AlternativeNation.net‘s Wrestling section published an exclusive in-depth interview with Kurt Angle today.
During the interview, Angle reveals when he will retire, hints at where his next contract might be, talks recently reconnecting with Vince McMahon, reveals Triple H’s real current WWE role, gives his thoughts on Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling, describes a recent discussion he had with Dixie Carter about TNA’s future, remembers working with Chris Benoit, and gives his candid thoughts on Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo.
Below are some interview highlights:
On when he will retire:
“I can’t really say who I’m going with yet or what company I’m going to sign with. I am going to sign, but I’m going to just sign for 1 year, and that’s that. I think I’m pretty much done, I’m just going to have the best year I can have. Hopefully it’ll be my best year, then I’m going to retire.”
On TNA’s TV future:
“Well at the TV’s we just did, Dixie Carter and ‘Big’ John Gaburick sat the talent down and eased their minds a little bit, because I think a lot of the talent were a little bit confused and nervous regarding what was going on. I had a private sit down with Dixie, she reassured me of what was going on, and what her plans were. It was a good meeting, it was a very positive meeting. She just knows that the next deal that they sign really has to help benefit TNA, in every regard.”
On his recent talks with Vince McMahon:
“The only person that I really spoke my piece with, that I had a lot to do with in the past, and the problems I had and the way I left the company, I was able to speak my piece with Vince, and I’m happy with that. As long as Vince and I don’t have any issues, I’m okay with that. What I found out is that Triple H is pretty much running the show now. I didn’t know that, I really believed that Vince would always run the show until the day he died, but now they’re in a position as a publicly traded company where you’re not only answering to Vince and Triple H, you’re also answering to the shareholders.”
On the WWE Hall of Fame:
“Yeah, like I said, I’m not going to say where I’m heading next, but the Hall of Fame would definitely be an option; I’m not going to count that out. It’s a big honor, it would be important to me. Is it the most important thing? No. Obviously being inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and International Wrestling Hall of Fame for Olympic style wrestling is the most important thing to me. But it is still important to me, because I’ve definitely made a legacy for myself in pro wrestling, and I take a lot of pride in it, I love the business. The Hall of Fame would be nice. Would it be the end of the world if I wasn’t inducted? No, but it would be an honor.”
September 29, 2014
Kurt Angle Reveals When He’ll Retire, Talks Recent Vince McMahon Negotiations, Triple H’s WWE Role, More
September 25, 2014
TNA Interested In Holding a Live NYC TV Taping, Rumor on Another Network They've Talked With
TNA President Dixie Carter reportedly told talent at last week's TV tapings that she guarantees Impact Wrestling will be on TV on January 7th, 2015, which is the first Wednesday after the deal with Spike TV is done.
TV industry sources indicate that TNA likely has not signed a deal but is in very serious talks. It's expected that they will get a deal and will remain on Wednesday nights.
If everything goes as planned, TNA is looking at doing a live TV taping on January 7th from the Manhattan Center in New York City.
There's no word yet on which network TNA is in very serious talks with but they were talking with 4 stations - WGN America, Velocity and one other that was not a cable station. The other station is believed to be CMT. Jason Hervey of Bischoff Hervey Entertainment with Eric Bischoff, which has worked close with TNA in the past, teased something with WGN on his Twitter today.
September 16, 2014
Can TNA Get Over?
Rumors have swirled about the demise of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Is this the end for the company? And will professional wrestling ever support two major promotions again? Click here.
source: grantland.com
August 14, 2014
TNA Announces Impact Wrestling Is Moving to Wednesday Nights on Spike
TNA announced the following:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 14, 2014) – TNA today announced its flagship program, IMPACT WRESTLING, will make a permanent move to Wednesday nights at 9/8c on SPIKE TV beginning next Wednesday, Aug. 20.
"Moving IMPACT WRESTLING to Wednesday nights gives existing fans and new viewers an opportunity to enjoy both wrestling and live sports even more throughout the week," said TNA President Dixie Carter.
IMPACT WRESTLING has enjoyed sustained ratings growth this summer, drawing over 1.5 million viewers each week this quarter, and is among the most watched cable series in key male demos in its timeslot.
July 29, 2014
July 28, 2014
TNA Still Negotiationing With Spike TV?, Comments From Viacom And TNA Executive
Spike TV parent company Viacom issued the following in response to a request from PWInsider for comment on Spike and TNA:
"Per Viacom company policy - we don't comment on ongoing negotiations."
This seems to confirm that they are still in talks, as Dixie Carter noted on her Twitter earlier.
TNA executive Bob Ryder also tweeted:
"Reports are not true. Negotiations with @SpikeTV are ongoing."
