TNA Impact! Zone

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Soundstage 21
nickname = The iMPACT! Zone


location = Universal Studios Florida
opened = 1989
owner = Universal Studios
operator = Universal Studios
surface = Concrete 80% & polystyrene 20%
tenants = Nickelodeon GUTS
RollerJam
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
seating_capacity = 1200 (optimal) 900 (current)The TNA iMPACT! Zone is the professional wrestling nickname for Soundstage 21 in Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida. It is the home of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).

History

1990s

Prior to being the home of TNA, Soundstage 21 hosted "RollerJam", which aired after "ECW on TNN" and featured cameos by several ECW wrestlers. Soundstage 21 was also used to tape episodes of "Nickelodeon GUTS", as it was larger than the Nickelodeon Studios soundstages. Prior to Nickelodeon Studios opening in 1990, episodes of "Super Sloppy Double Dare" were filmed in Soundstage 21. The stage was also used for various television commercials, music videos, TV shows such as "Superboy" and "Hi Honey, I'm Home", and scenes from the movie "Parenthood".

TNA

In May 2004, TNA announced that they would be starting their first nationally airing television show, "TNA iMPACT!" on Fox Sports Net. They also announced that they would be airing this show from Universal Studios as part of an agreement reached with the theme park. Accordingly TNA leased Soundstage 21 for the purposes of putting on wrestling events for an indefinite period of time. TNA also moved several of its main offices down to Orlando from their original home in Nashville.

Since June 2004, TNA has taped its flagship "TNA iMPACT!" show as well as its secondary "TNA Xplosion" show from the iMPACT! Zone. They also aired every monthly pay-per-view in company history from that location until October 2006 when "Bound For Glory" was broadcast from Detroit. They also hosted a special viewing of "The Best Damn Sports Show Period" that was entitled the "Best Damn Wrestling Event Period".

As part of the agreement with Universal Studios, TNA is not allowed to charge entrance to events held at the iMPACT! Zone. This has led TNA to look for alternative venues to host some of their monthly pay-per-view events.

In August 2006 at Hard Justice, a fire sparked in the rafters of the iMPACT! Zone. The fire was the result of pyrotechnics igniting a burlap sandbag. The soundstage was evacuated for approximately 20 minutes while the Orlando Fire Department inspected the resultant damage and the building in general. Afterward, the audience was allowed back in and the show resumed with only one match cancelled.

Format

The iMPACT! Zone is one of the few wrestling arenas today that maintains two separate entrances. The English and Spanish announce tables border the base of the heel entrance ramp, while the respective areas on the opposite side are split between use for security run-ins and a main fan entrance to the soundstage.

The seating arrangement consists of full soundstage audience bleachers (complete with individual chairs), while the lower level is composed of a standing room only ringside section known to local fans as "The Pit". In each of the four corners of the main section of the arena are elevated bleacher sections for additional seating.

External links

* [http://www.tnawrestling.com TNAWrestling.com - the official website of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]