Former TNA World Champion Eric Young called into the latest edition of Busted Open Radio to discuss TNA’s upcoming move from Destination America to Pop TV and changes he feels TNA needs to make. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On TNA moving to Pop TV and comparing TNA to Nickelback:
“It’s a big, fat, juicy, delicious ray of sunshine. There’s no mystery – all the guys know, all the people in the office know – there’s been a black cloud over the company. Whether it’s deserved or undeserved, that’s all in the eye of the beholder I suppose. But I think somewhere along the line we became kind of too big to be the underdog where people are really rooting for us and not big enough to be taken all the way serious. We’re in this in-between. I liken it – for me, for people that don’t understand wrestling, we’re the Nickelback of pro wrestling right now. I don’t know when that happened. Nickelback doesn’t care that it happened, but they’re aware of it too. It became cool to not like Nickelback. I’m not a musician. I don’t know anything about writing music or whatever, but I like Nickelback’s music. I listen to it. I’ve been a fan. I saw them live in Toronto when no one knew who they were. They were awesome. He has a full-size hockey rink in his basement. He gets drunk and plays with his buddies. They’re great and I think TNA’s great. I’ve always thought that. That will never change. It’s never going to be perfect. Nothing in entertainment is going to make everybody happy, but moving to Pop TV is a big, positive step for us. History’s the history and we’re all moving forward positive.”
On changes TNA needs to make:
“I’m not a businessman. I would never say that I know anything about business. If I didn’t have an iPhone, I would never show up anywhere. I wouldn’t know where I was going. I would never be on time for anything. I’m disorganized and brutal, but if you’re asking me, it has nothing to do with a single person. They have to decide a direction and go there and march. We can’t say, ‘Oh, we’re doing this now’ and throw 20 things against the wall. Then, six weeks down the road, maybe those things aren’t working right away and then re-do it all and start again. We’re spinning our tires. We have to just decide a direction, decide who we’re using, decide what we’re doing, decide who we’re showcasing, what we’re trying to give the wrestling fans, and then give it to them on a consistent basis. That’s the biggest thing for me is consistency. That’s sort of like accountability. When you tune into Impact, you’re getting a great wrestling match. You’re getting a great storyline, you’re getting a good women’s match. It’s the ultimate variety show.”
