State of TNA + Impact + PPV + Other Guff!

So Billy Corgan lost his court case for a restraining order against TNA. Dixie can now do what she wants with the company, preferably sell the fucking thing. Corgan has to have his $1.8m loan repaid today, if it isn't he can turn that into 36% ownership in the company.

Mike Bennett tweeted about the news:

Welp,back to bad business as usual ?

The rumour is that the company will be sold to Anthem who runs the Fight Network in Canada, Aeroluxe will have a percentage. Then Dixie will keep a small percentage and have a self-important title to keep her ego in check.

TNA have lost their UK TV deal now, which will be a huge blow for them as apparently they make good money from the deal. So unless TNA can come up with a company to mug off over here, they'll lose their whole UK fan base. Funnily, they're trying to blame it on spoilers and how fans don't want to wait 3 days to watch the show over here. 3 days. Not like most TV shows where we're waiting months. 3 bloody days. I highly doubt that that is a problem for people.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment and Impact Ventures Announce Credit Relationship

Toronto, Canada (November 3, 2016) – Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. and Impact Ventures, parent company of TNA Impact Wrestling, today announced that Anthem has provided a credit facility to TNA to fund operations.

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. is a global sports media company that operates Fight Network, Impact Wrestling’s exclusive broadcaster in Canada, as well as the exclusive worldwide digital streaming partner for all TNA programming. It is also an equity stakeholder of Impact Ventures.

The agreement includes the appointment of Anthem Executive Vice President Ed Nordholm to the Impact Ventures Board of Managers. The company will be managed by the Board with Mr. Nordholm representing the Board on all major operating and restructuring decisions. Dixie Carter will continue as Chair of the Company, as well as her position on the Board of Managers. Billy Corgan is no longer with the company.

“We have had a successful, long-term partnership with Fight Network as our Canadian broadcaster, and more recently as our global digital partner,” said Dixie Carter. “Anthem’s team has extensive media experience, and I am excited to have that available to us as we plan for the future.”

“We have consistently maintained that investing in content as we grow our distribution is important as a strategic necessity, and working more closely with a strong brand like TNA is in line with that. This financing is an extension of the support we have been providing since the beginning of the year,” said Leonard Asper, CEO of Anthem. “There are tremendous opportunities to support the company’s growth on all platforms and in all media along side Dixie and the incredible talent and staff at TNA.”

Well that's the end of Corgan.

Awful news about Dixie as well. "Dixie Carter will continue as Chair of the Company, as well as her position on the Board of Managers". Really? She's proven time and time again that she doesn't know how to run the place. I really don't understand how anyone would finance or buy the place, whilst still keeping her in place. You'd think her leaving would be one of the conditions. I was hopeful of TNA's future in recent months... not anymore. They might last a bit longer, but with Dixie in charge it won't be good.

Best comment I've seen online sums it up perfectly.

TNA is the Jason Voorhees of wrestling. It's died 100 deaths, and after the 50th, we all started saying "oh come on, just stay down, you're embarrassing yourself now", yet still, he sits up and continues on.

Things just keep getting better and better.. lmao! They should make this a soap opera or something.

So Dixie has finally gone form TNA. She's been given some marketing role in Anthem Sports for brand awareness.

Tonight's live Impact already has 2 surprises. Jeff Jarrett & Dutch Mantell are backstage and are running the show.

So Impact Wrestling has a new logo. I think it looks shit.

The Blue Blazer bird is in Anthem's logo. They've splashed it all over TNA's logo and put Anthem underneath so we know they own TNA now. Someone should tell Dixie because she's still promoting TNA on her twitter handle @TNADIXIE

Also UK'ers you can get your TNA fix from their download app Total Access TNA. It used to be free to watch on TV but now its £4.99 a month.

According to PWInsider.com, the case of Audience of One Productions, LLC against Impact Wrestling, has been settled.

AO1 was suing Impact Wrestling, Aroluxe, LLC, Ron Harris, and Impact Wrestling CFO Dean Broadhead, alleging that “Harris made false assurances to [AO1] that TNA would make payments that it never intended to make.” The lawsuit also alleged that The Harris brothers “[took] steps to prevent further payment from TNA.”

The PWInsider report notes Impact Wrestling admitted the company breached their contract, and also admitted to stoping payment to AO1 after the first installment and failing to pay the balance.

