What could be better than pro wrestling…? More pro wrestling. On December 1st, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling announced a major TV deal. The number three wrestling promotion behind World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has agreed to an estimated $30 million media deal with AMC.
The deal will move TNA’s flagship program, “iMPACT!,” to AMC on Thursday, January 15th. Previously iMPACT! spent its Thursday nights on AXS TV. A 9-11 pm EST time slot is reserved for TNA on both AMC and AMC+. This is a huge step for the wrestling company, as they try to regain their former runner-up spot to WWE; something they lost when AEW was formed in 2019, and TNA lost their previous major TV deal.
iMPACT!
The TNA flagship, iMPACT! has a storied television history. Over the past 22 years, the show has flipped channels more times than a bored couch potato. In 2004, the show debuted on Fox Sports Net before jumping over to SpikeTV, where it resided for the next nine years.
In 2015, TNA hopped in the RV and hit the road on Destination America before going to Pop TV a year later. In 2019, the Pursuit Channel was the temporary home before AXS TV gained access to TNA television… Now iMPACT! is on the move again, but this time with potentially the most viewership potential.
TNA/NXT Partnership
After a rebrand from TNA to iMPACT! Wrestling and back to TNA, and a successful partnership with WWE’s developmental promotion, NXT, TNA saw new life and attracted new fans. Through this television deal, WWE may choose to dissolve its partnership. Despite the uncertain future of the inter-promotion pact, reports from both companies state that their working partnership will continue. This is good news for AMC, as it would mean that WWE’s popularity will spill onto their screen and attract new viewers to their network.
The TNA/NXT relationship has produced some great dream matches and boosted both companies’ mainstream exposure, and reunited WWE fans with familiar faces like Nic Nemeth (formerly WWE’s Dolph Ziggler) and the Hardy Boyz, who are former WWE champions. The deal also opened the door for WWE to poach TNA talents, Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry.
Off the Top Rope
Despite the success of the inter-promotional talent swapping, people still speculate that the media rights deal has built some animosity between the two companies. WWE has a 60-day out clause to get out of the deal if they see fit. However, TNA kept WWE in the loop throughout the negotiations of the deal.
The cooperation between the two was pivotal in helping TNA land its AMC media deal. WWE’s parent company, TKO, even helped TNA launch its own streaming service, TNA+, last year. WWE, for the time being, appears to see the value in helping TNA become more successful by building the business through creating competition.
Earlier this year, WWE signed a major media deal of its own when it reached an agreement with sports heavyweight ESPN to air the promotion’s premium live events. Last year, WWE inked an agreement to broadcast its popular weekly program, Monday Night RAW, with streaming giant Netflix. Now under the influence of WWE, TNA has landed a big-time media deal of its own.
Shortly after the working partnership with WWE, TNA was open about searching for a main network television deal. Rumors swirled around networks with ties to WWE. The CW was rumored to be the most popular destination for TNA due to its involvement with NXT programming.
However, AMC was waiting in the wings from day one; it wasn’t until the eleventh hour that they were mentioned as a potential suitor. Despite never airing wrestling, AMC has a history of airing some of the best shows in television history. Shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead put AMC on the map as a television powerhouse.
What’s Next…
The new year kicks off with a fresh start for TNA. The first iMPACT! under the AMC banner will air on January 15th. The most intriguing part of the deal is the open possibility for television expansion under the AMC umbrella. AMC is the parent company of popular networks, IFC, BBC America, and AcornTV.
While the current deal only includes AMC and AMC+, TNA President Carlos Silva is excited and confident about the opportunities the deal may offer for future TNA programming. TNA and AMC are primed and ready to make an impact on pro wrestling television.
