An article discussing Impact Wrestling’s ratings
I started regularly watching Impact Wrestling in 2008, and stopped in 2017. 3 years prior to that I stopped watching WWE completely. Even though I had been watching that since I was two years old. I’d try to give Impact a chance occasionally until some point in 2019.
There was a time when Impact was consistently getting better numbers than AEW Dynamite. 1 million to 1.4 million on Spike TV. We all know what led to the current ratings. So, I’ll skip the recap.
1. Use the YouTube intelligently
Impact Wrestling has 4 million subscribers, and Impact’s also got a great track record with women’s wrestling. The Knockout’s division laid the foundation for the WWE Evolution PPV. You can thank Gail Kim, Taryn Terrell, Awesome Kong, and many others.
Impact Wrestling took Women seriously, while WWE had them compete for a barbie belt.
AEW has two FREE shows on their YouTube. AEW Dark, and AEW Dark Elevation. Impact Wrestling needs to have a free 1 hour weekly program for the women’s division on YouTube. The commentary team can promote the main TV show on AXS throughout the program. Similar to how they’d promote Bellator or Schitt’s creek.
Currently there isn’t a major company with a 1 hour weekly program that’s exclusively women’s wrestling. That’s a niche that Impact Wrestling could fill.
Free 1 hour weekly Knockouts YouTube show is one way to use the channel properly.
The next would be a free 1 hour X division YouTube program. Same thing applies here when it comes to promoting the main TV show. X division, and Knockouts have been Impact’s strong points. Use them to generate interest with free YouTube programming. BTI isn’t doing shit to help the promotion.
2. Cross-promotional Partnerships
Cross-promotional Partnerships are a great way to improve the product. But you’ve got to pick the right partners or it won’t work. The AEW partnership could’ve work. If Impact was making the right moves. But they weren’t as usual. I’ll list off some promotions, and give reasons why for each.
For potential partners from Japan. It’s Pro wrestling NOAH, AJPW, Stardom, Sendai Girls, WWPW Diana, and BJW. For Mexico I’d go with Crash Lucha Libre or IWRG. WWC from Puerto Rico would be another solid pick. Progress Wrestling, Preston City Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling EVE from the United Kingdom.
Before I get to my explanations for all these there’s just 3 countries left. To make Impact Wrestling a truly global force in the business. United States, Canada, and South Africa. I’ll just explain my reasoning for the Canada, and Southeast Asia picks now. Limited exposure in the American wrestling media.
US exposure = $$$ for them.
We’re going to go with International Wrestling Syndicate, and Border City Wrestling. BCW was founded by someone that’s involved with Impact. IWS had stars like Kevin Steen aka Kevin Owens. These Canadian promotions just make sense.
We’re going to go with Singapore Pro Wrestling, and Philippine Wrestling Revolution. SPW has gotten some international attention. Thanks to some of their talent briefly appearing in WWE. Impact Wrestling could build a relationship, and give Southeast Asian wrestlers a genuine platform.
Finally we’ve got the United States, and I’ve got the perfect partner for the job. The United Wrestling Network. When you sign a cross-promotional deal with them. You’re getting access to a whole territorial network. CW Hollywood, CW Arizona, CW Memphis, CW Atlanta, and more. You get access to new, and upcoming talent. Your champions can defend their gold against UWN talent, and compete for their championships.
This is the final potential partner, and it’s the one that stole CZW’s thunder. GAME CHANGER WRESTLING! G C FUCKING W! They’re in the news a lot. This is the hot independent promotion that 18-25’s absolutely love. I have to be honest with you, potential Impact executive reading this. Impact has more to gain from dealing with GCW than GCW does dealing with you. GCW doesn’t need partners. But it’s an intelligent business move for you! GCW has hardcore, shoot style wrestling, and more.
Now let’s get to explaining my picks for Mexico, Japan, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. I’m familiar with many of the luchadores that Crash Lucha books. Even though the MLW-Crash partnership was my only exposure to them. Their star is rising in Mexico, and Spanish speaking fans are diehard fans. Whereas English speaking fans are kind of fickle.
I admittedly know very little about IWRG but they’ve been around for a bit. A partner that’s managed to last a good chunk of time is valuable. I plan on trying to find IWRG wrestling content to watch. They’ve dealt with CMLL, AAA, and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Puerto Rico’s WWC has a very long, and rich history in the wrestling world. However Puerto Rican Lucha Libre gets very little recognition stateside. Impact Wrestling can change that.
