With a growing Knockouts division, two sets of titles and multiple storylines at the same time, a two-hour time slot shared with the men is beginning to become a little bit cramped. Thinking back to the early days of the Knockouts division in 2007, there is a reason why the feud between Awesome Kong and Gail Kim is so highly regarded — it had time to grow by receiving ample amounts of attention and spanned two pay per views. The feud and matches between the two helped put the Knockouts division on the map and showed the mass audience what women’s wrestling could be. Fast forward to present day and it seems to me that the feuds in the division are often half-baked and nothing more than a series of matches or run-ins or backstage attacks. Where’s the scripting and storyline gone? Should TNA just be given a pass because they have good matches?
With more Knockouts utilised than ever before, it’s a competition for screen time and usually the slots given to the women on Impact are fought over. Thus, a lot of the times you’ll see feuds rotate from week to week but this doesn’t seem to be working. Going back to that earlier example, Kim vs Kong, at the time it was the sole storyline for the Knockouts and was able to have consistent time and effort put into it. Perhaps today, the TNA writers are trying to do too much despite having too little time. Many times, feuds have just come out of no where and ended abruptly — Alissa Flash vs Hamada is one example. But even then, the bigger feuds such as Kong vs Tara if you think back, was nothing more than a series of run-ins and attacks with little explanation for the animosity between them, and no real dialogue or emotions being told in storyline.
The launch of a second set of titles means that the Knockouts are stretched pretty thin for the TV time and though they are made good use of on Impact, it just doesn’t seem to be doing them any favours in the long term.
With the Hulk Hogan era now underway, it seems the time devoted to the girls may decrease while the numbers within the division continue to expand as TNA is always on the lookout for new talent. Is it time for a Knockouts-only TV show?
The proposed Knockouts show has been discussed in the past in TNA but has never come to fruition. After contract discussions with Spike, the company is now allowed to option new shows to other networks which could allow TNA to create/market new shows rather than be limited to Spike. Coupled with the promising ratings for the New Year’s Knockout Eve show on December 31st, this seems like a good an opportunity as any to revisit the idea.
There’s upsides to be had for all parties concerned too. From a fan’s standpoint, a Knockouts-only show would give us more Knockouts action on a weekly basis without having time constraints like on Impact. Unlike WWE, it isn’t as though TNA considers the Knockouts an afterthought — we do get multiple feuds at the same time but they just aren’t accomodated enough. A one-hour weekly show would give those two to three feuds the time they need to develop from week-to-week and result in novel-like storylines with twists and turns that can engage the viewer. The other upside here is that we get longer matches of a higher caliber. Monday’s episode of Impact is proof that given the time, the Knockouts division can hit a home-run; imagine a fun 15 minute bout as a main event every week!
For TNA and whoever they partner with, preferably Spike, all they have to do is take a look at the ratings for New Year’s Knockout Eve and be encouraged. A 0.8 rating is just two tenths below what an average episode of Impact draws and bear in mind this was a women’s show, which hasn’t been done before and therefore is a risk, and also the episode aired on New Year’s Eve. Based on that, there’s a likelihood that a Knockouts show would draw the same amount of viewers as the New Year’s Eve show, perhaps even more. As the show wouldn’t be the mothership like Impact, it’s okay if it averages around a 0.8, though a 1.0 would be preferred.
As for ideas when the show could air, if Impact does indeed move to Monday nights at 8pm, I’d propose having a Knockouts show take it’s Thursday at 9pm slot, perhaps leading into a replay of Impact at 10. The slot has worked for TNA thus far and should Impact move to Mondays, why give it up? If the Monday move doesn’t occur, you could always have the show air after Impact at 11pm on Thursday nights — not ideal but an Impact lead-in would surely help.
As mentioned earlier, TNA is always looking for new talent and giving the girls their own one-hour show should prompt the company to seek more girls to flesh out their division — particularly the tag title picture, which is a plus in my book.
The only downside that I can think of would be the lack of Knockouts on the flagship Impact, though a Knockouts series doesn’t necessarily have to mean the end of girls on Impact. As the flagship show that is ‘competing’ with WWE, you’d want to have a little flavour of everything to combat the competition and the Knockouts should still be part of the show but perhaps in a lesser capacity with one short match every episode as seems to be the case going forward anyway.
2010 has begun as a year of change for wrestling and I say, start as you mean to go on. Why not make some more history?
Should we get a Knockouts show? Discuss in the comments.
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28 Comments
i don’t think enough people will watch for the show to continue, & how can they get all the knockouts over ? won’t they need some males to spice of fueds (couples etc) i don’t really watch TNA but yeah ..
I think a TNA Knockouts show would be a great idea, but I don’t know how it would actually turn out. The booking for the Knockouts has been all over the place lately, I mean, look at the Knockout’s title situation. Sadly, the Knockouts as a whole aren’t shining the way they once did. Most of the matches during Knockout’s Eve were underwhelming and I (a true lover of women’s wrestling) could barely bring myself to watch it. I think that their other big issue is character development, which is something that could probably be fixed if they only focused on the girls and didn’t have to share the spotlight with the boys. But ODB, TBP, and Daffney are pretty much the only people with personalities in the women’s division right now. Everyone else is pretty generic, unless you want to count bringing a spider to the ring a personality trait? I personally don’t but that’s just me. I strongly think though, that if the show wasn’t too long and they pushed the really popular talent then it could work.
