Does WWE Own TNA?

WWE has been the dominant wrestling promotion in the world for many years now, but there are always other companies looking to challenge their supremacy. One such company is TNA, which has been around for over a decade now.

So the question is, does WWE own TNA?

The answer is a bit complicated. While WWE does not currently own TNA, they did have a minority stake in the company at one point. However, they sold their stake back in 2014

What is TNA?

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, more commonly known as TNA, is a professional wrestling promotion founded in 2002. TNA’s founders originally intended the promotion to serve as an alternative to WWE.

In its early years, TNA regularly produced weekly pay-per-view events and monthly three-hour television programs. The promotion also frequently aired syndicated programming across the United States. By 2004, however, TNA began experiencing financial difficulties and ceased holding monthly PPV events.

In an effort to reduce expenses, TNA ceased producing its flagship program, Impact!, in 2009 and instead opted to air monthly specials and live events on Spike TV. In 2014, the promotion once again began airing Impact! on a regular weekly basis.

TNA has experienced multiple ownership changes throughout its history. The company was first owned by Panda Energy International from 2002-2016. In 2017, Anthem Sports & Entertainment acquired a majority stake in the company.

What is WWE?

WWE is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company that deals primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales. WWE also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself, founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd.As of 2018, it is the largest wrestling promotion in the world, holding over 500 events a year (with the roster divided up into various globally traveling brands), and broadcasting to about 36 million viewers in more than 145 countries. The company’s headquarters are located in Stamford, Connecticut, with offices in major cities across the world.

Does WWE Own TNA?

WWE is a publicly traded company and as such, their financials are a matter of public record. In May of 2009, it was revealed that WWE had purchased a 36% stake in TNA. However, the company has not revealed how much they paid for that stake.

TNA’s Financial Struggles

In recent years, TNA has been dogged by financial struggles. In 2016, the company was almost forced to close its doors after missing a number of scheduled tapings. This led to rumors that WWE was considering buying the company, but those rumors were quashed when TNA was able to find the money to stay afloat.

However, TNA’s financial struggles have continued, and in 2017 the company was again rumored to be up for sale. This time, the rumors proved to be true, and it was announced that Anthem Sports & Entertainment had acquired a majority stake in TNA. Anthem has since re-branded the company as Impact Wrestling.

The “Cable Wars”

The professional wrestling world has been embroiled in a so-called “Cable Wars” for many years now. The war is between two major wrestling companies, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

WWE is the clear market leader, but TNA has been slowly gaining ground in recent years. This has led to speculation that WWE might be interested in buying out its smaller rival.

However, there is no concrete evidence that this is the case. While it is true that WWE has made some moves that could be interpreted as hostile towards TNA (such as signing away some of its top stars), there is no smoking gun that proves WWE is trying to put TNA out of business.

In fact, it might even be in WWE’s best interests to let TNA continue to exist. Having a strong competitor keeps WWE on its toes and helps to keep prices for wrestling fans down.

Why WWE May Not Be Interested in TNA

WWE is currently in a very strong financial position and they are not in need of another wrestling company. Also, WWE has their own development brand in NXT, which is doing very well. TNA does not have the same television ratings as WWE and is not as profitable. WWE would not be interested in TNA for these reasons.

TNA’s Poor Ratings

In recent years, TNA’s television ratings have been on a steady decline. In 2014, the company’s flagship show Impact drew an average of 1.3 million viewers per week. By 2017, that number had plummeted to just 658,000 viewers per week. This decline is likely due to a number of factors, including the fact that TNA has been unable to secure a consistent time slot on TV and has been forced to move around frequently. Additionally, the company has been plagued by financial problems and has been unable to sign top talent away from WWE. As a result of all these factors, WWE is unlikely to be interested in acquiring TNA at this time.

TNA’s Lack of Star Power

As previously mentioned, the lack of top star power is a big reason WWE has lost interest in signing any TNA talent to a contract. There are simply no “must-see” performers on the current TNA roster that would make fans want to tune in week-to-week.

Sure, there are some wrestlers with potential (such as Samoa Joe and AJ Styles), but for the most part, the TNA roster is full of Mid-Carders and Jobbers that WWE has no use for. The only exception to this would be Kurt Angle, who is currently under contract with TNA but has been rumored to be on his way out.

Another problem facing TNA is their lack of name recognition. Even though the company has been around for almost 15 years, they have yet to achieve the same level of success and publicity as WWE. As a result, many casual fans are unaware of TNA’s existence and view it as a second-rate wrestling promotion.

Conclusion

As of 2017, the answer is no. Dixie Carter sold the majority stake in TNA to Anthem Sports & Entertainment in January.