TNA to offer PPV caliber show on Aug. 12 Impact

With Hardcore Justice taking on an ECW nostalgia theme, TNA has announced that Aug. 12th’s Impact will feature matches originally slated for the Aug. 8th pay per view, including Rob Van Dam defending his TNA World Heavyweight Title against Abyss.

Given TNA’s reported PPV buyrates as of late, this is actually a great idea – something TNA has had few of, lately.

The nostalgia ECW-style show may spike a buyrate. It may bring in new fans, too. People love ECW. I don’t care that it folded 10 years ago, it was a company that had a following and people genuinely cared  about.

It’s probably the only company in history to still be drawing sellouts or near sellouts when it filed for bankruptcy.

So bringing that back works. It worked when WWE held One Night Stand and it will work for TNA.

People still want to see ECW, and until it dries up, there is no need to stop going to that well.

Back to TNA’s buyrates being in the toilet – if you offer a “free PPV” on Spike, it has to be done correctly. No stupid backstage segments. No interviews that go nowhere and mean nothing. Run a PPV show – matches, matches, matches.

This is wrestling, isn’t it? It’s all about the matches.

Give guys 20 minutes.

It’d be great if Spike gave TNA a third hour to incorporate more time.

Make sure the commercial breaks fall in the middle of matches – make fans want to come back and don’t waste any time. Going to a break after a match means the action stops – make sure the action doesn’t stop.

Also, give the fans some surprises. Has Van Dam as World Champion run its course? I’m not sure Abyss is the right guy for the strap, but maybe you pull a swerve. Once in a while, swerves are OK – when you get six a show, they get old and don’t mean as much.

But TNA has a pretty big opportunity here. Show the fans that aren’t buying the pay per views what they’re missing. Make them want to buy. Generate some dollars.