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SPIKE TV VICE PRESIDENT SAYS VINCE RUSSO 'NEVER MEANT ANYTHING' TO NETWORK, 'THINKS MORE OF HIMSELF THAN REALLY EXISTS'

Earlier this week, Vince Russo, during an interview with The Pro Wrestling Report Youtube series, ripped on SpikeTV as TNA Wrestling's broadcast partner. Russo said that Spike was a horrible partner for TNA and that the only way he could understand working with them is if there was no other option. Russo described them as a "horrible partner" and described the way they promoted and advertised TNA as "atrocious."

Several readers this afternoon sent along a response that David Schwarz, the Senior Vice President of Communications with Spike TV, made in response.  The comments, first published in a story written by The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer about Russo's remarks about the TNA-SpikeTV partnership, were:

"I want to start by saying we enjoyed a great relationship, a very collaborative relationship with Dixie Carter and her team over the years. We took TNA from a late night spot on Saturday nights, doing 500,000 viewers, to a two-hour time slot that did two million viewers over time. Spike went out of its way, not in just adhering to its contract, but above and beyond the contract. We paid Hulk Hogan, we paid Eric Bischoff, with our money. We financed many shows. We financed U.K. shows. We helped promote. We gave TNA a prime time slot of Thursdays from 9-11 p.m. I think his comments are way off base. Clearly, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s somebody who thinks more of himself than really exists. Vince Russo never meant anything to Spike TV. He had nothing to do with negotiations. Nobody cares about Vince Russo at Spike TV. Nobody cares or knows who he is. We have a great relationship with TNA. We went above and beyond for them, as they did for us. Dixie helped promote our shows. What Vince Russo is saying is complete nonsense."

Not knowing the original source of the comments when they were forwarded to PWInsider.com, I contacted Schwarz this afternoon.  He confirmed his comments were legitimate and when asked about Russo, added, "[Vince] Russo means less to Spike than gum that gets stuck on the bottom of a sneaker. What network would want to work with a guy who trashes other networks?"

The comments should also kill the rumors that Russo's admission he was working for TNA led to issues between TNA and Spike once and for all.

Russo was let go from TNA from his position as a consultant in late July.

 

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