Scott D’Amore had a lot to do with the popularity that Impact Wrestling had, and under Anthem’s ownership, he spearheaded a change back to TNA Wrestling. Now, he is gone, and talent are a bit shell-shocked by it all.
Releases Addressed During TNA Wrestling Meeting
It is very interesting that TNA Wrestling went from a successful re-branding straight into firing D’Amore. This subject was addressed by talent in two video conferences today, and Haus of Wrestling reports that one got a bit “chaotic.”
The idea was then addressed that some talent are not happy about the situation. This is when Tommy Dreamer stated that anyone who wants to discuss their release from the company may do so in a private manner.
It was said to have gotten chaotic after they broke the news that D’Amore was no longer with the company, as many were loyal to him. Kim asked everyone to mute their lines, and we believe some talents were allowed to speak.
The all-talent call concluded with Tommy Dreamer telling talent that if they were unhappy and wanted to be released from their deals, they could have those discussions with the company privately.
More Information on Mandatory Meetings After Scott D’Amore’s TNA Firing
Initially, it is reported that there was a belief that talent had the option to leave their contracts, but further discussions revealed this may not be the case. One source reportedly indicated that potential releases would likely depend on the perceived importance of the talent to the company.
For instance, Jordynne Grace was cited as someone unlikely to be released given the attention she garnered after the WWE Royal Rumble. It also remains to be seen who has asked for their release from TNA Wrestling, if anyone has.
During the second call, both the production team and other staff members, alongside talent, were reportedly present. Several Anthem executives, including President and CEO Leonard Asper, CCO Ed Nordholm, HR advisor Michelle Hall, new TNA President Anthony Cicione, VP of Business Ariel Schnerer, and VP of Sales Anthony Burroughs, participated.
Burroughs addressed the call and expressed a desire for more TNA integration in other Anthem shows, similar to the involvement of Eric Young and Frankie Kazarian. The call was characterized as a motivational speech.
Who is Anthony Cicione, the new President of TNA
With a tenure of 16 years at Anthem, Cicione has managed technical operations and supervised multiple cable and digital channels. Before joining Anthem, he worked as a sports content producer, notably contributing to The Score’s success by introducing WWE programming.
In addition to his role as President of Entertainment, Cicione will oversee the day-to-day business operations of TNA Wrestling, leveraging over 30 years of executive-level management experience.