Report: Major Uncertainty Over The Future Of TNA

Partial Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

UPDATE x 3: We reported earlier that Dixie Carter told TNA talent recently that she expects the company to have a new TV deal in place to begin January 7th, the first Wednesday after the current Spike TV deal ends. However, many backstage in TNA continue to view TNA’s future as filled with uncertainty.

While it looks like TNA will continue to operate next year, it remains to be seen if it will operate at its current level, or more like a top-level indy company. TNA’s new TV deal is likely to dramatically alter their budget (Spike TV was helping TNA pay for many top name talent over the past few years).

Current top talent including Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, Samoa Joe, Austin Aries, and Gail Kim have their TNA deals either about to expire or already expired, and have either not been offered a new deal or have been offered minimal, short-term deals. This is being viewed as a sign that TNA may not have the budget to sign bigger names to long-term, more lucrative deals, even if/when they do finalize their new TV deal.

UPDATE x 2: As we reported yesterday here on the website, TNA President Dixie Carter reportedly held a meeting with TNA talent backstage at the iMPACTT! Wrestling television tapings in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, informing them that the company will be announcing a new television deal that will see the company air a show on January 7th, which would be the first Wednesday after their deal with Spike TV expires.

According to television industry sources, TNA has likely not signed an official deal with anyone as of yet, however they are allegedly in “serious talks” to do so at this point. The belief is that TNA will actually sign an official deal and one that will see the company remain on television on Wednesday nights.

If everything goes as planned, TNA will be holding a live television taping from the Manhattan Center in New York City, New York on January 7th.

As far as which network TNA will move to once their deal with Spike TV expires, as noted in the past, WGN America and Velocity are two names that are being discussed, along with an additional option that is not an actual cable station.

In addition to those three options, the fourth is believed to be CMT. Eric Bischoff and Jason Hervey of “Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment,” who has worked with TNA closely in the past, teased something with WGN on Wednesday via social media.

UPDATE: Dixie Carter addressed the TNA talent during the last set of TV tapings in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The wrestlers were reportedly told that TNA will have a new TV home in January. The company will run iMPACT! on Spike TV through the rest of 2014.

While not confirmed, the feeling at this time is that the TV deal could be announced this week. The company may opt to hold off and announce the deal closer to the Bound for Glory PPV. The network floating around as the company’s destination seems to be WGN America. Carter was in Chicago back on September 10th and some have speculated that she was negotiating with the Tribune Media Company. The Tribune Media Company owns WGN America, and is based out of Chicago.

ORIGINAL: It looks like TNA may announce a new network sometime this week. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the company may make the announcement of a new deal by the end of the week. The company has been in talks with four networks at this point, and Spike TV is not said to be one of them.

It’s important to note that all of this is unconfirmed obviously and we won’t know for sure until the announcement, but all indications seem to suggest an announcement coming soon. Previous reports had the company in discussions with the Velocity Network and WGN America.

FIXED LINK: It’s Official – TNA Signs New TV Deal [DETAILS HERE >>>]!