Rumor: Ted Turner Has Purchased a Majority Stake in TNA?

[SpecialFNK]

I saw this last night.
link I saw came from here..
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-683064?ref=feeds/latest
which also links here..
http://www.thewrestlingtimes.com/p/ted-turner-has-purchased-majority-stake.html

By THE Wrestling Times - According to a source I spoke to at AOL within the past few days. Ted Turner has purchase a majority stake in the company,Turner could seriously clean house, a source tells me "AOL and Panda Energy is a million dollar wrestling dream machine ".

ireport.cnn.com is a website written by CNN, it's written by anyone.

iReport is the way people like you report the news. The stories in this section are not edited, fact-checked or screened before they post. Only ones marked 'CNN iReport' have been vetted by CNN.

but the ireport site does link the other wrestling website.

truth or rumor?
right now I'm not sure I believe it. would need to see more credible wrestling websites pick up the story.

if true, this would be absolute HUGE news for TNA.
at the time Turner helped make WCW better than WWF/WWE.

thoughts?

 

[Rayne]

This would be huge for TNA/IW. Even Dixie Carter isn't the money mark that Ted Turner was. Of course, I don't think it's the least bit true, it's just more of the "remember WCW" stuff going around.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Well this will kill those 'TNA is the new WCW' arguments once and for all!

One of the links seemed to mention Turner's involvement is what postponed Hogan's retirement. Kinda dreading the idea that Turner may show up at BFG to bank-roll Hogan's TNA.

If this is true, this could be mighty interesting.

 

[It's Damn Real!]

This would be huge for TNA/IW. Even Dixie Carter isn't the money mark that Ted Turner was. Of course, I don't think it's the least bit true, it's just more of the "remember WCW" stuff going around.

I'm with you on this. If this is in fact the case, prepare for major changes and more importantly major upgrades to the visual aspects of the show and likely a guarantee that they'd be going on the road full-time in a very short time.

Problem is... I don't buy this report at all.

 

[sweetcosmicpope]

I agree with all of you. This would be a great move, but unfortunately, the only two sources I can find for this are the ireport site, and the site it links to. My opinion? A wrestling website trying to drum up visits by making fake news and ireporting it.

 

[(s)AINT]

This is a total false rumor, when Time Warner merged with AOL Ted Turner lost billions upon billions of dollars and isn't even affiliated with that company anymore. Not to mention the fact that AOL is dying company nowadays.

=)

 

[mdj2010]

I'm gonna guess that he doesn;t wan to come back and get his ass kicked again, especially with a company that stand no chance of competing, even with a bigger budget. Still, at least they've changed their head writer.

 

[kor420]

This is one rumor that i hope is true. WWE fan or TNA, you want to see this because it only can make both products better.

 

[Pbenglish]

I really doubt it is true...ireport is like Wikipedia. Anyone can throw something up there and it doesn't have to be true.
Even if it is true, it's not going to have the same impact (pun not intended) as when Turner owned WCW. When Turner had WCW, he had a network behind it as well. That wouldn't be the case now.
Much ado about nothing, I think.

 

[Jeremy5144]

If this is true it would be a heck of a swerve in the wrestling world. I think Ted Turner wants another crack at dethrowning Vince McMahon. I do not think that Mr. Turner is one that likes to lose. If he is willing to put the dollars behind it and get behind more TNA programming as they needs to run at least 2 or 3 more different shows to compete. Paul Heyman said it best there is still a small market in wrestling that they could capitalize on it. There has to be a willingness to invest and time to wait to see it through. The fact that TNA is in the black is a good sign. Turner would inherit the same people he had when WCW was at it's peak. I wouldn't doubt there may have been convincing on Hogan's and Bischoff's part.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

I call bullshit. I'd love it if this ever happened but it just doesn't make much sense. Then again, crazier things have happened.

 

[Lowdown]

I'm with you on this. If this is in fact the case, prepare for major changes and more importantly major upgrades to the visual aspects of the show and likely a guarantee that they'd be going on the road full-time in a very short time.

Problem is... I don't buy this report at all.

I gotta side with you on this IDR. I've yet to see an article that confirms Turner's interest. Based on how bad things fell apart with WCW, I seriously doubt Turner wants to jump back in the wrestling pool. But hey, who knows? He's got the money to invest in it so maybe.

