Long the home of scripted TV, AMC adds live TNA Wrestling show

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AMC, a popular cable channel, is known for its high-quality, original dramas, including critically acclaimed shows like “Mad Men” and the various series within “The Walking Dead” universe.

As a wrestling fan, I was excited to hear that AMC Networks is getting into the TNA action! They announced they’ll be broadcasting a weekly TNA Wrestling show starting in January. It’s called “Thursday Night iMPACT!” and it’ll be live every Thursday from 9 to 11 PM Eastern, kicking off on January 15th.

The show used to air on the AXS cable network. TNA, a professional wrestling company based in Nashville and founded in 2002, is a major competitor to WWE, which is the biggest name in the industry and now part of TKO Group Holdings.

This new, multi-year agreement to broadcast sports entertainment is a first for AMC, the New York-based network that was a leader in original cable dramas during the early 2000s.

The rise of streaming services has significantly impacted AMC Networks, as fewer people now watch scheduled TV shows like dramas. Viewers are shifting away from needing to tune in at a specific time.

With more people watching shows on demand, traditional TV ratings are falling. AMC Networks reported a 17% decrease in advertising revenue for the third quarter, as viewership numbers continue to decline.

Even though the results are planned, wrestling shows still create excitement and encourage people to watch them live. You can also catch the TNA program on AMC+, a streaming service.

Most cable channels have stopped creating their own original dramas and comedies. However, AMC is different, continuing to invest in genre shows like spin-offs from “The Walking Dead” and adaptations of Anne Rice’s vampire stories. These types of shows usually attract a devoted and consistent audience.

Hollywood Inc.

Acorn TV, a streaming service known for its cozy mystery shows, is aiming to attract more viewers by featuring popular American actors like Alicia Silverstone and Brooke Shields.

Dan McDermott, who leads content strategy for AMC Networks, sees a strong connection between the stories and characters in TNA and what typically attracts viewers to AMC’s dramatic series.

We’ve noticed a lot of people who watch our Sunday night shows also enjoy TNA wrestling, so we’re excited to bring ‘Thursday Night iMPACT!’ to AMC weekly. We think this will create a buzz and give dedicated fans something they’ll really love.

Following the popularity of “Talking Dead,” which discussed each new episode of “The Walking Dead,” AMC began offering live, post-show discussions for other programs. The goal was to encourage viewers to tune in live.

AMC probably won’t be broadcasting major live sporting events anytime soon, but they are hoping to attract sports fans with documentaries.

Next February, AMC will air a four-part documentary called “Rise of the 49ers,” which tells the story of the San Francisco 49ers’ championship teams from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The series was created by AMC Studios in partnership with Skydance Sports, NFL Films, and Tom Brady’s Religion of Sports.

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2025-12-02 23:31