TNA Low Blows Top Female Star

Photo courtesy of tnawrestling.com


Aug. 21, 2008 was a bad day for Total Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling fans. On that morning, one of the company’s top stars, Gail Kim (pictured above), had her profile and photos quietly removed from the company website, leaving many wrestling fans wondering if the website was just updating her page or if she was actually GONE from the company.

A short while later that evening, it was reported by PWInsider.com that Kim, who was the star of the women’s “Knockout Division” and was the first Knockout Champion, was indeed done with TNA, whom she had been with since 2005, and had agreed to a new contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), whom she was employed with from summer 2003-fall 2004, and would be a prominent feature in the company’s “Diva’s Division” on either Raw or Smackdown.

It was later reported by PWInsider.com that Kim’s decision to leave TNA for WWE was strictly financial, having nothing to do with her being unhappy over how she was presented or booked and that she left the company on good terms and that the door would be open for her if she wanted to return later down the road.

On Aug. 28, 2008, more details emerged about this sudden incident. Reportedly, WWE offered Kim an insane amount of money, a six-figure downside guaranteed contract for three years with the possibility to earn more from appearing on pay-per-views, house shows and merchandise sales.

In contrast, TNA simply saw the top babyface in the “Knockout Division,” a division that has CONSISTENTLY been a ratings draw for the last six-months, as a LOW-BUDGET expenditure and offered her less than $100,000 per-year, a figure that could only be met if she appeared on a certain amount of shows and if she got hurt, she would receive nothing.

The message sent by TNA was pretty clear…..No matter how successful the female wrestlers are for TNA, they are not going to make as much money as the men. In addition, TNA’s lukewarm offer to Kim doesn’t bode well for the other women in the company when their respective contracts come up since the top star of the division couldn’t even get a six-figure offer.

This has led many to scratch their heads as to why TNA pays their female wrestlers way less than the men, considering that the Knockouts get better ratings, meaning TNA stays alive, and the TNA President, Dixie Carter, is a also a woman and one would think would sympathize with the Knockouts over equal pay.

I honestly cannot blame Kim for leaving TNA for WWE’s financial security, especially when you consider this fact….TNA low-balled Kim with an offer of less than $100,000 a year but yet, threw $500,000 at freaking Adam “Pacman” Jones for his handful appearances he made in fall 2007, while he was suspended from the NFL and not once did he wrestle for them but was still made one-half of the tag-team champions with Ron “The Truth” Killings.

In addition, TNA is about to throw SEVEN-FIGURES at Steve “Sting” Borden for a one-year contract! A contract that Borden gets to decide how many dates he appears for the company and how many matches he wrestles despite the fact he has been with the company since 2005 and has done NOTHING to increase ratings or buy-rates. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture?

It is a slap in the face to Kim and the other female wrestlers of TNA, all-of-whom have busted their rears just as much, and in most cases, more than the men and the ratings have reflected that effort for the last six-seven months as the Knockout segments on TNA Impact each week are the highest rated segments of the show, that the company does not view or pay them on the same pedestal as they do the men.

It bewilders me that TNA continuously bills itself as the future of professional wrestling but yet will not step up to the plate and take care of their top-stars. Money talks and TNA should not count on their mentality that “Our women’s division is better” as the incentive for the women to stay when their contracts are up.

It is clear as crystal that one of the things that needs to be tweaked in TNA, besides the writing and booking teams, is the pay-scale, especially when you consider this little fact that will cause TNA fans to take pitchforks to Carter’s home and TNA headquarters.

Kim’s final night in TNA saw her go out with a bang as her “Street Fight” with fellow TNA women’s wrestler Awesome Kong on the Aug 22. episode of Impact scored a 1.20 quarter-hour rating, the HIGHEST MARK OF THE SHOW. The rating then dropped by half-a-point for the main event that featured Kurt Angle against AJ Styles in a ladder match, which scored a 1.15 rating.