Verified answer

We probably won't get a definitive answer. Taz sometimes calls TNA "sports entertainment" during Impact broadcasts, but Mike Tenay never has. So who's opinion do we consider more important, the guy who was a professional wrestler and a "sports entertainer" for a lot of years, or the "voice of TNA" who's been with the company since day one, is part of "creative", and has called every single TNA broadcast (and PPV) in it's history?

The Dragon defines "sports entertainment" as "style over substance", meaning promos and skits are the focus of the show with the in-ring action taking second place and are mostly a way to get from one promo segment to the next, one skit to the next, one backstage segment to the next. Furthermore, "sports entertainment" doesn't stay behind kayfabe, it makes no pretense that what they do is anything but acting; it freely acknowledges writers, storylines, gimmicks, pushes, angles, and the "actors" appear in public out-of-character, even dropping their heel/face status. Granted, most pro wrestlers (in this country at least) don't stay in character off the job anymore, but "sports entertainers" go out of their way to show that they ARE just playing characters on TV.

We know that wrestling is "scripted" and that all wrestlers are playing characters in the ring (some are just "enhanced" versions of the guys playing them, some are wildly-imaginative fantasy characters that aren't possible in real-life) but there is a world of difference between the WWE and pro wrestling. The best description/explanation I can come up with for that difference is the WWE is a weekly TV drama that takes place in a pro wrestling setting but is not pro wrestling itself. Pro wrestling is not a mainstream form of entertainment. If it WAS, then we'd see pro wrestling shows all over TV like we see lawyer/cop shows, doctor shows, and sitcoms featuring dysfunctional families. Because pro wrestling is not mainstream entertainment, Vince McMahon had to tone the wrestling aspect way down, and emphasize "Hollywood"-type drama with lots of talking (to attract "non-wrestling fans"). Which means rolling off the assembly line stock TV characters with teams of writers to come up with scenarios and dialogue for them. There is no real sense of competition in the WWE. There is no such thing as "working your way up the ladder" to get championship matches and the WWE makes no pretense otherwise. They just run a few pre-recorded vignettes to introduce a new character and because he's a "rich guy" (or whatever) he automatically gets title shots despite having no prior history in the business, and no credibility. The IWC may know him and where he came from, but the vast majority of the WWE's "mainstream" audience does not. Title shots are generally given to those who ambush the champions (to manufacture instant "heat"). The Champ may make the pretense of "get in line and earn your shot" but that means absolutely nothing because the challenger will just ambush him and get the title match anyway. No sense of competition or working your way up, whatsoever. It's all "scripted" and blatantly so.

Contrast that with a professional wrestling company like ROH and you will see a huge difference. Sure, ROH is "scripted", but they stay behind kayfabe (as much as they can in this internet/"dirt sheet" age) and they are all about competition, hiring the most skilled wrestlers, working your way up the ladder, and earning championships through skills and wrestling abilities. In ROH, the wrestling match is the focus, not "Hollywood" TV drama, promos and skits.

TNA falls somewhere in the middle of those two opposites. Because they are "mainstream" it's impossible for them to stay completely behind kayfabe, but they do try. They do want the "mainstream" audience so they have "WWE"-type storylines (though generally more wrestling-oriented than the WWE) and there are a lot of talking segments to advance plotlines for the fans who aren't "wrestling geeks" obsessed with a million wrestling holds in each match. While TNA is not immune to the tired "ambush the Champ to get a title match" shtick the WWE overdoes, TNA does try their best to make won-loss records count toward "moving up the ladder" to title matches. There is a definite sense of competition in TNA to make what they do appear real.

If I were to describe TNA I would describe it as "professional wrestling in a 'sports entertainment' wrapper". It's still pro wrestling but with a big coat of Hollywood glitz. The WWE I describe as a "TV drama that takes place in a pro wrestling setting".

BQ: *puts on "wrestling geek" hat* The armbar is what western civilization calls the Juji Gatame which is a submission hold in Judo, likely invented by the creator of that martial art, Jigoro Kano, in the 1870's.

You're splitting hairs. Pro Wrestling IS Sports Entertainment. There's no differentiating between the two. It's like asking if Cola is Soda or Pop. While true, Vince came up with the term to describe his own product. I repeat HE created the term, NOT the fans, it's a fairly blanket term when it comes to wrestling as a genre.

All wrestling companies have some sort of front-and-center storyline, regardless to how basic it may be. TNA is Sports Entertainment.

BA: Some Japanese dude, probably.

TNA considers it's self both Pro Wrestling and Sports Entertainment

I would rather own a sports entertainment compant. It gives more of a creative capability and is just more fun to watch in my opinion. A Pro Wrestlng company would be cool too because you have legit skill, but personally, I prefer the entertainment to the actual elements of wrestling. But those are also important. BQ; Don't watch TNA much but I would have to say Sarita. BQ2; If the Miz still has the WWE Title (which I hope he doesn't), I'd like to see a triple threat match bewteen him, Randy Orton, and John Morrison. I'd also like to see HHH vs. the Undertaker to see if the King could end his streak.

Pro wrestling.

The company was founded by two wrestlers~the armbar has been around much longer that to have some Japanese dude invent it. It was developed by the greeks, who developed wrestling into an organized hierarchy. That's why why have 'Greco~Roman wrestling.' It is the only decent kind of wrestling where no blows are struck 'below the waist.' Ha~ha.

Only the North East calls itself Sports Entertainment because it is ashamed to the fact that it is indeed pro wrestling. In the South is has been and ALWAYS will be Rassling! You can't get anymore redneck than having NASCAR guys cross promote or have random whores show up claiming that a wrestler is her baby's daddy. TNA was founded in Nashville then moved to Orlando and is on THE NASHVILLE NETWORK before it changed its name to Spike TV. It is 100% pure hillybilly backwoods bible thumping southern culture.....hell it even has some jabronies from OVW which is located in Kentucky.

Armbar is from the martial art Judo from Japan.

It has more wrestling and less entertainment unlike that of WWE.

In their promos they say "Wrestling Matters" and "Real Wrestlers". BQ- no idea.

Who cares? TNA sucks balls. watch wwe