The initial agreement between AO1 and Impact Wrestling was for AO1 to become the lead production company for Impact Wrestling, after their first produced event, which was the 2015 Bound for Glory PPV. After the event, AO1 expected to spearhead wrestling events, audio/visual broadcasting work, set construction and breakdown, and lighting. The expectation ceased when Impact failed to uphold its end of the deal.

Impact Wrestling CFO Dean Broadhead reportedly sent an email to AO1 assuring them that a zero balance would eventually be reached, and noting the following:

“We are planning to go back into Universal Studios in 2016 and get back on the right track with our production. Please, please hang in there with us. We will come out of these difficult times in a much better position as a company and a partner.”

The Harris Brothers were recused of paying any of the judgment, as they were not directly involved in the situation, and Impact Wrestling and Dean Broadhead will be responsible for paying the judgment of $223,000 plus interest. It should also be noted that the lawsuit was filed prior to Anthem Sports and Entertainment becoming Impact Wrestling’s new parent company.

As noted, after Slammiversary went off the air this past Sunday night, Alberto El Patron cut a promo bashing WWE, saying him and Bobby Lashley left WWE because they are not “sports entertainers”, they are “wrestlers”. He also said WWE is full of “losers”.

According to a live correspondent in attendance for last night’s Impact Wrestling tapings, after the tapings concluded, El Patron grabbed a mic and attempted to cut another promo on WWE. He said something along the lines of “that company in Stamford”, then talked about his lawyer questioning his decision to rip WWE publicly as he lost enough money in his most recent divorce. At that point, production reportedly cranked El Patron’s music up real high, drowning out the rest of his promo.

Patron reportedly attempted to shout over the music, saying he can scream louder than the music is playing, but he eventually gave up on the promo attempt.

Good for them trying to stop it. Alberto is going a little crazy about this Ani WWE stuff. We get it, you don't like them.

GFW is reporting James Storm suffered a “grade 3” concussion after Slammiversary this past Sunday night, and as a result is being kept out of action. It’s unknown if this is simply story line related, but it’s worth noting Storm has not appeared at this week’s Impact TV tapings:

He should pick one. I would have thought that they had different training regimes and at some point would get in the way of each other. Always thought that it's got to be hard enough trying to do the two things. I mean for MMA it can be almost full time training for months. You turn up to wrestling after working out and training like a beast and get injured because, then the MMA match is delayed or you end up with less training for the fight because you've spent most of the time recovering. Should be one or the other. Fans deserve someone who's committed, and you can't be fully comitted to either when you have to concentrate on the other as well.

I don't know what it is with Lashley, but I've always had a hard time taking him seriously. The guy looks like a beast from the neck down. I think it's his face. He has the face of someone that would be nice and soft and wouldn't hurt anyone. Then you look down a bit and think, "nope, those arms could literally tear me in half after he's bench pressed me 1000 times". Then you look back up at his face and think "nah, look at him. Big softy."

GFW Knockout, creative team member and wife of Josh Mathews, Madison Rayne, appears to be finished with GFW.

Following Slammiversary, GFW updated the roster section of ImpactWrestling.com, and Rayne had been removed. Rayne’s profile page has also been removed from the site, and she is not listed in the Alumni section. Rayne, a 5 time Knockouts Champion, signed with TNA/GFW back in 2009.

Rayne had been largely finished with her in-ring duties in GFW, as she has wrestled only once for the company in 2017, and that was back in January in a match taped for a One Night Only PPV. Rayne had been a member of the creative team prior to the Anthem regime taking over TNA, and it’s unclear whether or not she remained a member of the team in the Anthem era. Most recently she had been co-hosting the “With This Ring…” show with her husband, Josh Mathews

Never was a fan of Madison Rayne really anyways. I always thought she was boring and generic. No idea why GFW/TNA/Impact liked her so much. She was given so many title reigns...

GFW is again on the rise. Setting a new ratings record for themselves. All the signs show to growth and progress! Keep this going!

According to ShowBuzzDaily.com, this week’s edition of GFW Impact averaged 374,000 viewers. This is up 8.4% from last week’s 345,000 viewership average and is another new record for 2017.

This week’s GFW Impact, which was headlined by Alberto El Patron and Bobby Lashley defeating LAX, ranked #99 on the Cable Top 150 this week, up from last week’s #107 spot.