Hulk Hogan may be the most recognizable name in professional wrestling history. Fans and non-fans alike are all familiar with his famous catch phrases, his t-shirt tearing, his reality show on VH1 from a few years back, and, of course, his alleged sex tape. Hulk Hogan is more than a wrestling personality; he's a pop culture icon. But even with all of this name recognition, TNA is making a terrible mistake by bringing Hogan back to TV as the General Manager of Impact Wrestling.
To really understand why Hogan is bad for wrestling (and TNA in particular), let's look at who they may be trying to draw by having him on their program.
Current fans
Wrestling fans that are knowledgeable of the current product know what to expect from Hogan in the year 2012. If you're reading this, you're probably a wrestling fan. Let me ask you : are you interested in seeing Hulk Hogan anywhere near a wrestling ring? If you answered yes, we have no more to discuss.
Old fans
There are, without a doubt, millions of former Hulkamaniacs out there that aren't currently watching TNA (or wrestling at all, for that matter). If they haven't already seen and been turned off by the terrible story lines surrounding Hogan in TNA in the past (Abyss and the Hall of Fame ring or the Immortal saga, just to name two), they may be inclined to flip on Impact Wrestling to see what Hogan has to offer. If they remember and expect the yellow and red Hulkamaniac, they'll be disappointed. If they remember and expect the black and white New World Order Hulk Hogan, they'll be disappointed.
New fans
One thing that wrestling promotions are always trying to do is draw in new fans. Booking semi-celebrities or people in the news seems to be the most common way for promoters to draw new eyes to their product, and TNA is no different. If a new viewer is tuning into Impact to hear Hogan talk about his sex tape scandal or the debacle with his ex-wife, they'll be disappointed. It is very unlikely that they'll stick around to hear Hogan blab about how great Eric Bischoff's kid is.
Hogan is a shell of what he used to be, and with all the talent that TNA has at its disposal, giving Hogan as much air time as they are is just embarrassing. Hulk Hogan is a legend and an icon, and perhaps, if used properly, he could still be an asset to TNA and professional wrestling. In the current situation, however, he is a waste of airtime and an embarrassment to himself and the sport of professional wrestling.
@TheAlexArcher | #FTLOW