Progress Wrestling, Preston City Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling EVE are great UK choices. A partnership with them could get Impact would be great talent wise. The next Walter , Becky Lynch, and Finn Balor could be coming soon.
This’ll either be really quick or really long depending on how this goes. We’re talking about Japan now. AJPW is the long time competitor for NJPW, and it’s a shadow of it’s former self. Kind of like Impact Wrestling. Impact Wrestling currently has Joe Doering on the roster. This man was a top guy in AJPW.
If AJPW & Impact worked together that could lead to stars rising together. Something Impact Wrestling needs desperately right now is momentum.
Pro Wrestling NOAH has an excellent roster just like NJPW. Except NOAH doesn’t currently have the international reach yet. Another promotion for Impact Wrestling to grow with. YO-HEY, Hayata, Kenoh, and Los Perros del Mal de Japón would be great for American TV.
BJW much like GCW does both Hardcore & Strong/Shoot wrestling. Because Impact does have it’s own hardcore crew signed. It’s only logical to work with BJW. Wrestlers like Abdullah Kobayashi, Masashi Takeda, Ryota Hama, and Takuya Nomura.
Finally that leaves us with Stardom, Sendai Girls, and WWPW Diana. Ladies like Asuka/Kana, Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, and Hikaru Shida would be a great asset. Impact Wrestling needs to build a relationship with the Joshi wrestling scene. So, that they come to Impact Wrestling to be seen.
It’s a well known fact that Impact Wrestling does a great job with women’s matches. Tony Khan, and WWE can fight for the credit for lifting up Women’s wrestling. But the true champion has been Impact. Give Dixie her due, Folks. The KO division was great, and still is. Impact Wrestling is a solid alternative for women in the business.
3. People that should be signed immediately
Killer Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Taya Valkyrie, Windham Rotunda, Erick Rowan, Salina de la Renta, Richard Holliday, Danhausen, Warhorse, and Isaiah Scott aka Shane Strickland. All of these people have talent that a sensible promoter would regret losing.
Salina de la Renta is probably my favorite example of this. She basically made MLW Fusion in order own thing. Salina was the face of the company for awhile. Even if Court Bauer won’t admit it. Most of the interesting things happening in MLW were centered around her. The feud with Konnan, and the dealings with Contra.
The other thing that made MLW interesting was the Dynasty. But without MJF it isn’t the same as before. Richard Holliday would actually be better off going solo. Hammerstone is the top dog in MLW. They’re treating him right.
Killer Kross, Scarlett, and Taya wasted time going to WWE. Sure it might’ve seemed promising at first. But look what they did to Kross in his RAW debut. That’s almost as bad as jobbing to everyone like EC3 did. I’ll give Taya credit for giving it a try. But Impact Wrestling, and AAA are probably better for her.
Windham Rotunda, and Erick Rowan would be an excellent tag team in Impact Wrestling. They’d generate a crazy amount of attention to the company. The fans will follow the buzzards.
Shane Strickland is another great talent from MLW that went to WWE, and didn’t get much. Salina put a bounty on this man in order to get the championship belt. Low Ki was the man that cashed in. An excellent story went on there.
Danhausen & Warhorse are very entertaining independent wrestlers. Now that ROH is six feet under. Impact Wrestling can be home for Danhausen. Just watch his promos on YouTube it’s quality stuff. Warhorse rules ass, and did great in AEW. But chose not to sign with them. However that doesn’t mean he’d be against a rejuvenated Impact Wrestling.
4. Accept cryptocurrency for payment, and sell Impact NFTs
The 3 cryptos I’d recommend are Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Solana. Bitcoin is gold, and Litecoin is silver. Solana is the wave of the future.
Solana isn’t just a cryptocurrency. It’s also a blockchain ecosystem that you can develop on. Solana has an NFT marketplace as well. Where you could sell digital posters, and clips of memorable moments. The wrestling industry hasn’t gotten involved with crypto yet.
Be the first to do it, and watch the profits rise.
This would bring Impact Wrestling back from the dead. Follow this to the best of your ability, and there will be an Impact.
Baron thoughts 
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