TMZ Reports Spike TV Will Not Be Renewing TNA's Impact Wrestling Contract
From TMZ.com:
TNA Wrestling's flagship show "Impact Wrestling" could soon be without a home -- Spike TV quietly let the league know it's not renewing their TV contract … TMZ has learned.
Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the deal ... tell us Spike execs contacted TNA President Dixie Carter late last week to break the news -- and the following day Carter informed members of her inner circle.
TNA's current deal with Spike reportedly runs through October. It's unclear at this point when "Impact Wrestling" will stop airing on Spike.
We're told there's no bad blood, and Spike gave TNA such advance notice so it would have time to shop for a new TV deal.
TNA's show debuted on Spike TV in October 2005 -- and helped the league rise to #2 on the wrestling scene … behind the WWE.
We've called TNA and Spike for comment ... so far, no word back.
June 19, 2014
June 14, 2014
Rumor Mill - Low Attendance at Recent TNA Basebrawl Events Leads to Low Morale, Some Talents Looking to Leave TNA, More
According to The Wrestling Observer, the low attendance figures for TNA's recent Basebrawl stadium events has lead to low morale amongst the talents who worked the events.
There is said to be an air of uncertainty in TNA right now, as so many talents have been let go recently, talents feel The Carter family isn't putting much new money into TNA lately, and since wrestlers use live fan attendance as a way to judge the state of the company, morale has been down to say the least.
TNA's lack of a new TV deal with SpikeTV also has talents nervous, however with several TNA names appearing at the SpikeTV awards show this past week, that's being looked at as a positive sign for TNA and Spike negotiations.
Several TNA stars have reportedly reached out to Ring of Honor and Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling for potential job opportunities, but since so little has been revealed about GFW, that has lead to growing concern amongst talents.
February 9, 2014
Rumor Mill - What Caused Negotiations Between TNA Wrestling & Toby Keith to Fall Apart; Dixie Carter Responsible?
According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Carter family came very close to selling TNA Wrestling to company co-founder Jeff Jarrett and country music legend Toby Keith. Jarrett reportedly put the deal together, and the two parties – Keith and Carter – even met to finalize plans.
Apparently, the deal breaker was that Bob Carter wanted to sell the company, but had one stipulation prior to making the deal: that Dixie Carter remain as on-screen TNA President, and retain some power within the company. Keith refused to make the deal with any "creative limitations" on the line, and negotiations fell apart from there.
It was at this point that both Jeff Jarrett and Toby Keith took a step back, realizing that they could build their own promotion from the ground-up. Jarrett left TNA in December.
December 23, 2013
Jeff Jarrett Resigns From TNA
On December 22nd, 2013 I officially resigned from TNA Entertainment. Thanks to everyone involved for all the fantastic memories! #grateful
— Jeff Jarrett (@JeffJarrettTNA) December 23, 2013Jarrett co-founded TNA along with his father Jerry in 2002, and has most recently been a minority company owner.
This is the official release from TNA regarding Jeff Jarrett:
TNA Entertainment, LLC announced today that it has accepted Mr. Jeff Jarrett’s resignation from the company effective January 6th, 2014. Dixie Carter, President, commented “On behalf of TNA, we would like to thank Jeff for his contributions to the Company. We wish him the very best and look forward to his continued participation as an investor in TNA Wrestling.
November 21, 2013
Dixie Carter On TNA's Profitability, What They Would Change With Hulk Hogan, Recent Releases
Getting on Spike TV: "Once we got on Spike, we changed a lot of things and our revenues grew. We've been cash flow positive for the last four or five years. After that point, Panda stopped putting money in the company. We've funded it with every dollar we've made and maybe that's kept us from growing quite as fast."
Recent talent releases: "Some people were let go... They didn't resonate. They didn't move the needle or the contract they wanted wasn't something that was good for this company. Sorry, but this company has to be in business in 10, 20 years from now. I have to run a company and grow it. I'm to the point right now where things have to be a certain way for us."
Going on the road: "We went on the road thinking if we could sell 1,500-2,000 tickets, we'd be good. We went in with a very conservative budget. We didn't come out here thinking we'd sell out arenas. The truth is we exceeded those budget numbers. We hit our revenue numbers, but we overspent when it came to loading out of the Universal studio. There was a two-month overlap that cost us... I think we've learned a lot from this. We learned that the show has to be shaken up, not the venue."
