Steve asks Dixie if she considers the WWE competition, and she says, “Of course their competition. I consider anything in entertainment to be competition. I think it’s ludicrous to look at us and not consider us competition, especially when we’re in the same genre. I think it’s foolish, and ridiculous, and not true.” Steve is curious as to how “in-tune” Dixie stays with WWE’s product. She says that there are certainly people in her company that watch the programming, and that she pays particular attention to the business decisions. She mentions coming up with something in creative, and then seeing it on WWE’s television show. She says, “But that’s competition! There’s a reason there’s a Lowe’s across the street from every Home Depot. And who’s winning here Steve? The fans!” Dixie says that the international part of their business has grown faster than the domestic part, and that TNA is definitely competition for WWE in various markets, and might even be beating them in a few.
Steve asks about the six sided ring, and Dixie sums up its history by saying: “Four, six, four, six.” She says that they started with four sides and eventually went with six as a marketing gimmick. She referred to Eric Bischoff and company as “a regime that didn’t like the six sided ring.” She said that Eric and Hogan are traditionalists, which she totally understands. Steve says that he feels the same way and suggests that it would feel awkward bumping in a six sided ring. Dixie says that the six sided ring was brought back out of retirement after a fan vote where 88% of the TNA audience agreed that six sides were more preferable to four.
After a quick commercial break, Steve and Dixie begin to talk about how Billy Corgan became involved with TNA Wrestling. Dixie met Billy on several occasions in Chicago where he promoted his own independent company, and invited him to be a part of one of TNA’s Creative Summits. Dixie said that she’s been friends with Billy for several years, and whenever they would get together he would blow her away with his ideas and overall knowledge of the industry. She was initially concerned that he wouldn’t be able to voice his opinions to the current creative team, but within 30 minutes of sitting down with the entire staff, everyone was convinced that Billy Corgan “brought something special to TNA.”
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
