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Post by Jayzero on Jun 30, 2017 18:16:19 GMT -5
TNA wrestling rebrands as GFW, eyes global expansion In a move designed to distance itself from the financial struggles and legal drama that hung over its brand, Anthem Sports announced last week it has purchased Nashville-based Global Force Wrestling.
The move signals the end of TNA, the professional wrestling league that once served as home to legends Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair and as a launching pad for future stars A.J. Styles and Samoa Joe.
Anthem Sports, the Canadian company that also owns the Fight Network, will rebrand its wrestling league as GFW and Nashville native Jeff Jarrett will helm the creative aspects of the promotion. Its staple weekly program on Pop TV will continue to be called “Impact.”
The rebranding comes almost 15 years to the day that Jarrett and his father Jerry Jarrett launched TNA. The wrestling promotion ended up under the control of Dixie Carter, endured a turnstile of cable television partners and garnered negative headlines for unpaid bills, unpaid talent and state tax liens.
The troubles culminated in a lawsuit last fall when rock-and-roll legend Billy Corgan, who was hired to help lead the creative direction of TNA, sued Carter and the company. When the dust settled, Anthem Sports, which distributed a portion of its content, emerged as the new owner and operator of the wrestling promotion.
The new GFW arrives on the professional wrestling scene with some momentum.
The company has seen a drastic spike in its social media reach in recent months following a tour through India. Ratings for its weekly “Impact!” program are on the uptick.
Broadcast and streaming deals are in the works both in India and the United Kingdom. And the legal battle that played out dramatically in a Nashville courtroom last year has seemingly been put to rest.
Jarrett and Anthem Executive Vice President Ed Nordholm are banking on strengthened international partnerships, a growing digital presence and revamped roster buoying GFW as an alternative to the unquestioned professional wrestling behemoth, the WWE.
The company’s annual event “Slammiversary” takes place on Sunday, which the new GFW views as a re-launch of its pay per view business.
"We're a global brand," Jarrett said of the rebranding. "We have partnerships in Mexico, Japan, other places. Collectively coming together, we've combined forces and basically the rebrand final touches happen (on Sunday) at 'Slammiversary.'" |
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Post by Jayzero on Jun 30, 2017 18:18:17 GMT -5
RIP TNA  |
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Post by Brandon on Jun 30, 2017 18:20:35 GMT -5
Okay but can they move to a channel people have?
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Post by Burke on Jun 30, 2017 18:20:35 GMT -5
I'll still be calling it TNA 5 years from now.
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Post by Brandon on Jun 30, 2017 18:27:13 GMT -5
TNA GFW desperately needs a woman to build their women's division around. Allie, Sienna and Rosemary are NOT it.
I can't believe the 180 both their, and WWE's, women's divisions took.
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Post by Brandon on Jun 30, 2017 18:28:23 GMT -5
And Eli Drake is a snack. If I wasn't already struggling to utilize Tony Nese and Jessie Godderz as eye candy on FNBF, I'd sign him to a contract.
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Post by Brandon on Jun 30, 2017 18:30:16 GMT -5
Mess, Jessie Godderz isn't even with TNA GFW anymore.
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Post by Tarry on Jul 1, 2017 4:44:34 GMT -5
Didn't they just rebrand as Impact Wrestling and people still continued to call them TNA? Mess.
Should have sold that tape library to Vince when they had the chance.
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Post by Burke on Jul 1, 2017 16:09:56 GMT -5
Nakamura showed up at some TNA Axxess type event. Remember when one of the Highlanders attended Impact and looked mortified when they showed him on camera?  |
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Post by Mutant Couch on Jul 1, 2017 16:17:34 GMT -5
Lol WWE probably encourages them to go so they can see the bullet they dodged or the bullet they rode for years hoping it'd succeed. Joe.
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Post by Brandon on Jul 1, 2017 16:25:51 GMT -5
Remember when one of the Highlanders attended Impact and looked mortified when they showed him on camera? No, please find it. |
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Post by Jayzero on Jul 1, 2017 16:33:58 GMT -5
That was really messed up of them, tbh. He got fired cause of that lol.
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Post by Jayzero on Jul 1, 2017 16:37:57 GMT -5
On the live, 27 March 2008 episode of TNA Impact!, Robbie was in attendance at the Impact Zone and was shown on camera (under his real name to prevent a WWE/TNA lawsuit). This reportedly had a WWE official calling him and ordering that he leave immediately, which he did. The event was mere days prior to WrestleMania weekend when both companies were in the Orlando area. Robbie lost his $5,000 Wrestlemania paycheck due to the appearance. Robbie later said in an interview that "I was very unhappy in WWE, and in retrospect I think it was kind of my way to get fired." |
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Post by Brandon on Jul 1, 2017 16:41:22 GMT -5
But who from WWE was watching the show? 🤔
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Post by Jayzero on Jul 1, 2017 16:43:23 GMT -5
But who from WWE was watching the show? 🤔 The same person who pushed Maryse out the curtain every time The Beautiful People came out during TNA's Monday night phase. |
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