Since the first major wrestling boom of the 1990’s the sports entertainment landscape has been epitomised by competing companies, warring television channels and sparring sponsors- sound familiar wrestling fans? Throughout the 1990’s the influx of WWF wrestlers to the upcoming WCW Corporation gave birth to the Monday Night Wars and ushered in the Attitude Era, a response to the flailing ratings of the WWF.
Wrestling entered a boom period, arguably down to the strong, competing interests. Entering the 21st century and TNA has been the rival, although not on the same scale. Since being established in summer 2002, there has been the same turnover of wrestlers between the corporations and some of the same trademarks of the 90’s revolution. The big question is, is it good or bad? My personal opinion is that competition is healthy, as in all walks of life competition improves performance. As I previously alluded to the introduction of the Monday Night Wars led to Vince McMahon and the WWF promoting the Attitude Era starring Steve Austin, The Rock and the evergreen Undertaker. For many wrestling fans this era brings fonder memories than the 1980’s era, it was the second coming, the second wrestling explosion and there can be no doubt that this came from strong competition.
TNA, despite producing some excellent technicians and a fantastic standard of wrestling, hasn’t quite taken off in the way WCW did in terms of media or popular support. TNA averages rating of just over 1.2, whereas WCW often achieved ratings of over 10.4. This lack of competition could arguably have reduced WWE to complacency, as there has been increasing dissatisfaction with the product. Critics have deemed the WWE to have become ‘stale’, ‘frightful’ and ‘depressing’. Whether this is actually the case is surely for the viewers to decide with ratings, what is clear however is that products become better and more enjoyable when there is competition. Competition provides alternatives; choice and all corporations involved should perform better. This is why I think it important that TNA strengthens and challenges the WWE, to stop the slide into complacency. TNA can do it, it has the talent, it needs the marketing!
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