Eric Bischoff On TNA Rebranding As Impact Wrestling, Reason Behind It, TNA Trying To Sign Jim Ross

In a recent edition of 83 Weeks, Eric Bischoff discussed TNA rebranding as Impact Wrestling, the Lockdown pay-per-view concept, and much more. You can read his comments below.

Eric Bischoff on TNA Lockdown 2011 and the Lockdown concept: “God forbid we step into the common sense zone and wake up one day and say if we’re gonna put all these matches in a cage – every match on the pay-per-view is in a cage – let’s plan ahead for at least three months and decide who we’re gonna match up. Let’s escalate each of those feuds to the point where there’s no alternative but to put these matches in a cage because of everything that had happened before. They didn’t do that. They just threw this shit up against the wall and said it’s in a cage and it’s a TNA tradition. I tried to talk them out of doing this every year to the point where I was almost escorted out of the TNA offices. Dixie would get so mad at me, and so would most everybody else. They all had voices and went, ‘That’s a TNA tradition. Lockdown, our fans look forward to that.'”

On TNA rebranding itself as Impact Wrestling in 2011: “Deep down inside, I suspect it wasn’t Dixie that was resistant because of all the money that had been spent marketing TNA. I suspect it was mommy and daddy. Dixie was smart, and as a woman, I’m pretty sure she was a little embarrassed. Dixie still has a fairly high profile in the Nashville area in the social echelons of the important people of Nashville. She’s well-known, and she’s a sweet person and very active in the community. Yet she’s the female owner of TNA? I think it was kind of weird for Dixie. Now, the name change didn’t come from within. People want to believe it did, but it started with Spike TV. It was their marketing, their research, and their challenges with advertisers. This came from Viacom because Viacom had to go out and represent the content on the show. Those poor people in advertising had to try to go out and sell something called TNA. Seems like it would be a hurdle, doesn’t it?”

On rumors that Jim Ross had discussions to join TNA: “It wasn’t a rumor with Jim Ross. I was part of the conversation, and I think I was the one that gave Jim’s contact information to Dixie. It was a real conversation, and I may have initiated that conversation to a certain degree and fully supportive of it. It didn’t work out, and Jim ultimately decided not to join TNA. I think Jim even made a trip to the ranch in Texas to meet Bob and Janice Carter. That’s how serious it got.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit 83 Weeks with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.