Source: Bruce R. Miller of Sioux City Journal
There’s more to TNA Wrestling than a few good headlocks or body slams.
According to Jeff Jarrett, the sport’s founder and key star, it’s fan-centered and immersive.
“There’s nothing like seeing a TNA event live,” he says, sounding every bit the promoter. “The minute you walk in the arena, you’re going to see the most fan-interactive event there is.”
At the Tyson Events Center tonight, Jarrett’s folks will give fans opportunities to meet the wrestlers, take photos and go backstage. They’ll get to participate in a variety of contests and feel like they’re in the middle of the action, no matter where they’re sitting.
“Wrestling has evolved as a form of entertainment,” says Jarrett. “In the ’70s, there used to be one or two revenue streams. You had the live events and maybe they sold pictures and T-shirts. Now you’ve got action figures, video games, iTunes — so many forms of revenue. We don’t just tour regionally. We go all over the world.”
Because of the exposure television brings, the wrestlers are expected to “bring it” every night they’re in the ring.
“Compare it to any sporting event, any Broadway play or rock concert,” Jarrett says. “The level of entertainment value has gone up astronomically.”
Unlike musicians, wrestlers don’t have to be on stage the entire time they’re in a city. So, they can make more than one appearance during a stop. Tonight, look for Jarrett, Shannon Moore, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Kevin Nash and Angelina Love to pop up throughout the event at different areas of the arena.
That level of surprise, Jarrett says, helps set TNA apart from other wrestling shows.
Familiar with all of them — he was born into a wrestling family — Jarrett launched TNA in 2002. “There was a huge void in the marketplace,” he explains. “Without a No. 2, WWE couldn’t be No. 1. Competition is good, no matter what level it is. And the time was right.”
Today, TNA Wrestling boasts some of the biggest names in the business. Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Kurt Angle help Jarrett lead the charge on cable’s Spike channel.
While he’s normally on the card, Jarrett is currently sidelined due to a shoulder injury caused by Sting.
Still, he says, “I’ll be back before you know it. Every athlete goes through those kinds of things.” He’ll be in Sioux City, however, to shepherd the show and meet fans.
Growing up, Jarrett saw the “backstage” side of wrestling first hand. His grandmother sold tickets as a second job; his father wrestled. “It’s what I do. I never got into the business to have an acting career…some guys do. If you’re going to do something, immerse yourself into whatever that is.”
Jarrett made his way through the WWF, the WCW and the TNA, winning the World Heavyweight Title from the WCW, the NWA and the TNA.
Brandishing a guitar (his trademark — he’s from Nashville), the 43-year-old has had storied feuds with everyone from Ric Flair to Shawn Michaels to, yup, Toby Keith. Injuries? You bet. And broken guitars? “Too many to count,” he says. “You never know what the King of the Mountain is going to do.”
Storylines, Jarrett admits, are important to his sport. “We’re Shakespeare to the masses,” he says. “Good versus evil. Our storylines pay off or conclude in the ring and there’s an ebb and flow to it. That’s different from a music act that goes out on tour. Unlike a football player, our season is 52 weeks a year and we’re constantly changing and adjusting.”
To make it in the business, a strong man or woman needs more than brawn, he says. “You have to have charisma, the ‘it’ factor,” Jarrett says. “And you’ve got to have a passion for what we do. I love to step in the ring more than anything.”
A stint on “Celebrity Apprentice”? “If the right opportunity presented itself, I’d consider it. But I like to stay focused on TNA. If it’s beneficial for TNA, sure. But I know where my bread is buttered.”
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