I think it could work, and I think it would work. The Knockout’s Division if given 45 minutes (three matches at decent times) and storylines, it could get people hooked. You could always also bring in a big name talent and put on a Mixed Tag Team Match for the Knockout‘s show or have Knockouts appear on Impact in the same role. And taking a page out of the playbook for New Year’s Knockout Eve, have the male superstars do guest commentary like the British Invasion did during the non title tag team match featuring then champions Sarita and Taylor Wilde.
i think this is a great idea. and i agree about the fueds coming from out of no where and leaving like alissa flash and traci brooks i really wanted to see where that was going to go. as far as when it will air i would rather it be on a wednesday since nothing else wrestling wise comes on well not that i know of.
Nobody has ever tried to bring an all-female wrestling show on tv (in north america at least), even GLOW was a syndicated show, so until someone actually tries it we will never know if it will work. It’s possible that a lot of people who consider wrestling to be ‘gay’ will tune in, just to look at the women. So a 1-hour show with 30 minutes of quality wrestling and 30 minutes with TBP-style of crap could work.
But TNA’s roster is kinda limited right now, for the knockout title they only have ODB, Tara and Kong as credible contenders, and for the tagteam title they only have 3 teams. And to avoid putting on the same matches every week you are going to need like 20+ knockouts. But with Shimmer, WSU, WEW, NJPW and NCW around there is plenty of talent out there to expand.
Considering SpikeTV is going to air a reality tv series with midget wrestlers soon, then why not take a gamble and try a knockouts show?
Yes! I have no problem with TNA having various feuds going on as they do now, even if they don’t last long, because the real story is sold for me in the ring and it gives face time to various Knockouts (though it is anti-climactic when they suddenly drop storylines, especially if they’re interesting). It’s better than hardly having or not having any character devel./fueds/etc. at all. I’ve wished that there was a televised female wrestling promotion! I’m not sure of how successful it would be, but at least I know I’d watch it. It’d be pretty awesome if they could recruit some Shimmer women and from other indy promotions. Keep it short at first with solid storytelling and matches and it could get people hooked. At least it’s worth an experiment.
i don’t think they should.
firstly, it would eventually get a bit boring for even me without any men involved. ha, i can just imagine the cries of sexism already ;)
secondly and definitely more importantly, with the knockouts more often than not having some of the higest watched segments from impact, it wouldn’t look too good if they were to have higher ratings than impact itself.
the best way forward, for me, would be to go ahead with just another show altogether. showcase the other under utilised divisions right now,, namely the x division.
i don’t think we’ll ever get this anyway. dixie and jarrett took months and months, maybe even years?, to finally be talked into starting a women’s division as it was. i doubt they’d go ahead with an all woman show ever. which, for me, is a bit of a blessing in disguise. there shouldn’t be segregation in pro wrestling.
I’m with Kaledrina on this one.
It’s sounds like an appealing idea, but from a business point of view it doesn’t sound very viable. Impact would take a HUGE hit if the Knockouts weren’t featured on it because often enough they are the highlight of the show and the ratings show that when they are best ranked part of the show. With this said though, I kind of have faith that the show would succeed in itself because for whatever reason, TNA seems to get the women’s division right better than anything else in the company. The only half way measure I can think of is more prominence on Impact?
It could work.
I love the idea and think it could work and with all these big names coming to tna e.g Hogan, Hardy etc it gives them alot more time to be able to establish more aswell. Also I think it would be fun to have the men come over every now and then and be involved in a fued. I quite like when the men and women mix in fueds.
I think a knockouts only show will come eventually(maybe late 2010 or 2011) but not now, right now TNA is in a phase where they’re seeing what works and what doesn’t.
the knockout division seems to lose girls and gain girls A LOT so it’s hard to keep the division organized when you don’t know whos gonna leave next. For example Sojo Bolt just got fired, Roxxi and Angelina got rehired,and Christy retired
instead of a knockout only show, TNA might end up making a knockout/X-division show so the ratings don’t slip, OR they’ll just make a second weekly show like smackdown
I would love for there to be a show just for the Knockouts. They were the only reason I started watching TNA anyway.
I agree with Kaledrina, I think instead of just having a knockout only show they should just have two TNA shows, like RAW and SMACKDOWN, the only difference being instead of having two separated rosters – just use the same entire TNA roster for both shows, which would result in more time for the knockouts to develope storylines,character basis,fueds etc etc. If that makes sence?
eg: Tuesday night TNA XPLOSION or whatever and then Thursday night TNA iMPACT. Overall it would give the entire roster more of a push and have on air exposure, especially the KO’s division.
