: TNA continued to build its roster by signing former WWE and WCW stars like Kurt Angle, Christian Cage (Christian in WWE), Sting, Booker T, Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and Jeff Hardy. These signings brought more credibility to the promotion and helped attract new fans.
X Division and Tag Team Success: The X Division became a major focal point of TNA, producing several memorable matches and drawing praise from fans and critics alike. Tag teams like America's Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm), The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley), and Team 3D (formerly the Dudley Boyz in WWE) also played significant roles in defining TNA’s in-ring style.
2010-2013: Hogan-Bischoff Era and Creative Changes
Arrival of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff (2010): In January 2010, TNA announced the hiring of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, who had been instrumental in WCW’s success in the 1990s. This was a controversial move aimed at increasing TNA’s mainstream appeal and viewership. Under Hogan and Bischoff, TNA moved "Impact!" to Monday nights to compete directly with WWE’s "Monday Night Raw," but the experiment ended after a few months due to poor ratings.
Creative and Financial Struggles: The Hogan-Bischoff era saw numerous changes in creative direction, storylines, and talent. The period was marked by a mix of high-profile debuts (such as Ric Flair, Jeff Hardy, and Rob Van Dam) and controversial booking decisions. Despite some short-term gains, the company struggled to find a consistent direction, and the financial burden of paying big-name talent began to strain the organization.
Introduction of New Championships and Concepts: During this period, TNA introduced new concepts like the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, the Knockouts Division (focusing on women's wrestling), and matches such as the Bound for Glory Series and the King of the Mountain Match. These elements added diversity to the product but often created confusion and inconsistency in booking.
2013-2017: Financial Decline and Changing Ownership
Dixie Carter's Leadership and Financial Troubles (2013-2016): Under Dixie Carter's continued leadership, TNA faced mounting financial difficulties. The promotion lost its deal with Spike TV in 2014 and moved to Destination America and later Pop TV, both of which had significantly smaller audiences.
Budget Cuts and Talent Departures: To cope with financial issues, TNA began releasing talent and cutting production costs. Several key wrestlers, including AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, and Eric Young, departed from the promotion, further affecting its ability to draw viewership.
Billy Corgan’s Involvement (2015-2016): In 2015, Billy Corgan, the frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins and a longtime wrestling fan, joined TNA as a senior producer and later became the company president in 2016. Corgan sought to invest in the company and bring a fresh creative direction. However, his tenure was short-lived due to a legal dispute with Dixie Carter over ownership and financial control.
2017-Present: Rebranding to Impact Wrestling and Stabilization
Acquisition by Anthem Sports & Entertainment (2017): In early 2017, Canadian media company Anthem Sports & Entertainment acquired a majority stake in TNA, rebranding it as Impact Wrestling. Anthem sought to stabilize the company, cut unnecessary costs, and rebuild its reputation.
New Leadership and Management (2018-Present): Anthem appointed Ed Nordholm as Executive Vice President, while Scott D'Amore and Don Callis took over the day-to-day creative direction. Under this leadership, Impact focused on rebuilding its brand, improving production quality, and fostering partnerships with other promotions, including AEW, NJPW, AAA, and ROH.
Rise of New Talent and Storytelling Focus: Impact Wrestling shifted its focus to building homegrown talent, such as Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Moose, Rosemary, Jordynne Grace, and Tessa Blanchard. The company emphasized strong storytelling and unique matches, such as the cinematic "Broken Universe" storyline featuring Matt Hardy.
Partnerships and Cross-Promotion: Impact began collaborating with various wrestling promotions worldwide, participating in inter-promotional events and cross-promoting talents. This strategy helped raise the company's profile and introduced fresh talent and ideas.
Impact Wrestling Today: Impact Wrestling has continued to evolve, surviving in a competitive landscape by maintaining a distinctive product and building strong partnerships. It currently airs on AXS TV and streams on its own service, Impact Plus, showcasing a mix of veteran stars and emerging talent.
Legacy and Future of Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling has established itself as a resilient and adaptable promotion, successfully navigating numerous challenges over the past two decades. While it has faced financial instability, talent departures, and creative challenges, Impact Wrestling remains a key player in the global wrestling scene, continually reinventing itself and offering an alternative to WWE and other major promotions. Its future will likely involve continued partnerships, talent development, and innovative approaches to professional wrestling.
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