If signing Hulk Hogan was worth it: "Yes, I think Hulk has been worth it. He's opened a lot of doors for us. When you're about to lose a deal in an international territory and one phone call from Hulk Hogan makes a man who doesn't even speak your language melt and you get your deal back, that carries a lot of weight. There's not another guy out there who could do that.0/dixie-carter-on-tna-profitability/#TOFYgmVDAMLMLiiE.99
October 29, 2013
Dixie Carter Comments on TNA Sale Rumors
TNA President Dixie Carter posted the following on Twitter, which appears to be a direct response to some of the rumors that are floating around about the company's health and stories claiming that the Carter family are looking to sell TNA:
"Gossip is the opiate of the oppressed" Erica Jong #BlessYourHearts
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) October 29, 2013
More Details on Reports of The Carter Family Possibly Selling TNA
Fighting Spirit Magazine editor Brian Elliott recently spoke with WrestlingNewsSource about the news of TNA possibly being sold by The Carter Family.
Elliott reveals that the Carter family has been trying to sell the company for some time and mentioned that they are open to selling it to just a handful of people rather then making the sale public. Here is an excerpt from their story:
"The Carter family has been open to receiving offers for TNA for several months. There are a select number of business people on the inside to whom this has been made clear. You have to understand that it's not like the company is going to be listed on eBay; keeping the fact that they are open to selling TNA to a small number of potentially interested parties keeps the price that the Carters can get for it at a much higher level than if they went public that the company was for sale. If someone does make a bid, that information will then be leaked in certain quarters, in the hope of starting a bidding war that would raise the price further. Like with Fusient Media's attempted purchase of WCW, if someone comes in with a bid, we'll soon know about it."
October 27, 2013
Rumor Mill - Is TNA up for sale due to the Carter family wanting out of the wrestling business?
Dave Meltzer is reporting that the Carter family wants to throw the towel in on TNA and sell the company to the highest bidder. There are parties interested in purchasing it, but no word yet on who they might be. Obvious candidates are Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, Viacom and WWE...More?
source: cagesideseats.com
This Day In Wreslting History - Hulk Hogan Signs With TNA Wrestling
Hulk Hogan and TNA shocked the world with a press conference at Madison Square Garden announcing that he had signed with the company. The press conference had been publicly billed as promotion for Hogan's second autobiography. Hogan did a morning signing session at a Barnes & Noble, then went to Madison Square Garden for the conference.
The conference today featured Eric Bischoff introducing Hulk Hogan. Hogan talked about TNA and stated he was becoming a "partner" in the company and that he was feeling great and looking forward to being a part of the company.
TNA President Dixie Carter gave a short speech saying she was looking forward to working with Hogan and that while they have great ratings for a Thursday night, Hogan would be the "boost that TNA needed." SpikeTV's Kevin Kay was also in attendance and gave a brief statement about the network working with Hogan.
A Q&A session was then held, but was said to mostly be fluff fan type questions, although one fan did ask Hogan whether working with Vince Russo would be an issue. Hogan responded that as long as Russo stayed in his place and didn't cross him, there would be no issues. Hogan then said that if he did, Hogan would have to take care of it.
When the topic of Eric Bischoff came up, Hogan did not say Bischoff was working with him in TNA but noted they have other side projects they are working on. Obviously, Bischoff came into the company with Hogan.
Hulk Hogan discussed signing with TNA during the final few minutes of an interview on CNN's Larry King Live.
King asked Hogan whether he would be wrestling for the company after they aired footage of today's press conference from New York City. Hogan responded that he didn't know what he would be doing for the company yet and that he would be testing himself on the upcoming Hulkamania tour of Australia.
Hogan also threw out the idea of doing an American Idol-type of reality series to find the "next" Hulk Hogan, a reality show concept Jimmy Hart had discussed wanting to see in a 2008 pwinsider.com interview.
source: pwinsider.com
October 24, 2013
TNA Wrestling Announces New Creative Direction, Taking Impact Off The Road, & Training Facility
TNA Wrestling published an article on their official website where they announced several key elements for them going forward for the rest of the year and beyond like their new “Where action never ends” creative direction to filming Impact Wrestling at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida! The article also states that they will have a training facility where they will develop new talent in “an ongoing basis”. Below is the full announcement:
TNA LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED “WHERE ACTION NEVER ENDS” 24/7 CROSS-PLATFORM PROGRAMMING
TNA BRINGS FANS CLOSER THAN EVER BEFORE TO THE REAL LIVES OF WRESTLING SUPERSTARS
Coming off the heels of one of TNA’s highest-attended “Bound For Glory” Pay-Per-View events to date, TNA Wrestling announces a 24/7 cross-platform programming initiative, “Where Action Never Ends,” beginning today. Marking an evolution in the way fans experience professional wrestling, through this initiative, cameras will be rolling on the TNA superstars at live events, on the road and in their homes, giving viewers the chance to experience IMPACT Wrestling 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
How this will work: Fans will see compelling, “cameras everywhere” content infused into IMPACT Live on Spike TV every Thursday from 9-11 p.m. ET. For the remaining 166 hours of the week until the next show, they will also have the chance to see many of the wrestlers they love and storylines they follow unfold as this exclusive content filmed during the week will be presented online at www.impactwrestling.com, on social channels including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as a variety of new distribution channels in the coming months.
