Sting, Tony Schiavone pay tribute to Ted Turner on AEW Dynamite
On a day where broadcasting icon and massive wrestling fan Ted Turner passed away, Sting and Tony Schiavone both paid tribute to the man who brought wrestling to TBS and TNT to open Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.
Both men were big parts of the Jim Crockett Promotions and later WCW that aired on the Turner networks.
Schiavone opened the show talking about Turner’s love of wrestling, saying he was “someone that changed pro wrestling forever” and that he believed in it, the fans, and that it belonged on national TV.
He then talked about his own past on TBS and that through Tony Khan’s leadership, “wrestling still survives. We are here today because of him.”
Schiavone then introduced Sting, making a surprise appearance and his first since he was in the house for Darby Allin’s first AEW World title win last month.
The former AEW World Tag Team Champion entered to no music, but in full face paint. He said both he and Schiavone both knew “Big Ted” very well and Turner made it possible for he and Schiavone to have four decades together.
He said, “Can you imagine an all in billionaire that loved pro wrestling?,” adding that Turner was completely committed to the wrestlers, saying Turner joked to those in CNN Tower that he had “some deep pockets” whenever they tried to cancel wrestling.
He then thanked Turner again and said there would be no TNT title, no Sting and no Darby Allin without him, adding there was a “second all in billionaire keeping wrestling going” in Khan.
The two then remained in the ring for a ten bell salute as the screen faded to black before the traditional show open.
Turner passed away Wednesday at 87.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.