The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has a section looking at the current morale of the TNA locker room, and once again it's not good news.

The roster was said to be in good spirits after a successful UK Tour, with several new signings, huge international crowds and Samoa Joe giving a pep talk to a bus full of Impact stars. However, following lackluster attendance for their recent Lockdown PPV, despite the show taking place in a large Miami market, faith in TNA President Dixie Carter and John Gaburick is low. So much so that "a lot of people in the company are outwardly rooting for Jeff Jarrett" in his endeavor to launch a new wrestling promotion.

A lot of the concern backstage seems to be over creative decisions, with Austin Aries' recent heel turn going largely unnoticed, the tag team title swap being run at live events and totally overlooked on television, and how The Wolves have been handled so far. Long-time veteran Chris Daniels has a contract expiring soon, and many expect the situation to be similar to AJ Styles, where Daniels would have to take a significant pay cut to stay on the roster.

Another concern is that many believe Vince Russo is working with the company on the creative end, but that the wrestlers aren't being told about it. The situation draws parallels with the last few years of WCW, where things were being done in secret, and very few people know what is actually going on with the company's creative department.

The Observer also mentions that Kurt Angle is likely working out a new deal with TNA right now, and that he could be a top contender to show up in Jeff Jarrett's promotion once it launches, if the two sides don't come to an agreement. For what it's worth, Angle has also been telling people that he would like to end his career in WWE, and if a window still exists for that to happen, it's likely closing pretty quickly as Angle approaches 50.

It's a shame that they draw great crowds in the UK, but here in the states its borderline backyard wrestling level turn out. The attendance for Lockdown was ABYSMAL. The boys in the back should definitely have more fans to work for on a freaking PPV.

They should just MOVE to the UK.

^
Nope.

And this morale thing has been exaggerated for years...but TNA need to fucking figure out that if they don't ADVERTISE then people WON'T BUY TICKETS. Plus they announced arenas a couple of months in advance, which is just shit for people to plan anything <_<

I dont know how exaggerated it is when you're coming off a great tour and feeling like the company is turning it around...only to come home and see that the US crowds dont care about your product.

Well TNA doesn't get anyone excited because they go shit booking. They had a huge spike in TV ratings when Hogan came in but of course they're TNA so the show was shit and they wen't back to getting the 1.0 ratings.

Hopefully Jarrett does make his promotion so there's more places to go then WWE.

The morale isn't exaggerated. I have been to two TNA shows in under a year and its semi-depressing just being in the audience, let alone honing my craft to said semi-depressed crowd. Be a realist about the situation. If you were working a job that you depend on and see it drowning, you would be happy or apathetic to the situation? No. Your morale would be something that would flux from day-to-day.


I think it's naive to say it's exaggerated. None of us are on the payroll for TNA, work in the backstage, or wrestle for them. No one is any place to say its exaggerated that morale is low. To have the opinion that "I HOPE... its not as bad as it seems" is different -- it is more realistic to opinionize in that way than to flat out say the situation is exaggerated. I get the opinion Chilly represents, but its not realistic IMO. If anything it seems like that very opinion is the reason they are in the very spot they are in.

Joe - "This is exaggerated, we're not going anywhere, and we are not going anywhere"

*Angle, Sting, Daniels, half the knockouts and Prichard leaves" (i realize Angle is not gone yet)

Hmmmm, yeah..... Not going anywhere, Joe. :shrug: