By ALEX MARVEZ
Scripps Howard News Service
2007-08-02 00:00:00
MIAMI -- Total Nonstop Action Wrestling unveiled its expansion plans last week before a governing body that could greatly affect how the strategy will unfold.
Speaking here at the annual Association of Boxing Commissioners meeting, TNA live events coordinator Craig Jenkins announced the promotion's intentions of becoming a nationwide touring group a la World Wrestling Entertainment. Besides the planned expansion of its weekly Impact show to two hours (9 to 11 p.m. Eastern) every Thursday night beginning in September or October, TNA is set to run 96 live non-televised events in 2008 as well as at least eight pay-per-view shows away from the group's Orlando base.
"We couldn't be any happier with where we are as a product and brand right now," said Jenkins, whose promotion's television ratings for one-hour Impact episodes have shown slow but steady growth in 2007. "Quite frankly, it's time for us to get out on the road."
But the landscape for TNA and WWE may be drastically different next year if state athletic commissions become involved in drug testing pro grapplers.
Stemming from the murder/suicide of Chris Benoit and his family in late June, Congress asked WWE last week to supply information about its drug-testing program for review. An autopsy showed Benoit had a greatly elevated level of testosterone in his system as well as other prescription drugs when he killed his wife Nancy and seven-year-old son Daniel before hanging himself in their Atlanta-area home. There is speculation that heavy long-time steroid abuse contributed to Benoit's mental state at the time of his rampage.
If Congressional hearings are held and the effectiveness of WWE's steroid and wellness policy is considered unsatisfactory, state athletic commissions may ultimately be asked to become involved in testing and enforcement of suspensions.
Association of Boxing Commissioners President Tim Lueckenhoff said his group supports the installation of a testing program and will discuss it extensively at next year's convention in Montreal.
"It really needs to be random and we all need to be together on this with (the wrestling promoters)," said Kansas boxing commissioner Aaron Davis, whose state continues to regulate pro wrestling despite the genre's status as "sports entertainment. "This is something we want to do inclusively and not have to monitor them like they're our kids. But we need to assure it's being done. Right now, we just can't be sure."
Armando Garcia, the executive director of the California state athletic commission, said shortly after the Benoit murder/suicide that his group would voluntarily test pro wrestlers for steroids if asked. California's drug-testing program has unearthed positive results from 82 boxers and mixed martial arts fighters since March 2006. Nine of those violations were for steroids, which the state began testing for in April.
Among the MMA fighters who failed steroid tests include top stars like Royce Gracie, Phil Baroni, Hermes Franca and Sean Sherk, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's lightweight kingpin. Sherk and Franca, who tested positive after fighting each other on the UFC 73 pay-per-view show last month in Sacramento, are set for Monday hearings in Los Angeles to appeal their test results. If Sherk loses his appeal, he will likely be stripped of his UFC title while suspended.
Garcia was forced to revoke his invitation to pro wrestling promotions because his state doesn't regulate the industry. Garcia, though, said he believes California should re-consider that stance.
"I just think it's a clear health and safety issue," Garcia said. "(Steroid use) is completely rampant in combative sports. People are literally getting hurt and dying. Their quality of life is going to greatly be affected by this and not in a positive way."
While WWE is publicly ridiculed for claiming to have an effective testing program, the less-popular TNA has managed to fly under the media's radar even though several of its top performers have suspiciously jacked-up physiques.
It's believed that TNA's current policy allows for random drug testing but that the promotion has rarely done so with its wrestlers, who are employed as independent contractors.
A statement released Wednesday by TNA claims the promotion has "an active and strict drug and alcohol policy" but "due to its privacy policy, TNA cannot comment publicly about any specific tests administered to members of its roster." Jenkins said TNA has "nothing to hide" when it comes to steroid usage but that the company is reviewing its current policy.
"We'd be very unwise not to seek counsel (to learn) what are the other guys doing and how do we do it better than anybody else,'" Jenkins said. "Obviously, it's something that has to be addressed."
MORE TNA NEWS: Jenkins said TNA's market research shows that New York City comprises the promotion's largest television audience, with an average of 58,000 viewers weekly watching its Impact show. Memphis draws the highest average television rating.
Jenkins said TNA is targeting both cities for shows in 2008 along with markets that include Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia and Boston. TNA is running its Bound for Glory pay-per-view show October 14 in Atlanta, which could place the promotion's drug policies under heavy media scrutiny because of the card's proximity to the Benoit murder/suicide.
TNA already received a black eye earlier this week when word leaked about plans to hire suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for one of its storylines. Jones has been arrested six times since entering the NFL in 2005 and faces two felony counts of coercion in connection with a Las Vegas strip club shooting that, ironically, paralyzed a former pro wrestler (Thomas Urbanski) working as a manager at the venue.
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Sounds like TNA getting two hours is all but official. I may have to give TNA a third try when it actually happens
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