TNA Wrestling has officially secured a new major television deal with AMC and its streaming service, AMC+. As first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Jon Alba weeks ago, the deal was confirmed on December 2.
The program will now be titled “Thursday Night Impact” and will air Thursdays from 9 PM to 11 PM ET on AMC and AMC+.
The debut episode is slated to be LIVE on January 15. Subsequent episodes will feature a mix of live and taped broadcasts, with TNA reportedly required to hit a specific number of live shows.
Despite immediate rumors of a termination, TNA representatives “vehemently denied” any split from WWE. Sources within TNA went as far as claiming WWE even assisted in finalizing the AMC deal. WWE sources confirmed they were aware of the deal ahead of the public announcement. Some talent, however, expressed hope that “catering to NXT” would cease.
The mood among staff and the roster was described as “unanimously positive” and excited. A common hope expressed was that the expanded platform would lead to a significant creative uplift.
The company’s decision to go dark for a month without television is believed to have been due to budget reasons and the need to finalize the AMC agreement.
Work on the deal began in the Spring, with only a small circle of individuals knowing the details until the roster was briefed the morning of the announcement.
TNA President Carlos Silva’s previous comments on unfavorable Nielsen Big Data for wrestling were noted, especially since AMC+ streaming numbers are not expected to be included in weekly viewership totals.
We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding the new TNA TV deal with AMC continue to surface.
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(H/T: Fightful Select)
