On an “Ask Jeff Anything” edition of the “My World” podcast, Jeff Jarrett took some fan questions on a variety of topics, including on the stories on the profitability of TNA and the time when an active WWE star, Robbie McAllister of The Highlanders tag team, appeared in the crowd during an Impact Wrestling taping.
“What was the reaction backstage when Robbie of the Highlanders showed up at a TNA taping while being employed at WWE in March of 2008? Since this played a part in getting him fired, do you regret showing him on camera during the broadcast?”
“I don’t, and the reason being is that there were so many things going on. In 2008, and this was WrestleMania season, I remember hearing the buzz. They were like, ‘Hey man. This WWE talent is out in the crowd.’ I said, ‘Why isn’t he back here?’ They said, ‘He doesn’t want to come back here.’ I couldn’t put that together…I do remember being asked, and I said, ‘Of course you’re going to show him on camera. What is the downside?’ I didn’t think the guy would put his job at risk by coming to a show, so I thought, ok, if he’s going to be here, he’s at least willing to take the risk, or he has taken the risk. Does he think we’re going to shoot around him? He knew the industry. I hate that he got fired, but that’s all post mortem.”
Jeff Jarrett said the narrative of TNA never being profitable is not true:
“When we got the Spike deal, we became profitable that day, we will say that week. The investment that went in, we made it back. When you go from one to two hours, and you don’t double your expenses, so ‘07, ‘08, ‘09; ‘09 was the most profitable year by far. I received those owner checks. Kurt Angle was making great money. There were a lot of guys making really good money. OK, profit, in 2009, and that’s paying bills, paying investors back, and all kinds of things back, we made 8-10 million. It’s crazy to think back on that. Our investment, and I don’t want to get into hypotheticals and all that, but the Carter’s investment just wasn’t as rich as people seem to think. The Asylum days were about $100,000 a week. That’s what we were spending, so we were making some money. We didn’t go in that proverbial deep, dark hole that people, I guess, believe. It goes without saying, when we got the Spike deal, we became profitable that day.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit “My World with Jeff Jarrett” with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
