I have to admit that I am a regular fan inside the Impact Zone. I do not attend every show however, I attend as often as my schedule allows. Or as often as I feel like taking in a show! First off, most fans inside the Impact Zone do not get free admission. I know what the website says, it is bogus. Most fans inside the Impact Zone are ticket holders and annual pass holders. After relocating back to Florida in May, I decided to attend some shows thinking free admission. I found the "Free" admission area near the Blue Man Group. On three occasions, my family and a large line of people were turned away by Universal employees. I spoke to one employee who informed me that the paying customers get admission first. If there's room left over in the studio, a small group of people from this line - first come, first served - will get admission but not all the people will make it. That was only if there was room available after the paying customers were seated. So, don't believe the hype on free admission. I was actually in the front of the line on the last time that I was turned away! Each time that I went and stood in the free line- only to get turned away - cost me $16 for parking. So, there is nothing free there. I spent $48 in parking and saw no wrestling at all! Regardless of the hyped free admission, you have to pay for parking - which is nominal. So, after three times of being turned away, I broke down and bought an annual pass to Universal Studios for five people in my family. These passes cost $200 a year. I have no interest in theme parks so, my family pays $1000 a year to see TNA plus $5 each time for upgraded parking. So, believe me - there is nothing in life that is free - including TNA wrestling.
As for the tourists in the crowd, there are alot. This is a good thing for TNA. Whether you are VIP or regular admission, you stand in line for hours...baking in the heat and sun. That could account for a dead crowd at times, heat stroke! Anyhow, I take the time to talk to people standing in line. Most people will tell you that they have seen a WWE match but never TNA. Most people know some of the wrestlers and ask what to expect. There are a handful of people that have no clue at all. I have exchanged email addresses with people in line after talking for hours with them. Most people that I have kept in touch with from overseas has kept up with the program after seeing it in the Impact Zone. Look at the ratings in Europe and Australia! So, exposing the product to new consumers from all over the world at once is a great thing for TNA. One thing that most tourists like about the Impact Zone is that there is not a bad seat in the place and they are close to the ring. The close interaction with the wrestlers and other performers really appeal to them. After all, most casual wrestling fans going to WWE get nose bleed seats where the performers look like ants. Another point on the tourists is that most don't know that they can yell, jump up down or get crazy. They sit there like they are watching Shrek because they fear if they get rowdy, they might get in trouble. I share with them that they can get loud and rowdy. They often do when sitting near my family! I don't do things to disrupt the show however, I try to get the fans around me to get more involved and interactive. It looks better when you see it on television.
As for the regulars only wanting to get on television and not caring about the product, I stand in line with them and can tell you that is not the case. Most of them are very passionate about TNA. It is scary how passionate some can be! Yes, they like to be on television and jockey for "their" spots on the floor and in the bleachers. However, they are the first to purchase merchandise, make my space pages, hitt he website and share the news with others. They are usually the first to stalk the wrestlers at bars and hotels too. I refuse to partake of that! But, whatever makes them happy and helps the show go on - that is great.
As for Joe as champion, I was in the studio and will tell you that he had a great crowd response. The crowd gave him a nice pop. You lose alot in editting when you watch the television program. He had signs in the crowd. I noticed that alot of the atmosphere was lost in editting the show. You know who had a huge pop that was editted out? Petey Williams! That match was fabulous in person. The crowd reaction was good for Petey winning the belt since he did such a great job. That was all editted out. Petey stole the show and that was one of the best live matches that I had seen in a long time from TNA. It was lost in translation when I watched the replay on Thurs. There are things that happen in the matches that cannot be explained when you are watching live. The live crowd usually does not see the promos or hear the announcers expect for the ring annoucers. So, sometimes we are confused as to what is happening in the ring until we watch the show on Thursday and see the promos.
Lately, the Impact Zone has been playing loud music in the background in between matches. They have people in the ring that are talking. The crowd cannot hear anything that the person in the ring is saying. We grab a few words here and there. It is annoying to listen to loud, dance music. Alot of people in the bleachers were complaining about not hearing the ring announcers, we couldn't hear Joe talking after he made it to the ring, Matt Morgan's promo, JB - nothing at all due to the loud music. Steiner said on television that Joe's fans were rednecks which would have given him a great heel pop however, we did not hear his words and couldn't respond due to loud music. So, hopefully they will turn down the atmosphere music and let the fans hear the people in the ring. After awhile, the music was just annoying and people were talking about how annoying the music was and missing out on in-ring activity.
Taking the show on the road on a regular basis costs money. It is traveling expenses for the performers. I read someplace and can't confirm how true it is, TNA does not pay the wrestlers for traveling expenses. So, if that is true - I don't see many wrestlers wanting to travel each week with the cost of gasoline, with strict airline security - think about wrestler's props that travel with them. That could become interesting. I read someplace that Jim Cornette does not fly...that could become an issue in traveling for some guys. There is alot to taking a show on the road for production and making it presentable. In my opinion, I don't think that TNA is at that level yet to carry truckloads of production crews and equipment, pyro people and supplies, busloads of performers, etc... eventually - maybe. But, not now.
As for revamping the Impact Zone, I could see that as an option to improve the show. It has an industrial feel to the arena so, making it edgier like the old WSX set could be an option. They have added new lights that shine right into the bleachers and on the ring. I am still seeing spots from that!
So, they are addressing the lighting issues. The place is not that bad inside. So, it is not something that would need to be addressed immediately. I would prefer to see TNA spend the re-decorating money and traveling money on getting high-quality wrestlers, high-def television, special effects in matches, better entrances for the performers, better creative team members and making the general content of the show better before the re-decoration or travel becomes an issue. So, if I had to make a choice: I would say re-vamp before taking the show on the road. However, my re-vamping would not be just to the studio alone!