 

[RicoLen]

I say it's crap, but damn wouldn't it be nice if it were true... then again, I'm not sure how it would change things these days. I've only just within the last few weeks made an effort to start getting into TNA, but it'd be nice if TNA were to become a major player to put the squeeze on Vince again.

 

[ShawnBronald]

No major wrestling websites are reporting or even mentioning this. I call absolute, total BS.

That being said, if Billionaire Ted wanted to get back in the wrasslin' game, I'd back him. WCW started to go under when Ted no longer had any say in or backing of the company. The only reason I could see this rumor being potentially true is the fact that Hogan and Bischoff mysteriously resigned with TNA. There was no good reason for them to stick around and yet they did. They still have a close relationship with Turner.

If Turner were to get involved, I'd say look for a total re-branding of TNA. They'd probably become Impact Championship Wrestling, get a major network TV deal, start touring the entire country, go live on Thursdays (or Tuesdays, or some other day) and finally have some credibility.

If this somehow, someway was true..... look out. Too bad it's not.

 

[wrestlingfanusa]

I hope this is true bc like the guy above me said they will tour the country, go live on thursdays, and they will have big time credibility. I think its true bc i think he has a ego just as big as vince macs. I think he has been waiting on his time to strike and now is the best time to strike for ted turner. But i think vince is gonna not step down for sure now if this is true, i mean if his rival ted is backing tna vince mcmahon is gonna be in vince mcmahon mode again. You know wat that means everyone watch the fuck out for mood swings. Wat better time for it other than now? I mean triple h barely wrestles and undertaker isnt wrestling full time anymore. Also i could see big show jumping ship and mark henry possibly. Because there older now and would want the more time off, i wonder if the rock would come back for a few months to help out vince if ted is back in charge?

 

[mr_dna]

Great Move??? Big For TNA???

Ted Turner the same Ted Turner that SOLD WCW after he listened to hogan and Bishoff and Killed it

He Couldn't do it 10 years ago against a then Small company WWF with all his millions what's changed now apart from having a worse product in TNA and going against a massive company now in WWE.

Its good for us the Fans but in the end it will end the same way

 

[Dagger Dias]

That is probably just a rumor. I will believe it when I see it. I'm not saying it would never happen, but there are a lot of rumors floating around out there and you can't always believe what you read online. In the chance that it COULD be true, it would be great for TNA because Turner could provide them with a massive amount of money. Look at what that did for WCW. The federation would finally stand a better chance at becoming a threat to WWE. That all depends on whether Turner really did buy a majority stake or not though.

 

[kor420]

I gotta side with you on this IDR. I've yet to see an article that confirms Turner's interest. Based on how bad things fell apart with WCW, I seriously doubt Turner wants to jump back in the wrestling pool. But hey, who knows? He's got the money to invest in it so maybe.

Yeah but turner really really really loves wrestling and he was heart broken over the loss of wcw. i see it could be possible that he wants to get his feet wet again in the wrestling industry. i just wish he would make a statement if it were true are not.

I Been feeling like something is on the horizon, i just have a gut feeling.. Bish and hogan was done with TNA and all of a sudden they want back on? russo not head creative anymore and other small things that goes unnoticed lead me to belive something was in store for tna before i read this thread.

 

[VinnieSunshine]

I dont buy the report at all. Turner washed his hands of WCW, why would he pick up another wrestling company thats in the same boat as WCW at the time he purchased it?

Turner would have to dump HUGE sums of money into doing this again and I just cant see him trying to compete with Vince and WWE again.

I think the report is fabricated and was just made to rile up the fans and the IWC...I mean, its got us all talking and speculating right????

 

[harrythem]

Where has the idea that Turner washed his hands of WCW come from? AOL/Time Warner washed their hands, but that was after Ted had been pushed for enough from power to no longer have a say in if the company was still going to be part of the Network.

If this is true then, unlike Dixie, they'll have someone who has knowledge of how to market a wrestling company and spend money on it wisely (from signing Hogan till about early 99 at least) which is a better record then Carter has.

If it's just a rumour then, hey ho, that sucks, but at least it shows how exciting things could get if Ted got back in the mix!!

 

[Lowdown]

Yeah but turner really really really loves wrestling and he was heart broken over the loss of wcw. i see it could be possible that he wants to get his feet wet again in the wrestling industry. i just wish he would make a statement if it were true are not.

