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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/wrestling/8658444.htm

Thu, May. 13, 2004 

TNA lands national TV deal

BY JIM VARSALLONE
jvarsallone{at}herald.com

Fox Sports Net will begin televising Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Impact! at 3 p.m. Fridays beginning June 4.

Impact! will be filmed Thursdays at Universal Studios Orlando
(Florida). Two-time NWA world heavyweight champ Jeff Jarrett will
appear on Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period Thursday, May
13 to discuss this ground breaking television deal.

''The national telecast of Impact! on Fox Sports Net marks a milestone
for TNA Entertainment and the wrestling industry,'' said Dixie Carter,
president of TNA Entertainment, LLC.

``Total Nonstop Action Wrestling has continued to grow and exceed
expectations over our history. As we celebrate our second anniversary
in June, we are excited this opportunity with FSN and Universal
Studios Orlando will expose a wider range of viewers to our
distinctive brand of professional wrestling.''

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling features some of the most well-known
names in wrestling including Raven, D-Lo Brown, Sting, Jarrett and
Konnan along with the industry's hottest new stars such as AJ Styles,
Abyss, Ron Killings, Chris Harris, Sonny Siaki, James Storm and CBS's
Survivor Pearl Islands star Jonny Fairplay.

TNA Wrestling delivers quality family programming which focuses on the
athletic in-ring action.

''I am pleased about the entertainment value wrestling can bring to
FSN,'' said George Greenberg, executive vice president of Programming
and Production, FSN. ``I believe Impact! will bolster our Friday
afternoon schedule and provide another FSN destination for young
viewers.''

The debut of Impact! marks the first time since March 2001, when World
Championship Wrestling's Monday Night Nitro went off the air, that a
national television audience will have an option of wrestling
programming.

``We are thrilled to have Total Nonstop Wrestling Impact! at
Universal. Our 22,000-square foot Sound Stage 21 is the ideal venue
for the weekly show as it allows the freedom to create the spectacular
set they envision.

''It also affords our theme park guests the opportunity to be part of
the production audience and cheer for their favorite wrestling icons
from a front row seat,'' said Paul Meena, vice president and general
manager of the Universal Studios Florida Production Group.

This is familiar ground for Universal Orlando. WCW conducted some
Monday Nitro and other TV tapings at Universal Studios. Most recently,
Jimmy Hart and Hulk Hogan taped shows under the XWF banner at
Universal and attempted to nab a TV deal, but it did not materialize.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling prides itself on delivering quality,
family programming that is clean, innovative, cutting edge and with
the high-risk, high-flying athleticism that TNA Wrestling symbolizes.
For more information, log onto www.nwatna.com.

Fox Sports Net reaches more than 80-million homes through its 20
regional sports channels and serves as the only supplier of national,
regional and local sports programming. For the latest up-to-the-minute
sports news and opinions, visit www.FoxSports.com.

The Universal Orlando resort destination ( www.universalorlando.com)
includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the
Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands
of Adventure, Orlando's next generation theme park.

Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping,
club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews
Hotels and world-class film and television production facilities.


--- Internet Rex 2.29