Stevie Richards isnt holding back when it comes to TNAs big relaunch on AMC and hes got serious questions about how the company timed its debut.
Appearing on The Stevie Richards Show, the former ECW and WWE veteran also known as Dr. Stevie in TNA ripped into the companys decision to premiere Thursday Night iMPACT on January 15 and then immediately follow it with the Genesis pay-per-view on January 17.
According to Richards, the back-to-back rollout gave fans no time to get emotionally hooked. Instead of building anticipation with episodic storytelling, TNA rushed viewers straight into a pay-per-view ask something he says just doesnt work in todays wrestling market.
But with only a three-day gap between the AMC debut and the PPV, Richards believes fans had little incentive to shell out money especially when the build-up lacked depth.
His most damning critique? The idea that TNA may have already given away the payoff before asking fans to pay for it.
TNAs debut on AMC drew just under 175,000 viewers, with the Genesis fallout episode still awaiting final numbers. Whether the company adjusts its strategy going forward remains to be seen.
Stevie Richards isnt saying TNA cant succeed but hes making it clear that good storytelling takes time. For a relaunch to truly work, the company needs to hook viewers emotionally before asking for their money. Right now, he thinks theyre putting the cart before the horse.
