TNA President Carlos Silva Talks Historic BFG Pre-Sale, Plans To Break Attendance Record At BFG, Update on UK Return, Plus More

TNA President Carlos Silva sat down for a zoom interview with WhatCulture Wrestling’s Andrew Pollard to discuss the latest update on TNA’s historic 48 hour pre-sale for Bound For Glory, setting the Tsongas Center up to break the Slammiversary attendance record, what and when a return to the UK looks like, plus more!

Andrew – “Of course we’re right off the back of the hugely, hugely successful Slammiversary PPV – the highest ever attendance for an event in North America with 7,623 fans in the UBS Arena – the most in the 23 yrs of this company – it’s crazy. Of course we have Bound For Glory on the horizon, which we’ll get to later. Following the Slammiversary PPV, there was the “Fade to Black” documentary that was available to annual TNA + subscribers, that’ll be coming up for ALL subscribers this Wednesday, but how was it to be coming off such a roll from that event? As long time TNA fans it’s great to see all the buzz, and attendance numbers – the numbers say it all.”

“There’s no doubt, the team, our talent – what the athletes did in the ring, AJ Styles showing up, our partnership with WWE – the energy in the arena made it feel like a big event. The numbers are great and it’s awesome that we broke records, but if you were there you just felt like it was a big event, and that’s important because TNA is a big deal and we need to make sure we let our fans feel like it’s a big deal, and I think that’s what we did. 

Like everything, when you’re in the sports entertainment business you get to enjoy things for a moment, but then you’ve got to get back to the field of play and you’ve got to go win again – and we’re going to do that. We’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to keep driving through all these great shows we’ve got on the road to Bound For Glory, and we’re going to try and break all the records again at Bound For Glory. We’re not going to sit on Slammiversary as our only success. We want to get there (Bound For Glory) and break the records again. 

Over these last 48 hours, we’ve had the biggest pre sale that we’ve ever had – already 25-30% ahead of any pre sale we’ve ever had heading into this event outside of Boston in Lowell, Massachusetts, so it’s going to be exciting.”

Andrew- “I did mention Bound For Glorg earlier, which is October 12 from the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts, which I believe is the first time TNA has run that venue since 2008 and that was the Lockdown match between Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe in six sides of steel – one of the greatest rivalries in TNA history. 

As you mentioned for tickets, it is TNA’s best ever pre sale so far. Back then for Lockdown 2008 it was 5,500 in attendance. Realistically, what’s the aim this year? What are we looking for? 

“We’re looking for more then at UBS Arena for Slammiversary, it’s very simple. We put out the challenge to the team that we want to break the record again, let’s keep getting bigger. The only way for us to do it is to put the carrot out there and for us to go get it. The same has sort of wondered about it – can we do it? How do we do it? – and then everybody was like ‘yes we can’, and we’re going to do that together. We’ve set up the arena go to break the record and we’re going to go and do it. I think the fans will support us and come out and we’ll all celebrate together.”

Andrew – “I like that attitude, not ‘we’re going to try and do it’ – no. ‘We’re GOING to do it! I love that mentality.”

Andrew – “One of the questions I have to ask, in case we get wrapped up – TNA in the UK – when are we going to get it Carlos? The last time you guys were here at 2023 for four dates. There’s been talks for ages about TNA coming over and doing a big show there; is that something that’s feasible for 2026?”

“It’s absolutely feasible. We’re working on some distribution – we’d like to couple it with two other pieces – a distribution deal and a sponsorship deal over in the UK. We’re working on both of those, and if we can get them to come together and we can thread the needle, we’re coming back to the UK. We really want to. Like everything it’s a work in progress. You’ve got to pick your targets. Slammiversary was obviously a huge success, Bound For Glory, distribution deals, sponsorship deals, expanding territory- all of those are right there on our short list and the UK is right there at the top of it.”

H/T Bodyslam.net for transcription.

Full video:

Earlier today, Bodyslam covered an update on the current media rights deals that TNA is working on.

Yesterday, with the news that WWE would be moving PLEs off of the Peacock app in 2026, a report emerged that Peacock is reportedly the “frontrunner” for TNA to get a streaming deal with. 

As far as a broadcast partner goes, last week, Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio shared that A&E network was the alleged “frontrunner” to land TNA on their platform, however, another network has now emerged as being rumored for negotiations with TNA, and In the August 4th edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave spilled the beans on a possible alternative network being interested – The CW – which Fightful Select later confirmed. 

Shortly after the above-referenced John Wallstreet interview, TNA President Carlos Silva was on the Ariel Helwani show talking more in-depth about media rights and also revealed the subscriber count for the TNA + app. Silva reiterated a 60-90 day expectation for a new media rights deal.

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