On Wednesday, Anthem revealed that Scott D’Amore had been ousted as the TNA President. Anthony Cicione has assumed the role, upsetting a lot of talent.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that while no official reason has been revealed, several sources stated that Scott’s firing might have to do with budgetary reasons.
A source close to D’Amore noted that he has amassed huge wealth outside wrestling, thanks to other business interests. However, D’Amore’s love for wrestling is the reason why he works in the industry.
With TNA enjoying its most successful time in eight years, D’Amore wanted to expand the business.
D’Amore had been pushing to get TNA/Impact a bigger budget for several years, even threatening to quit at one point, although it was probably a bluff as he saw himself as a “key person” Anthem wouldn’t want to lose, as they knew he didn’t need the job.
Another source stated that D’Amore and Anthem had bad blood over the budget for years.
One such example is that TNA attempted to bring Braun Strowman in for Bound For Glory 2021. The event would have been billed ‘Braun for Glory’.
However, Anthem believed Strowman’s asking price was too high and didn’t think The Monster Among Men would boost the company in a major way. Strowman eventually returned to WWE.
Another source suggested that D’Amore wanted to use TNA’s recent success to build it back up. He wanted to sign bigger names, but Anthem refused to increase the budget yet again.
Anthem had even discussed lowering the budget for TNA. There had been a lingering issue with D’Amore wanting TNA to flourish while Anthem wanted a TV product with a specific budget.
In a surprising turn of events, Scott D’Amore has been ousted as the President of TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling. This news has left many fans and talent in shock and disappointment. While no official reason has been given for his departure, sources suggest that it may be due to budgetary reasons.
According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, several insiders have revealed that D’Amore’s firing could be attributed to financial constraints. It is worth noting that D’Amore has accumulated significant wealth outside of the wrestling industry through his other business ventures. However, his passion for wrestling has always been the driving force behind his involvement in the industry.
During his tenure as President, TNA has experienced its most successful period in eight years. D’Amore had ambitious plans to expand the business further. He had been advocating for a larger budget for TNA/Impact for several years, even going as far as threatening to quit at one point. However, it is believed that this was more of a bluff, as he considered himself a valuable asset that Anthem, the parent company of TNA, would not want to lose.
Reports suggest that D’Amore and Anthem had a longstanding disagreement over the budget. One notable instance was when TNA attempted to bring in Braun Strowman for their Bound For Glory event in 2021. The event was planned to be named “Braun for Glory.” However, Anthem deemed Strowman’s asking price too high and did not believe that his presence would significantly boost the company. Ultimately, Strowman returned to WWE instead.
D’Amore’s vision for TNA involved capitalizing on its recent success and signing bigger names to further elevate the brand. However, Anthem consistently refused to increase the budget, hindering D’Amore’s plans for growth. In fact, there were even discussions about reducing the budget for TNA, highlighting the contrasting priorities between D’Amore and Anthem. While D’Amore wanted TNA to flourish, Anthem focused on maintaining a specific budget for their TV product.
The departure of Scott D’Amore as TNA President has left many questions unanswered. Fans and talent alike are left wondering what this means for the future of the company. Will TNA be able to sustain its recent success without D’Amore’s leadership? Only time will tell as the wrestling world eagerly awaits further developments in this unexpected turn of events.