NWA TV Deal Unaffected Despite Controversial James Mitchell Incident

The NWA has been at the center of discussions surrounding its television deal with the CW network. Last year, there were talks of NWA making its way onto the CW Television Network but rumor suggested those talks died down after a controversial James Mitchell spot. Bryan Idol has now confirmed that the spot didn’t impact the deal whatsoever.

It was previously reported that the NWA may have tainted their deal with the CW over drug spot at the NWA’s PPV event, Samhain. Billy Cogan got criticized by fans and pro wrestlers alike, especially Eric Bischoff, after the incident.

While speaking to Steve Fall, WWC Puerto Rico Television Champion Bryan Idol dismissed rumors suggesting that the NWA drug spot impacted the promotion’s TV deal. He asserted that it had no bearing on their agreement with the CW network, stating that the network was unaware of the incident and had other concerns.

“I can 110% tell you, no matter what anyone else says and I’m totally okay saying this, it had nothing to do with anything. So other than someone’s saying this spot with James Mitchell was in bad taste, okay, but if you’re like, Okay, they did this and then CW said, ‘No, we’re never doing this because of this.’ No, CW wasn’t even aware of it. You could email it to them a thousand times. They don’t care. They got worse stuff going on.”

Advertising

Advertising

Idol emphasized that drug-related content is prevalent in media and entertainment, suggesting that it’s a societal norm. He clarified that the NWA faced no repercussions or discipline as a result of the spot, reiterating that it had no impact on their TV deal.

”You go click the app and go watch some of those shows. There’s plenty of drug use and simulated drug use in those shows and whatever. I gotta back that up because I don’t want to misquote myself. I don’t really watch all the shows on there but I’m gonna guess, I’m going to take a gamble and guess that of the billion shows that are on that app, there’s simulated drug use and whatever else. So they’re on the app and I’m sure on the network channel, they have the same. It’s just society, right?”

”There’s movies. People do drugs in movies. They show it. Okay. Maybe now I’m speaking out of pocket because I’m talking about somebody else’s stuff, so whatever, but what I can speak about is our own stuff. It didn’t affect anything. The James Mitchell cocaine spot did not cost a TV deal for the NWA. It had nothing to do with anything. There was no discipline handed down. No one cared.”

Bryan Idol is certainly correct as Billy Corgan confirmed last month that the NWA has agreed to deal with the CW to air NWA content. The NWA’s recent deal with the CW Network marks a significant milestone for the promotion. It opens up new avenues for exposure and growth, presenting exciting opportunities for the company’s future development. We’ll have to see how NWA will continue to grow in the coming months.

Are you glad the aforementioned drug spot didn’t cost NWA a deal with the CW? Let us know in the comments section below!