I Been feeling like something is on the horizon, i just have a gut feeling.. Bish and hogan was done with TNA and all of a sudden they want back on? russo not head creative anymore and other small things that goes unnoticed lead me to belive something was in store for tna before i read this thread.

Well I'm hoping for the best. I do enjoy TNA so hopefully either way, especially if the rumor is true, things will get better. I'm taking it with a grain of salt.

 

[SpecialFNK]

Great Move??? Big For TNA???

Ted Turner the same Ted Turner that SOLD WCW after he listened to hogan and Bishoff and Killed it

He Couldn't do it 10 years ago against a then Small company WWF with all his millions what's changed now apart from having a worse product in TNA and going against a massive company now in WWE.

Its good for us the Fans but in the end it will end the same way

Turner and Time Warner merged with AOL, and it then was AOL that had no interest in the wrestling business.

Turner is what made WCW. it was his money that was able to sign Hogan and Savage away from the WWF. those 2 big house hold names along with other WCW stars they had are what put WCW on the map. it was those stars and then the whole angle around Hall/Nash and the creation of the nWo that pushed WCW ahead of WWF.

WWF was bigger back then than they are now, and back then when Turner was with WCW along with Hogan and Bischoff that is when WCW was consistently getting better ratings than WWF. wrestling has never been as big as it was back then, and likely never will be again.

unfortunately it looks like this is/was just a rumor. TNA could surely use someone like Ted, someone with a large amount of money willing to put it into the business.

 

[Cena's #1 In My Heart]

I'm gonna guess that he doesn;t wan to come back and get his ass kicked again, especially with a company that stand no chance of competing, even with a bigger budget. Still, at least they've changed their head writer.

No chance of competing.. yet there Impact Wrestling on Spike TV shows outside of the Impact Zone are nearing closer and closer to Raw's attendance. Raw's ratings have been dipping... Impacts have done the usual staying put.

Are people really so block headed that after 10 years of no competition that the WWE has become The Bible and is untouchable? Not a chance... things are more up in the air than ever before with WWE making a mess out of their company and Impact Wrestling continuing to push harder.

Ted Turner getting in with Impact Wrestling would defiantly bring them some financial backing.. hell.. probably more than the WWE has if Turner still has his billions.

As long as Turner keeps his nose out of the business and funds the checks... it could be a very good thing.

 

[rohwrestlingfan777]

TNA could surely use someone like Ted, someone with a large amount of money willing to put it into the business.

the site put up a 2st update up on this

~~~~

http://www.thewrestlingtimes.com/2011/10/tna-news-panda-energy-will-be-working.html#more


By The Wrestling Times - The Wrestling Times reported in a previous article that "Ted Turner has purchased a majority stake in the company", but at this time We don't know how big that stake is. Panda Energy will be working with Ted Turner .


Did Ted Turner buy TNA ? Yes. Its seems that he did in some way. Another thing, I've often wondered is how close in business terms were Hulk Hogan and Ted Turner; why didn't Hogan not just give Turner a call for his assistance? Then again, how many other contacts has Hogan received that he could have used to boost TNA's growth? Certainly makes one questionthings a bit.


There has been so much wrestling news activity going around online about TNA over the recent days. Reports about Spike TV wanting to buy a stake in TNA have emerged as well. Other rumors that came out recently involved TNA is looking at going to ESPN next year. WWE fan or TNA, you want to see this because it can only make both products better.


Let's be honest. All of a sudden TNA is pumping media tours, tours to countries they have never been to such as the South America tour. Re-signing Hogan, Bischoff, moving Russo down, heavily scouting talent? All at the same time? This added a lot of credibility and I think Ted Turner wants another crack at Vince McMahon. I do not think that Mr. Turner is one that likes to lose. If he is willing to put the dollars behind it and get behind more TNA programming, as they need to run at least 2 or 3 more different shows to compete.

I think he has been waiting on his time to strike and now is the best time to strike for Ted Turner. Let's not forget even Turner learned a valuable lesson from budgeting in WCW. If only Ted know about these financial lessons when he was in control of WCW. Recently Ted sold his sports teams such as the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and the Thrashers, an NHL hockey team.

 

[The12thMan]

All I gotta say is this...if this turns out to be true, TNA will no doubt change forever. I think the big difference this time will be that hopefully Ted and the rest of em (hogan, bischoff) learned there lesson from the 90's. Plus lets face it, Ted and Vince still have unfinished business including Vince buying WCW to Ted taking talent away from the WWE in the mid 90's.