TNA ratings down again on third Thursday
The Apr. 27 edition of TNA Impact, in its third week on Thursday nights following the highly rated UFC Ultimate Fighter series, drew a disappointing 0.9 rating (actually, 0.85 rounded up). The first Thursday Impact retained 85 percent of the Ultimate Fighter audience. The second week retained just 47 percent (0.9 vs. 1.9). The third week was only slightly better at 56 percent (0.9 vs. 1.6). In Spike TV's target demographic of 18-34 males, audience retention has been down from 65 percent in week one (1.5 vs. 2.3) to 37 percent in week two (1.1 vs. 3.0) and 52 percent in week three (1.6 vs. 3.1). Among males 18-49, the pattern is similar. The quarter hour ratings on Apr. 27 didn't vary much, opening with a 1.0, dropping to 0.8 and 0.8, and then ending with a 0.9. It was the lowest overall opening quarter hour of the three weeks on Thursdays, in part because Ultimate Fighter week three went down from 1.9 to 1.6.
TNA NOTES
TNA has contacted New Japan about having Christy Hemme train at the Inoki Dojo in Santa Monica, Calif. However, representatives from the Dojo tell PWTorch that she has not been to the Dojo for any training. Hemme auditioned for a hosting job for the MTV promotion at the Los Angeles TV taping in February, but she was not selected for the gig... During a "Q&A" session at an NWA Central States show in Kansas, A.J. Styles said many wrestlers tried to avoid using the cage walls during the Lockdown PPV because the cage was assembled inside out. The rough side of the fence was turned inward, which caused many scratches. A.J. said the top of the cage was coming loose as he was preparing for the spot on the top of the cage with James Storm, but they landed in a safe spot on the cage top...
The final round of the World X Cup tournament will take place at the May 14 Sacrifice PPV. It is expected to be a 16-man gauntlet match with all four wrestlers from each team involved in the match... Several preliminary wrestlers were initially booked for the Lockdown PPV on April 23 and TV taping the following night. However, TNA cancelled their bookings at the last minute. No reason was given at the time...
Elix Skipper told Wrestling Epicenter radio that Chase Stevens was somewhat upset with the wrestlers involved in the Ultimate Xscape cage match at the Lockdown PPV for not catching him on the Shooting Star Press. Stevens was not injured after the fall... TNA is putting the Diamonds in the Rough angle with the Chicago White Sox to the side for the time being...