The wrestling world is mourning the loss of one of its most influential behind-the-scenes figures. Media mogul Ted Turner has passed away at the age of 87, according to CNN. Turner, best known as the driving force behind multiple major television networks and the former owner of World Championship Wrestling, died surrounded by family.
While his legacy spans far beyond wrestling—having founded CNN and played a key role in launching networks like TBS and TNT—Turner’s impact on the pro wrestling business is impossible to overstate.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1938, Turner first became involved with wrestling in the early 1970s when Georgia Championship Wrestling found a home on his TBS Superstation. That relationship helped introduce wrestling to a national cable audience and laid the groundwork for what would become a decades-long influence on the industry.
Things escalated in 1984 during the infamous Black Saturday, when WWE took over GCW’s time slot. The move didn’t sit well with Turner, and it ultimately pushed him to become more hands-on in the wrestling business. He soon brought in Mid-South Wrestling and later facilitated a deal that put Jim Crockett Promotions in that same slot—setting the stage for a fierce rivalry with Vince McMahon.
By 1988, Turner fully committed, purchasing JCP from Jim Crockett Jr. and transforming it into World Championship Wrestling. From there, WCW grew into WWE’s biggest competitor.
Turner’s most significant contribution came in 1995 when he approved Eric Bischoff’s idea for WCW Monday Nitro, launching the iconic Monday Night Wars. For a period between 1996 and 1998, WCW surged ahead, briefly overtaking WWE as the top promotion in the United States.
Despite being a relatively hands-off owner creatively, Turner remained one of WCW’s biggest champions internally, ensuring the company stayed on the air even when other executives were skeptical. His support proved crucial during both WCW’s rise and its eventual decline toward the end of the 1990s.
Following the AOL-Time Warner merger in 2001, Turner’s influence diminished significantly. With WCW struggling financially and losing its television foothold, the company was ultimately sold to McMahon, bringing Turner’s time in wrestling to a close.
Even after stepping away, Turner’s name remained synonymous with one of wrestling’s most competitive and transformative eras. Without his willingness to invest in and believe in pro wrestling, the landscape of the industry—particularly during the 1990s—would look very different today.
Ted Turner’s contributions helped shape modern wrestling into what it is now, and his legacy will continue to be felt for generations to come.
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