Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
As we've reported in PWInsider's Elite section (which you can subscribe to at this link) over the last several weeks, it is believed that her mention of Spike on social media may have been something of a red herring to distract from TNA's other potential TV deals that are currently in discussions. The word we have gotten from multiple Spike sources is that the idea of TNA returning to the network is highly unlikely. The network has flirted with the idea of having wrestling programming again from time to time but never with TNA and not as a weekly series.
The two networks that keep coming up in conversations among sources that we have spoken with are WGN America and POP TV (aka the former TV Guide Channel). TNA and WGN were in discussions before TNA signed with Discovery's Destination America. WGN had been a strong suitor at that point but had wanted TNA to wait until the Spring of 2015 to return to the air after leaving Spike, something TNA did not feel comfortable doing.
POP TV already airs Paragon Pro Wrestling out of Las Vegas in an early morning weekend timeslot. One version of the TNA-POP story that is making the rounds is that TNA would pay for the timeslot and then make money back via selling advertisers to the show, similar to what WWE did with Smackdown during its early years on the UPN Network. POP-TV is headquartered in Los Angeles.
If either WGN America or POP TV turn out to be TNA's new home, an immediate positive will be that TNA would be available in far more homes than Destination America and in many cases, on a basic cable tier, as opposed to a second tier subscription only tier (where DA is located on some cable systems).
It should be noted that LA is also where UTA, which represents TNA for TV discussions, are headqaurtered.
TNA is expected to exit Destination America in early 2016. Sources within the company have claimed that while getting a new domestic deal is a priority, the renewals of several international deals, including the UK and India, will leave the company in a better position in 2016 and even the loss of a domestic deal would not be the death blow many are assuming.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
