Stu Bennett on NWA Not Running Shows During Pandemic, Doesn’t Expect Shows For Rest of Year

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Stu Bennett talked about the NWA not running shows amid the COVID-19 pandemic and how he agrees with the decision. The company shut down its shows when the pandemic kicked into high gear in the US in March, and Billy Corgan has said that the company will not run any shows until there are audiences back. Bennett talked about how he doesn’t blame companies like WWE and AEW with TV contracts from holding shows but explained how, while making it clear he’s not speaking on behalf of anyone in management, he didn’t expect to see shows start back up at any time this year.

You can check out highlights and the full video below:

On NWA not running shows during the pandemic: “Yeah, so very quickly when this pandemic broke down and everyone got locked down — probably at the end of February or the beginning of March — NWA management came out and said very specifically, ‘There is no circumstances by which we will be putting on shows without a crowd there.’ They see, Billy Corgan specifically sees the audience as an integral part of professional wrestling, and I actually agree with him. I’ve seen the stuff other companies are doing. Not to take a shot at them, I just think you lose so much when a fanbase isn’t there. It’s not like a pure sport like football, or rugby, or soccer or whatever where, ‘Okay, the importance here is really the winning or losing.’ In wrestling, it really isn’t the most important part as we all know in this day and age. The important part is the entertainment and the emotion that it brings out. And it’s very difficult to bring out that emotion when you don’t have the audience there, because as a television viewer a lot of your reaction is based on that crowd and how they’re responding.”

On companies with TV deals running shows: “Of course, it’s impossible. I would never take a shot at them for it. I know it’s very easy, me sitting at home having worked for a company that isn’t doing it and being nice and safe, it’s very easy for me to take a shot at those guys for doing it. That’s not my point at all. They are literally handcuffed to these deals. And if they don’t produce their content than they aren’t fulfilling their obligations, that money’s getting pulled. And potentially, depending on the company, their company may be bust after that. So they have to look after the business side too, and by looking after the business, they’re also looking after the employees and people who work for them. So it’s a horrible balance to strike.”

On when he thinks NWA might come back: “I think we were slowly getting closer to it. I’d heard rumors of ‘We’re kind of looking at October of doing something if things continue going well.’ And then suddenly, the US anyway had this giant spike and we’re all back to square one now. I would be amazed — and this is not coming from anyone in management. I would be amazed if NWA puts on a show in the rest of 2020 just based on how all of this stuff is spiking right now. I just don’t think it’s going to be safe for the rest of the year for anyone to be putting on a show, or having the crowd there and all that stuff. So do not take my word for it; at the end of the day it’s Billy Corgan’s decision. But I would be surprised if anything comes in 2020.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Chris Van Vliet with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.