Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins recently spoke on ‘Insight with Chris Van Vliet’ and discussed the unnerving impact of TV networks on wrestling industry decisions. Corgan’s revelation was centered on the TNA World Championship, which he says was influenced by Americans’ preference for representation, as organized by big TV networks. Kurt Angle’s TNA Championship was first discussed by the musician in 2015, when he recounted how he heard people grumbling about the wrestler earning the belt: “I remember being in a TNA, and there was some grousing about Kurt Angle being the champion, which seems strange to me because Kurt Angle was one of the all-time greats and always a great person to do business with behind the scenes.” He went on to describe what triggered the uproar over Angle’s championship: “I have no respect for Kurt.” So I asked myself, “Why are people complaining?” Oh, well, someone takes you aside; well, we’re on our way to America. Destination America advised Dixie Carter that she needed a champion who represented America. So Dixie simply swapped the belts.” Corgan went on to say that the TV network’s need for a “champion who represented America” was not a “wrestling-based decision,” adding: “However, the grousing in the company was that it wasn’t a wrestling decision based on setting up wrestling characters.
” It was as if the network, which is paying us all this money, commanded us to do it, so we’re going to do it.” Billy’s professional engagement in wrestling began a few years ago when the rocker purchased National Wrestling Alliance, and you can see how the singer claimed he was the one who ‘brought back’ public interest in the sport. He’s also on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins, with Corgan’s next stop in North Carolina on August 22 and gigs continuing until early fall.
