Dixie Carter isn't your typical boss of a wrestling promotion. For a start, she's a woman, which makes her pretty unique in the wrestling business. Unlike the person she's naturally going to be compared with, Vince McMahon, she didn't grow up in the business. Carter's background is in the entertainment marketing and music industry, and she started a musical promotion company in her hometown of Nashville. She did, however, have a one night foray into the wrestling business while at the University of Mississippi. While on the Student Programming Board, she brought in Jerry Lawler's Memphis Wrestling for a night of entertainment at the university. In 2002, she was contacted by a booking agency looking for assistance with their marketing and publicity. That company was Total Nonstop Action, TNA. Just two months after starting working with them, it became clear that TNA was in financial difficulty, and Carter called upon her family's business, Panda Energy, to purchase TNA in October of that year, becoming President of the company at the same time. Just over 12 years later, TNA continues to thrive, and later this month, they will make their annual pilgrimage across the Atlantic for their UK tour. TNA loves the UK and the UK loves TNA, with arenas being packed out, as TNA perform to their largest audiences of the year. Ahead of the tour, I was lucky enough to grab a few minutes of Dixie's time and fire 10 questions at her. The answers, especially number 2, are interesting to say the least!
Dean Ayass is a well known name to British wrestling fans. A commentator, manager, booker and ring announcer who has been involved in the business since 1993, Dean's insight into the business is second to none.
