UPDATED x 2: Just to give some idea of what iMPACT!’s move to Wednesdays is doing to Spike TV’s schedule, it won’t impact it much (no pun intended). Currently Spike TV airs a marathon of Cops on Wednesday night, which is a show that they’ve had the full rights to since 2013 and can be very flexible in terms of scheduling with. Cops was on TruTV for years before moving to Spike full-time last fall.
It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean that the move is a “burn-off” move, where a network moves a show into a traditionally dead timeslot in order to finish off a contractual commitment to air episodes. As previously reported, the move has to do in part with the extra competition that Thursday Night Football on CBS will bring, which would effect a renewed iMPACT! Wrestling (aka after September) more than the current contract. Thursday Night Football doesn’t begin on CBS until September 11th.
Just to be clear …. TNA has NOT signed a new television deal with SpikeTV. As of now, they are still negotiating. Is it a good sign that SpikeTV has moved the show to Wednesday nights? Absolutely …. but a new deal has NOT been signed as of now.
UPDATE: According to sources, “one of the many reasons” for the move absolutely has to with the additional competition on Thursdays, which is becoming a popular night for TV again. Numerous people within the television industry say Thursday night’s are extremely tough as far as competition is concerned and it’s only going to get worse come this fall with season premieres, etc.
The decision for the move was reportedly made within the past few days and the first edition of TNA iMPACT! Wrestling on Wednesday will air next week, August 20th on Spike TV.
It’s a fair point; in addition to the NFL games on CBS, Thursdays will The Blacklist on NBC starting in February and FOX’s anticipated Gracepoint starting in October, all of which are expected to draw from the same demographic as iMPACT! relies on. There are also rumors that WWE SmackDown may be moving to Thursday night’s in the near future as well.
ORIGINAL: TNA has announced that iMPACT! Wrestling will be moving to Wednesday nights starting on August 20th. The show will air at 9PM ET. The move comes as rumors swirl that WWE SmackDown will be moving to Thursday nights, putting iMPACT! in a tough spot of having to compete with SmackDown. Seems as if they have made a proactive move to avoid going head-to-head with WWE.
The show, of course, is in the middle of negotiations with SpikeTV. The good news on this is that the show will no longer be up against the NFL pre-season games or any during the season, should iMPACT! be renewed. Of course, day switches always take a short time for audiences to readjust, so some early drops may occur.
Here is TNA’s announcement:
IMPACT WRESTLING MOVING TO WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT 9/8C ON SPIKE TV BEGINNING NEXT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 14, 2014) – TNA today announced its flagship program, IMPACT WRESTLING, will make a permanent move to Wednesday nights at 9/8c on SPIKE TV beginning next Wednesday, Aug. 20.
“Moving IMPACT WRESTLING to Wednesday nights gives existing fans and new viewers an opportunity to enjoy both wrestling and live sports even more throughout the week,” said TNA President Dixie Carter.
IMPACT WRESTLING has enjoyed sustained ratings growth this summer, drawing over 1.5 million viewers each week this quarter, and is among the most watched cable series in key male demos in its timeslot.
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