Read below for a press release issued on September 19, 2005 touting the debut of TNA Impact on Spike TV five years ago as part of a Saturday night block of programming.

Top Stars comparison

2005 press release - Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Jeff Hardy, A.J. Styles, Abyss, Christopher Daniels, Monty Brown, and "others."

2010 press release - Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Mr. Anderson, Jeff Hardy, A.J. Styles, Mick Foley, Sting, and "many more."

Ratings comparison

Oct. 1, 2005 - 0.80 rating
Sept. 2, 2010 - 1.00 rating

Males 18-34 demographic

Oct. 1, 2005 - 0.70 rating
Sept. 2, 2010 - 0.70 rating

October 4, 2005 PWTorch news report

Impact's debut on Spike TV on Saturday night (Oct. 1) drew a 0.8 rating. That was on the low end of expectations for Spike TV officials, who were hoping as recently as last night in Las Vegas when on site for the UFC special that the Impact debut would draw a 1.0 rating or better. That may have been based on enthusiasm for the quality of the show TNA produced for the network.

Spike TV officials, while hoping for better, are saying it was a great start to build on. Last week, Spike TV was saying they believed whatever the first rating was, the key would be what it is drawing in two months.

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September 19, 2005 press release

TNA: iMPACT! JOINS SPIKE TV'S "SLAMMIN' SATURDAY NIGHT" LINE-UP STARTING OCTOBER 1

Line Up Also Includes the Slammin' Saturday Night Movie,
"UFC Unleashed," and "The Ultimate Fighter 2"

New York, NY, September 19, 2005 – Spike TV comes out fighting Saturday, October 1 with the return Slammin' Saturday Night. The weekly five-hour (7:00 pm – Midnight, ET/PT) high-octane action, excitement and entertainment programming block returns with an all new line-up of movies and original series, including the debut of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling iMPACT! ™ on the network.

"TNA: iMPACT! " will premiere weekly starting Saturday, October 1 (11:00 PM – Midnight, ET/PT). The new wrestling alternative, "TNA: iMPACT!" delivers a distinct brand of high-risk, live-action athletic entertainment. TNA's roster includes some of the most exciting and recognizable stars in wrestling today such as, Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, Abyss, Christopher Daniels, Monty Brown and others. TNA features the innovative six-sided ring and the high-flying "X Division," as well as concept matches such as "Ultimate X," "King of the Mountain," and "Six Sides of Steel."

Leading up to TNA: iMPACT! each week, Spike TV's Slammin' Saturday Night line-up begins with the Slammin' Saturday Night movie (7:00 – 9:00 PM, ET/PT), where a different action-packed movie is featured. Upcoming presentations include "Wake of Death" (Oct. 8), starring Jean-Claude Van Damme; "Raw Deal" (Oct. 15) and "Reservoir Dogs" (Oct. 22). The night continues with two back-to-back hours of the Ultimate Fighting Championship™. "UFC Unleashed" (9:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT) features the best of the best from the archives of the UFC. "The Ultimate Fighter 2" (10:00 – 11:00 PM, ET/PT) is the network's hit series where sixteen men from across America travel to Las Vegas with one dream, one goal, to become The Ultimate Fighter.

To celebrate the return of Slammin' Saturday Night, on October 1, Spike TV will present a special mid-season marathon of "The Ultimate Fighter 2" (5:00 – 11:00 PM, ET/PT) leading into the network premiere of TNA: iMPACT! (11:00 PM – Midnight, ET/PT). The network's regularly scheduled Slammin' Saturday Night line-up begins October 8.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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