Jeff Jarrett Questions Timing of TNA's Recent Rebrand: What's the Real Story?



by NOMAN RASOOL

Jeff Jarrett Questions Timing of TNA's Recent Rebrand: What's the Real Story?
Jeff Jarrett Questions Timing of TNA's Recent Rebrand: What's the Real Story? © WWE/Youtube

In a surprising twist, Impact Wrestling announced its decision to revert back to its original name, TNA Wrestling, at the conclusion of the recent Bound For Glory event. The rebrand is slated to take effect in early 2024. Founded in 2002 by Jeff Jarrett and his father Jerry, TNA—originally standing for NWA: Total Non-Stop Action—leveraged the championship titles of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) to carve a niche in a wrestling world overwhelmingly dominated by WWE.

Today, Jeff Jarrett serves as the Director of Business Development for AEW, now the second-largest wrestling promotion in the U.S. He took the opportunity on his "My World" podcast to openly question Impact Wrestling's timing and rationale for the rebrand.

Jarrett's Shock

Jarrett stated, “I could go down so many avenues, so many rabbit holes. To say I'm surprised would be an understatement. I’ve had in-depth conversations with Anthem Entertainment [the current owners] suggesting that Impact Wrestling was 'dead on arrival' back in 2011 and 2012.

I even told them there's considerable brand equity in the TNA name”. According to Jarrett, Anthem was well-aware of the history, as they purchased the show when it was known as "TNA wrestling presents Impact." Jarrett emphasized that various international markets, including India and Australia, still commonly refer to the promotion as TNA Wrestling.

He also pointed out that the name's double entendre isn't as significant an issue outside the U.S. “So, to decide on a rebrand six years after acquiring the company, and now opting for a name change back to TNA? It's puzzling,” Jarrett concluded, emphasizing that at the end of the day, execution would be key.

Whether this is a strategic move that will pay off remains to be seen. But given Jarrett's historic contributions to TNA and his current standing in AEW, his opinions are drawing attention. For Impact Wrestling, the switch to TNA is either a nostalgic return or a step backward—the verdict will ultimately be decided by its execution in the coming years.

Jeff Jarrett