A longtime valued partner, Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla, will serve as the hub for TNA’s revolutionized programming strategy with shows primarily taping at their location, along with some IMPACT shows that will be filmed on the road from different markets. The first IMPACT show scheduled from Orlando will air live on November 21.
“The way that people view television has dramatically shifted, and it is incumbent upon us to deliver a modern, revolutionized way of watching professional wrestling to our fans,” said President Dixie Carter. “Our reality is that we only have 82 minutes of programming each week and a large roster of talented professionals that deserve more exposure. With our new ‘Where Action Never Ends’ creative direction, we will deliver just that for both them and the fans.”
October 16, 2013
Larry Zbyszko on TNA's Problems, Bischoff, Vince McMahon and WWE
The financial state of TNA: “…They just made wrong decisions…from what I hear, Bob Carter…he had a hard time saying no to his daughter, Dixie…Finally, they blew so much money with no real results after ten years that Bob resigned and I think the mother took over and she is controlling the purse…From what I hear…this guy is now fired, this guy is now fired and if you wanna stay there you get a pay cut. Half the guys wrestling there are on food stamps. I was shocked when I heard that one…”
Where TNA has gone wrong creatively: “…If you look at TNA today, I mean like ten years ago they had some great matches, AJ Styles vs. Chris Daniels, now ten years later, like six or seven months ago, I’m flicking through the TV and I stumble across TNA…and what’s the main event? AJ Styles vs. Chris Daniels, they’ve been wrestling each other for ten years. I couldn’t believe it…don’t these people understand…”
Eric Bischoff in TNA: “….Eric, who listened to a couple guys, pulled something off, then took credit for it, but everything he’s been involved in since sinks because he doesn’t know and won’t listen…”
Sting being “lucky”: “…Sting who was one of the luckiest men who ever lived, Sting couldn’t do a good interview, he couldn’t work good. We had to drop him from the ceiling for a year and dress him like the crow and not let him say a word to get one big match out of him…”
His relationship with and thoughts on Vince McMahon since once again working on occasion with WWE: “ …I haven’t bumped into Vince…I’ve been doing some things, like at ‘Mania, but I was running around doing Axxess, and signings, and filming DVD’s…when they tape the NXT shows they film that right down the street here…but, I haven’t bumped into Vince yet. I haven’t seen him since 1981. I can’t wait to see him, it will be very nostalgic…He looks great, between you and me, he’s one of the best characters he’s got…Vince is a classic, he would die for his creation and his fans, you can’t take that away from him…”
September 29, 2013
Rumor Mill - A Look At TNA Wrestling As The Financial Pressure Mounts
An Inside Look At TNA Wrestling As The Financial Pressure Mounts, What The Atmosphere Is Like Backstage Plus More
Many continue to wonder about the state of TNA Wrestling as tough contract re-negotiations take place and more workers choose to leave the company. Here is some further prospective.
TNA is by no means “broke” or “out of money,” as they still have the complete support of Panda Energy. However, TNA is trying to show less of a hit on the bottom line because the Carter family is not happy with the amount of money the promotion is bleeding. The pressure to cut back is at an all time high with expenses skyrocketing by taping television on the road.
While TNA hasn’t made the financial mistakes that were made in the latter days of WCW, some have been just as impactful to the small company (pun intended). What put TNA on the map was they were viewed as an upscale Ring of Honor with a few familiar faces that mainstream fans would recognize. As the company grew, they almost became obsessed with former WWE talent.
One key observer points out there was a time that when any worker was released from WWE you could literally count down the days until they were on TNA television. This same observer points to guys they could have gone without overspending on such as Ken Anderson, Chavo Guerrero, Mike Knox and “many others.” TNA could have held their ratings with the people that “brought them to the dance,” such as AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels and Bobby Roode. The problem is that TNA never found a happy medium.
source: wnw premium
September 5, 2013
Rumor Mill - Backstage TNA Atmosphere
It's being reported that there's a lot of talk going on backstage concerning the future of TNA Impact Wrestling. One source describes it as a similar feeling to when The Original ECW was in its dying days. Much like ECW, there are still employees in TNA who are behind in pay, especially the production people.
It's also being reported that there was some heat on TNA President Dixie Carter for skipping the recent TV tapings to go to a football game, which lead to even more questions and concerns.
