Backstage News On Two Names Leaving Impact Wrestling, Impact Creative Team, Plans For Impact Events
As noted, Impact Wrestling's roster will feature more Canadian-based wrestlers in the future as the company is now based out of Toronto, Ontario. Last Thursday was the final day for the Nashville office to be open. Some of the office staff will be working from home instead of relocating to Canada but some were also let go. They will continue to handle Impact production in Nashville at Skyline Studios, where there is also space to do office when as needed, but all support staff from the Nashville office finished with the company last week. PWInsider notes that one of the longterm employees that is expected to stay with the company and work from home is Bob Ryder, who still works as an executive.
As noted, Impact announced today that Scott D'Amore and Don Callis have been hired as Executive Vice Presidents of the company. They will report to President Ed Nordholm and form a three-member Executive Committee. The committee has an "overall responsibility for developing the creative direction for the Company and managing the execution of the Company's business plan." Impact has not confirmed any significant office departures related to the new committee but PWInsider notes that word going around says John "Big" Gaburick will be officially leaving the company during early 2018. Gaburick was kept on as a consultant when Anthem took over and he's also worked TV tapings but he was kept more as insurance in case the regime under Jeff Jarrett didn't work out. Gaburick helped with the transition following Jarrett's departure but mostly with production as creative was being led by D'Amore and Sonjay Dutt. Gaburick is no longer needed with Don Callis and Scott D'Amore being hired but he had already been preparing for life after Impact wit new projects as of late. Gaburick isn't the only one leaving in early 2018 as Dutch Mantel is expected to part ways with the company. One source noted to PWInsider that Mantel is already gone but that could not be confirmed. Mantel was not brought in for the November TV tapings after losing his power when Jarrett left.
Regarding the rest of the creative team, Dutt is still working creative and as a producer, and that is not expected to change. Abyss, Gail Kim, Jeremy Borash and Jimmy Jacobs will all continue to work as producers and will also have input into creative. The final calls on creative and direction of the company will now be made by Callis, D'Amore and Nordholm.
The company is looking to try and run live events more consistently in 2018 as well. There's been talk of taping 4-5 weeks of TV episodes at a time, instead of 10 weeks or so over a longer stretch of time. They are also interested in running live non-televised events at smaller venues in between tapings if they can be cost-effective. The January TV tapings are confirmed for Orlando, Florida but the company is planning on running the US and Canada next year. There's talk of holding the March TV tapings in Canada, possibly the in the Windsor area.