So instead of cramming every storyline they have on a once a week 2hr show, they would be able to have double the amount of time. In my opinion that would be a better option. Hey they could even push Daffneys character so she could actually win a title?? haha ;)
If it’s a 1 hour show, syndicated and air on either Saturday or Sunday it would be perfect. Having it syndicated would help expand TNA’s fan base and having it during the weekend help people will have something to see. It would feel just like GLOW in the late 80s and WOW in the early 90s.
No, I don’t think they should.
I personally wouldn’t want to see an all girls show, unless every segment feautured The Beautiful People ;-). The KOs are a great addition to iMPACT, and should remain that way. I also don’t think an all x-division show wouldn’t work either, so it’s not a knock to the ladies of TNA.
I WOULD like to see TNA get a new show similar to WWF’s Sunday Night Heat that could feauture anyboy they wanted to put on it, and not limit the show to a certain division.
I do think they should do an all knockouts special once a year though.
i still think the fact that tna management have contemplated such an idea is great. i guess a part of me is also a little scared that if they were to have a knockouts only show, it would just be too much for myself and i may get to the point where i grow plain bored of the knockouts. as much as i often dislike how little time the kos are given for feuds (which seems to vary on a week to week basis) i more often than not look forward to seeing what’s next.
“I do think they should do an all knockouts special once a year though.”
i agree 100%.
TO KALEDRINA: I totally feel you.
I think that in terms of in-ring talent, the Knockouts can have their own show. However, some knockouts would have to step up in terms of onscreen presence and mic skills. They also need better writers who have the ability to think beyond the usual box female wrestlers are put in (at least someone who actually follows Diva Dirt or is willing to go through lengths just to watch Shimmer.)
But even with all those things in check, that still doesn’t guarantee that the a large audience is ready or is willing to accept it. Ratings, as wobbly as they may seem, do side with the negative. I wonder if there is anyone brave enough to actually go to the limit.
As much as I’d LOVE the show, I think it may be a bad idea in the long run. It may be best not to spoil us, so I think the idea of a Knockout’s special mentioned earlier sounds awesome.
Harking back to that memorable feud between Gail Kim and Awesome Kong, I will always remember how the Wrestling Observer (a publication that isn’t necessarily favourable of women’s wrestling) described their ascension to the main event on Impact. They credited the effectiveness of the feud as down the fact the storyline simply revolved around two women who wanted the championship. I think TNA have rarely capitalised on that success, perhaps the only other time being the recent Knockouts Tag Team championship match that saw Hamada and Awesome Kong win. All four women were over, the crowd ate up everything they did and their overall reaction to Hamada is proof that there doesn’t need to be any gimmicks to get a performer over. My point is, let the story be told in the wrestling and you will see the true difference between the Divas and Knockouts. I’m not sure the product is ready to branch out into its own show yet, however. That the Knockouts can compete with the men in terms of ratings on Impact is a perfect answer to critics who derive women’s wrestling. There is not enough stability within the division and the booking has made the credible performers look really stupid over the last few months.
*deride
I would love an all Knockouts show. Then, I could pay attention to all of a TNA show instead of tuning out when the men come up. LOL
GREAT IDEA MELANIE. TIME CONSTRATINTS ARE WORSE ON WWE, BUT TNA WOULD REALLY BENEFIT BY HAVING THEIR OWN SHOW. THE DIVAS ON TNA ARE MORE ATHLETIC, AND THEY WOULD HAVE A LOYAL FOLLOWING.
They need to focus on their main show first.
I think that the TNA fans actually respect the knockouts; so I think that this could be a good thing. It may not get quite the same amount of ratings as the actual show since, it still is a male-dominated sport. But it would get just as much recognization and would be a step up in my opinion, maybe even become more popular that perhaprs ECW, and Maybe Smackdown. I still have faith that this will work.
@adifferentsame – *claps hands* I agree with this; particularly “their overall reaction to Hamada is proof that there doesn’t need to be any gimmicks to get a performer over”. If a wrestler can get the crowd into the in the ring to the point where they don’t need to do anything outside of it to be over then that really says something about the wrestler. Some people are relying more heavily on their gimmick than their wrestling to sell them and it just doesn’t work with fans who care more about the story told in the ring. The actual influence/success the women’s division has in TNA speaks volumes!
Also, I would like to give credit to the TNA’s men matches as well because I’ve been more impressed with them of late (and frustrated with some WWE matches) because…a lot of things. And with booking making some wrestlers look stupid, I agree (Sheamus’ been wrestling since 2002, even though he actually IS a good wrestler, I hate his matches/character devel. because it doesn’t show the fullness of what he’s capable of and is fairly boring). It’s the same with male or female matches and it’s a disservice to the wrestler’s talent. If they’re going to lose/win/whatever, PLEASE make it be in a hard-fought, good match. I feel that some women are booked this way as well, that hardly give them a chance to do anything, based more on the booking/storylines than any time constraints.
I think its something that could be successful. If spike marketed it properly it could turn out to be huge! They should go for it
Resi, TNA needs to expand beyond SpikeTV to bring in new viewership. Being only on SpikeTV isn’t going to do that. It would be best to syndicate nationally and use the Knockouts to gain viewers by saying “If you think the Knockout kick ass, then watch Impact on SpikeTV for Total Nonstop Action!”