Impact Wrestling seems to always be surrounded in controversy, even when they have good news to announce.
Recently Impact’s parent company Anthem purchased AXS TV and announced that Impact will air on AXS in the future. After the announcement news broke that the production company Impact was using for television was leaving the company to join AEW. On top of that the Killer Kross contract dispute continued to make news.
Mike Johnson from PWInsider spoke with Ed Nordholm about both issues.
JOHNSON: Thank you for taking a few minutes to sit down and talk to us. It’s, quite frankly, a nutty week for professional wrestling and obviously, a good week for Impact Wrestling as you just debuted officially on AXS TV, but there’s always an undercurrent of chaos in pro wrestling. Impact is no different, so I wanted to start out by asking you about the departure of so many from the production end of the company. PWInsider.com had heard this was something the company was aware could happen and that there was a transition team in place. However, there’s also been reported that the company was caught with their pants down and left high and dry by the exits to AEW. So, first, do you care to comment on all that?
ED NORDHOLM: Well, first, thank you for taking the time to let us complete the record concerning comments that have come out regarding Impact’s former employee, Kevin Sullivan. It is interesting that the reports I have seen characterize Kevin as an independent contractor that left because he had not received a contract offer; Kevin was a full-time, senior executive with Anthem with all of the fiduciary responsibilities that come with that.
JOHNSON: OK, so when did you know Sullivan was leaving Impact?
NORDHOLM: When we learned that Kevin had participated in “Double or Nothing”, we addressed with him the inappropriateness of moonlighting for a competitive business while a senior executive with Anthem. He assured us at the time that he would discontinue that work. When we learned that he was still providing these services to AEW we started organizing ourselves to replace him at an appropriate time. Dave Sahadi was brought back a couple of months ago to begin working with us at our television tapings. With his involvement in “All Out” it was apparent that he would leave – either as his own choice or ours- but he did not actually advise us of his decision until Sunday September 22nd.
JOHNSON: AEW TV begins this week, so when does Sullivan finish commitments to Impact?
NORDHOLM: He has finished.
JOHNSON: So, where did this leave Impact? One version of the story is that floating is that only his production company was producing Impact? Is/was that true?
NORDHOLM: Anthem has/had no relationship with his company. Kevin Sullivan was an executive employed by Anthem Wrestling who attempted to recruit his department to join a competitor while a full time employee and executive with Impact Wrestling.
JOHNSON: Are the rumors that he left with 7 days’ notice true?
NORDHOLM: Correct. Although the writing was on the wall and, as I noted, we had been positioning ourselves to release him
JOHNSON: How many Impact employees are actually leaving vs. people who worked for Sullivan’s production company already? Were these third-party contractors who worked on Impact through Sullivan’s company or actual Impact employees? I’ve heard Jim Morris has left as well and he was an employee, but these others who have been mentioned but not named?
NORDHOLM: No employees worked for Kevin. Kevin plus 4 employees left. All were employees of Anthem Wrestling.JOHNSON: OK, so how did/does this effect the week to week of putting together the Impact TV shows?
NORDHOLM: It doesn’t. As I said, we were organizing ourselves for Kevin’s departure, and simply accelerated that plan.
David Sahadi has now accepted a position as Creative Director for Anthem Wrestling. David is a creative force who helped re-shape the business back in the Attitude Era.
Eric Tompkins, who was with the company between 2008 and 2015 and returned with Kevin in 2017, has been promoted to Director of Television Production.
I am also happy to announce that we have been able to bring back Jay Seeman, the head of audio production for TNA/Impact between 2004 and 2016, Stu Marchetti, a senior video editor with that was with TNA/Impact between 2007 and 2015, and Matt Caldwell, who is an outstanding graphics editor. It is a great team that will bring fresh vitality to our show when we launch on AXS TV.
Then later in the interview they discussed Killer Kross
JOHNSON: Okay. There’s been a back and forth online in regard to Kevin Kross. I understand that he hasn’t been used by Impact in some time. Has there been any thawing of the ice? Do you foresee that perhaps the two sides can sit down? Do you think maybe this will be like a Matt Hardy situation where in the end, everything works itself out to a positive end for each side? From an Anthem perspective, where do you stand on this, because there are a lot of people who are sympathetic to him right now. So from an Anthem corporate standpoint, where do things stand with Kevin Kross?
NORDHOLM: Well, nothing has changed. Kevin decided that he would rather sort of tweet his position rather than deal with…We prefer talents discuss amendments as appropriate. We say the same for Kevin. He is a talented wrestler that we would prefer you to see in the ring than on the sidelines.
JOHNSON: Is there a possibility you guys can come and make amends and bring him back to the company storylines anytime soon?
NORDHOLM: Yeah. Well that would require him to come speak to the company and deal with his company, rather than Tweet. I mean there’s always the possibility. We are open to all conversations.
JOHNSON: Okay. One last question on Kross. You said it would require him to actually speak to the company. Let me ask this. When was the last time anybody in the company made an overture towards him?
NORDHOLM: We’re in an awkward situation, but there has been recent discussions to his sources. It’s open there. It’s been recent.
More is covered in the interview including AXS continuing their relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
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