Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter

Multiple TNA sources say the company is on the verge of announcing a new TV deal in the United States. The announcement could come within the next week or two, but they are bound by a confidentiality agreeing at this point and can't detail what it is to anyone yet. The best guess at this point, since Spike TV has said they don't have interest in TNA, is that TNA struck a deal with WGN, which as noted here previously was the fallback plan if Spike TV didn't work out. WGN was once a Superstation much like TBS, but it's ratings are just a blip on the cable map at this point and they've done nothing to create a niche image for themselves or invest in quality first-run original programming. They're basically back in the '80s still when it comes to their schedule, airing Chicago sports, syndicated reruns, and local Chicago news programs. TNA could get a good deal with airtime on WGN, so it's possible they've negotiated to get a Monday night primetime slot in the hour preceding Raw, if not two hours with a one-hour overlap.

Jeff Jarrett has talked about that dating back more than two years as TNA's eventual goal, since he remembers fondly the adrenaline of being in the middle of the Monday Night War era on both sides - WWF and later WCW. His argument is that wrestling fans look at Monday night at Wresting Night, and if they were to be the same night as Raw, it would give them instant credibility as a serious up-and-coming competitor to WWE. With TNA's lease at Universal Studios expiring in June, and with WWE's new agreement with NBC Universal, there has been speculation that TNA will be moving its tapings elsewhere. If they could save on the weekly fee they pay Fox Sports Net for their off-prime-time slots, they might be able to invest in more frequent tapings (although probably not anything live due to the satellite expense) and also meet payroll on a timely basis.

I hope they do go to WGN. Since Xplosion no longer airs, I have zero TNA to watch (sons of bitches don't have FSN here).

A Monday night spot on WGN would be perfect for any wrestling company. Noone will expect them to compete with WWE ratings wise, but they'll get more viewers switching channels there than they do total now.

Well, WGN isn't the best channel......but if it's cheaper for them and they get a primetime spot it couldn't be too bad.