TNA press conference coverage
February 15, 2010
Live from Universal Studios at Orlando, Fla.
Report by James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

After a 13-minute delay, the press conference began with Mike Tenay inside the Impact Zone to make a "monumental" announcement. Tenay turned it to TNA president Dixie Carter. Cue up TNA theme music to bring out Carter from the entrance tunnel.

Carter recapped the TNA history with the usual items about the "impossible dream" and outlasting critics giving TNA six months to exist. Carter then transitioned to talking about Impact moving to Monday nights starting March 8. The show will air at 9:00 p.m. EST/PST. She said it's no coincidence there was a lot of buzz and attention on TNA starting four months ago when Hulk Hogan made the TNA announcement. Carter talked about Hogan saying TNA needed that "little bit of rocket fuel" to go to the next level. She then introduced "the pop icon" Hulk Hogan.

Hogan came out through the entrance tunnel doing his NWO entrance. Hogan said he's been around the block a couple times in the business, but he had no idea things would go so fast to be making this big announcement. Hogan said they're getting more momentum with each passing TV taping. He said he's never been around such a positive environment. He said this is bigger than any wrestling moment of his career.

"Just when I thought things had leveled out and Hulk Hogan and my career had peaked, we're going ready - and we are - making history," Hogan said. "Things from this day forward are changing like they've never changed before."

Hogan said the "old barbaric wrestling mentality" is gone in the locker room. Hogan thanked Dixie, Bob Carter in Texas, and the TNA staff for putting in the hard work ahead of him allowing him to come in now. Hogan said it's no agenda and one team "positive vibration" going forward. He talked up TNA being on a roll.

QUESTION & ANSWERS

A media member asked how long this will be going on with Spike TV. Carter said this will be forever. They have no plans to do anything else, she said. Carter said they will be going live on Monday, March 8 and taping some episodes and being live with others.

Brian Fritz asked why not stagger the timeslot vs. WWE Raw. Carter said they could have done either one and they can tweak it later on, but they wanted to do this to start with. Hogan said from a wrestler's POV, if you want to prove you're the best and want to get in a fight, then you want to make the fans make the choice. Hogan said the network and Carter's motivation could change to tweak the timeslot, but wrestlers want to fight.

Another question on being part of the first Monday Night Wars. Hogan said they were across the street at Disney with WCW and within six months, they were dominant and controlling wrestling. Hogan said he doesn't think the same outcome will happen. Hogan said they are going to win the war, but it's not a competition anymore. He said the company has a better product and talent. He said this company is better at everything they do. If it is a war, they want to show they're the better company with the better product. Carter said a War is fought over a long period of time. She said their goals have not changed from the beginning to grow the company slow and steady. Carter said they set their target on "their competitor's" third-rated show and now they're aiming for the second-rated show.

Another question on going three hours. Carter said there were no talks to take Impact three hours. She said there are talks of additional TNA programming, but not Impact going two hours.

Fritz asked what kind of reaction from WWE and Vince McMahon. Hogan said he expects no reaction because WWE doesn't acknowledge them because they "live in their own world up there." Hogan said the inside scoop from the wrestlers is they're cheering TNA on. He said there's nowhere to go outside of WWE without TNA and it opens up the world for the talent. Hogan said the corporate-side is panicking. "That's the scoop," Hogan said.

Carter was asked about ratings goals from Spike. Carter said they'll continue to grow and strive for growth like they did on Thursday nights. Carter said the real winners are the wrestling fans looking for a reason to be a wrestling fan again or to grab new wrestling fans. Carter said she wants people to be proud to be a fan.

Tenay wrapped up the conference, but Hogan interrupted. Hogan said TNA is like church where people love to go to church. He said he used to go to work in another place where it was the longest day of his life. "An hour was a year," he said. Hogan said the benchmarks for success aren't there and TNA is raising the bar so much that he doesn't want to predict anything. He talked about the energy in the building and he's hanging on for the ride surrounded by young guys with energy. "This thing's happening fast and I'm just really happy to be here," Hogan said with a smile.

Tenay wrapped up the press conference at 3:00 p.m. EST and plugged Impact on Thursday night before Impact moves to Monday nights on March 8.

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