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Eric Bischoff Certain That TNA is ‘One Deal Away’ From ‘Being A Major Player’
Ever since its inception in 2002, TNA Wrestling has been rising to the pedestals of the wrestling world. And even among heavy hitters like the WWE and AEW, the promotion has certainly left an iMPACT! (No pun intended, unless it landed). In fact, according to WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff, the promotion is only a deal away from entering the big leagues. As a guest on the Ariel Helwani Show, Bischoff was all praise for TNA, stating that the promotion has been making “smart decisions,” which, in turn, clears the path for incremental growth. “They’re making a lot of smart decisions. I remember when Carlos (Silva) came on, they made an announcement when Carlos came on, and I was like, okay. We’ll see what happens,” he said. “They’re growing incrementally, right? And they’re doing it almost quietly. They’re not out there thumping their chests and talking about taking down the competition.” Bischoff further praised the promotion for “quietly” producing great shows and bringing in exceptional talents and involving themselves in smart partnerships. The recent Slammiversary might just be a testament to Bischoff’s words. Drawing in over 7300 fans to the UBS Arena, the promotion saw its highest North American attendance yet. The event saw the return of well-loved talent like AJ Styles, who made a comeback after 11 years. Moreover, their ‘multi-year partnership’ announcement with WWE, earlier this year, has kept fans glued in for future events. Meanwhile, Bischoff is certain that they are merely a deal away from greatness, which might be in regard to the recent broadcast deal for TNA iMPACT! “They’re one deal away from being a major player. If they get a broadcast partner. If they get the right broadcast situation, because they’ve got the product. They know what they’re doing. There’s a good team of people. They just need a bigger platform. And if they get it, watch them take off,” he said. “By This Time Next Year” On the other hand, Bischoff even has a timeline for when TNA will surpass the AEW, a reality that he believes is inevitable. Talking during the same podcast episode, he revealed when fans could expect to see TNA become the number two wrestling promotion, albeit with a few caveats. “By this time next year. I think so. Depends on a TV deal. If the TV deal isn’t a big one, damn near impossible. But what’s number two? By what revenue? By what measure do we define a number two? But I think in terms of television ratings, popularity, yeah, they could be number two in a minute,” he said.
New York Yankees Top Prospect Reportedly Drawing Serious Trade Interest
If the New York Yankees are looking to add in the coming days, they may have to part ways with some of the young talent rising through the ranks of their farm system. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Thursday afternoon that catcher Rafael Flores was one Yankees prospect who has been coveted by trade partners. Flores was promoted from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last Saturday. Flores hit .287 with 15 home runs, 23 doubles, 48 runs, 56 RBIs, six stolen bases and an .841 OPS across 87 games in Double-A. Through six Triple-A contests, the 24-year-old catcher is batting .208 with one home runs, three runs, three RBIs and a .720 OPS. MLB Pipeline has Flores ranked as the Yankees' No. 8 prospect, making him the only catcher in the organization's top 25. The Yankees already swung a blockbuster deal with the Colorado Rockies on Friday, acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon, parting ways with pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz in order to complete the trade. The following day, superstar outfielder Aaron Judge hit the 10-day injured list with a flexor strain. Those two moves could change New York's plans for the coming days, including their willingness to move Flores. The future of second-year first baseman Ben Rice, who has spent roughly one-seventh of his time at catcher this season, could also play a part in determining Flores' availability. The trade deadline is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Thursday.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
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