Scott D'Amore fired by TNA, backstage news on major changes, top stars react
TNA is currently experiencing a major shake-up as Scott D'Amore has been fired. He is no longer the company's president, as a new person has been slotted into the role.
D'Amore began his career in 1992. He did some enhancement work for WWE and WCW but has since spent close to 20 years with TNA/Impact and associated brands. The Team Canada member held many roles from 2003-2010, a brief executive role with GFW from 2014-2017, and then returned to Impact when Anthem purchased the company in 2017.
He ended up as the head of creative and was named executive vice president in December 2017. It was announced in March 2023 that D'Amore had been promoted to the role of president.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of Total Nonstop Action, announced today that D'Amore is no longer with the company. Anthony Cicione is the new president of TNA Wrestling.
"The move aims to further integrate TNA Wrestling into Anthem’s Entertainment Group, of which Cicione is the President, leveraging the entire Company’s resources to add more value in areas including production, distribution, marketing, viewership, customer acquisition, digital revenue streams, ad sales and sponsorships, digital tech operations, and more," the company wrote.
Anthem officials mentioned that D'Amore had his contract terminated, but no additional details were provided. The company thanked D'Amore for what he accomplished, including the re-brand from Impact this year.
"Cicione replaces Scott D’Amore, whose contract with Anthem has been terminated. D’Amore has been a part of TNA since 2003. He held many key leadership positions and played a vital role in the growth of the company leading to its strong industry reputation today, including the successful return of the TNA Wrestling brand in 2024. Anthem thanks him for the commitment he brought to the business, the talent, and the people who work outside the ring," the company wrote.
In addition to Cicione's duties as president, he will also now manage the day-to-day business operations of the company. Cicione has been with Anthem for 16 years, working to manage technical operations and multiple cable and digital channels. He brings more than 30 years of executive-level management experience.
There is a pro wrestling link there, as Cicione worked as a combat sports producer before joining Anthem, and he helped usher in major success for The Score in Canada by bringing WWE to the channel.
A new report from PWInsider notes that word going around the company says Anthem owner Len Asper likely made the decision to cut D'Amore. It's believed that Anthem will be stepping in and taking a much larger role in TNA's day-to-day management.
Total Nonstop Action is set to be folded into Anthem's "entertainment arm" moving forward instead of existing in its own corner of the company, according to the report. The idea is that the brand will be more embraced by Anthem, and that will bring a stronger synergy in order to maximize potential.
Unfortunately for D'Amore, this new integration for the company means he was removed from power and fired. His release is effective immediately. Anthem officials were set to inform the roster, staff, and other crews about the shake-up this afternoon.
TNA wrestlers react to Scott D'Amore firing
Anthem's firing of Scott D'Amore has set the wrestling world ablaze in a month already dominated by industry-shaking news.
The shake-up is part of Anthem integrating the wrestling brand into its entertainment wing, and the hope is that this will be a big positive for the company. However, there is already a lot of negative feedback about D'Amore losing his job.
Former TNA Knockouts Champion and current WWE Superstar Naomi (fka Trinity) took to X and made it clear she is supporting her former boss.
"We don’t play about @ScottDAmore! Ok bye," she wrote.
Veteran talent Frankie Kazarian also took to social media to rally around D'Amore.
"The incredibly painstaking, tedious and difficult work that @ScottDAmore has put in to bring @ThisIsTNA to this very exciting moment in time, cannot be understated. We all, wrestlers and fans alike, owe him a debt of gratitude. [tumbler glass emoji]," he wrote.
David Penzer credited D'Amore with saving the brand from being a video library owned by WWE. The longtime ring announcer said he hopes they survive this.
"I'm just going to say it. Without @ScottDAmore Impact/TNA would be a video library probably owned by WWE. I saw him strip that thing down to the studs and rebuild it on a less than skeleton budget to where it stands today which is ready to take off. Hope it survives-Massive loss!" he wrote.
D'Amore has not publicly responded as of this writing. Below are more tributes from Jordynne Grace and Josh Alexander:
What do you think of how Scott D'Amore ran TNA/Impact? Do you think he has something to offer WWE or AEW? Sound off in the comments below!