'That's who Ted was': Ex-WCW head Eric Bischoff remembers Ted Turner's profound impact on pro-wrestling

Media visionary and philanthropist Ted Turner passed away on Wednesday , May 6, at age 87. Among his many notable innovations, Turner founded brands such as CNN and TNT — the latter of which played a pivotal role in professional wrestling history. TNT was the home of WCW from 1999 to 2001, when it famously went head-to-head with the WWF during the “Monday Night Wars.

” At the head of the charge for WCW was Eric Bischoff, who was one of the most affected by Turner’s influence, specifically within the wrestling world. Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Bischoff reflected on his relationship with Turner. “He changed my life, he changed the lives of my children.

None of us would be where we are today,” Bishcoff told Uncrowned. “I would not be involved with Real American Freestyle were it not for the opportunities Ted Turner provided to me. And I’m just one guy.

Think about all of the people that worked at Turner Broadcasting — the thousands of people who, just like me, got opportunities, got to grow, and got to pursue their careers because of the entrepreneurial, groundbreaking vision that Ted Turner had when it came to the media landscape. "He was the media version of Elon Musk in his time. " For many fans who lived through the “Monday Night Wars,” that period is still viewed as pro-wrestling’s peak.