WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett, who is also All Elite Wrestling’s Director of Business Development, took to an episode of his “My World with Jeff Jarrett” podcast, where he talked about a number of topics including WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis joining TNA Wrestling in 2008.
Jarrett said, “I actually tried to figure out exactly what that was, but it was obvious he was on The Gladiators. That was kind of his introduction to it. We were really gaining traction and had been in the UK market for several years at this point. I mean, early, early asylum pay-per-views were on. So anyway, the UK audience had moved along with us in a really endearing way. And as we continue to roll along, and then all of a sudden, I’m not sure exactly where British boot camp landed, but we made specific goals to acquire and develop that UK market in so many ways. And Nick looked, looked good, just needed experience. But Dixie, I don’t know exactly how it came across her desk, but she was the one that kind of introduced him to what we’ll call it the creative team.”
He also talked about the Turkey Bowl concept.
“From a creative perspective, when you write 52 shows a year and as long as you keep the episodic nature week to week, having a show, which our show aired on Thursday nights in the United States, having a show fall on US Thanksgiving and not engaging the Thanksgiving tradition. And people are at home. They’re either about to eat dinner, just got done eating, but it’s all content that’s on our television. John Madden with the big turkey leg and the parade and all that kind of stuff. Yes. I was a huge fan of engaging it and having a little fun with it and not being so like on Thanksgiving shows. You don’t have to give them blood and guts. Give them maybe a little bit more entertainment value because, hopefully, you’re going to have some folks sitting around with families gathering together. You’re probably going to have some non-wrestling fans. So try to engage them with entertainment as opposed to in-ring content.”
You can check out the complete podcast below.
