Here is the latest on the situation between Ric Flair and TNA, according to reports from PWInsider.com:
Flair will be returning to the tour starting with tomorrow's event in Glasgow, Scotland. Some wrestlers rolled their eyes when they heard that he would be returning, but the decision to bring him back to the tour was a financial one. TNA felt it best to get Flair back onto the shows to maintain good relations with the local promoters and the European fans -- the shows are all sold out. This is also why Matt Hardy was added to the tour.
Among some of the wrestlers, the decision to bring Flair back is not popular. Several performers spoke with management over the last 24 hours in an effort to have Flair sent home or even possibly let go from the company. Many performers were harsh in regards to Flair, stating that he had ruined the mood of the tour, which until this happened, was said to be calm and happy. Some are even comparing Flair to Booker T, as Booker fell out of favor with several in the company during the Germany tour last year. This was a factor in his dismissal from the company. Some talents feel sorry for Flair, including the following source…
"The whole thing was stupid but most of us feel more sorry for him than upset. If someone told you everyone is mad, that's a lie. But, there are some pissed because it makes the entire crew look like a**holes and we are certainly tired of his sh**. Flair's asked several of us for money when he's had his credit cards declined. When that happens, the bar tab comes and others get stuck paying for the very drinks he said were on the house in the first place. Everyone loves the "Nature Boy", but when the limousines and party lifestyle is based on bad credit and lies, it suddenly becomes more pathetic than anything else. There is nothing glamorous about a guy who has no concept of money management and then lies to try and get out of it. The fact he has no money should be a lesson every wrestler today should take note on. Don't let this happen to you. If you read the Gorgeous George book that came out and then take an honest look at Ric, you realize, wow, that book is pretty much predicting his future - and that's not a happy ending."
Another source believes that this may have been a good thing, since it may force management to deal with it first-hand and might make TNA a little more leery of continuing to bring in expensive veteran talent when the last year has shown no upside to it based on the current ratings. The source also says that the younger guys in the locker room have united against the veterans, feeling that they do all the work, while the veterans treat the company like a country club. The source had the following to say…
"I respect what the older guys have done, but they aren't making us any money. Nothing reflects that. We would draw the exact same if 99% of them were gone. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take a leap forward and I really think more and more that's where TNA is. Obviously, you need some veteran talents but there's a crew here that wants to build a company and we want to focus on that, not paying someone's bar tab and having to wait for him to fight it out with Craig Jenkins [TNA Management] when he doesn't get his way."
24Wrestling.com
