Ex-TNA Employee Claims Company Gave Out Free Tickets to Fill Arenas in 2025

TNA Wrestling’s fan attendance continues to be a hot topic—and now a former wrestler is claiming that free tickets were a regular part of the game.

On the January 17, 2026 episode of the Café de René podcast, former TNA talent Master Emir claimed that during his time with the company in 2025, TNA regularly gave out free tickets in an effort to boost live event attendance. But according to him, it still wasn’t enough to fill venues.

“So I worked for TNA last year, and one of the things you’re talking about is giving away tickets. They were giving tickets away for free. They had people going out and handing out free tickets. And the building we were in wasn’t even half full, even with free tickets being given out. It was atrocious.”

While Emir didn’t single out Bound for Glory or any specific show, his claim adds fuel to the broader conversation around how TNA has managed its crowds—especially during a time when the company is trying to rebuild its identity and presence on national TV through its new AMC deal.

The debate over comp tickets came into full view back in October 2025 when TNA announced a record 7,794 fans in attendance at Bound for Glory. That number drew immediate skepticism, with some online voices alleging that as many as 3,000 of those tickets were comped.

In response, former TNA World Champion Moose addressed the claims on social media, slamming the idea that the record crowd was faked. Moose pointed to the past—when he and stars like The Hardys, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Lashley performed at Universal Studios in front of 150 fans, all of whom got in for free due to venue restrictions.

“People saying half of our record-setting attendance was free tickets are brain dead,” Moose wrote. “Back in 2016/17, we were wrestling in front of 150 comped fans because Universal didn’t allow ticket sales.”

He acknowledged that a few hundred comps for sponsors, friends, and media are common—but dismissed the idea that TNA gave away thousands of seats.

“I could understand 200 or 300 comped tickets, but 3,000? That’s just bad business. No promotion does that unless they’re desperate. And if it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.”

But Master Emir’s firsthand story paints a different picture—suggesting that at least some shows in 2025 were far from packed, even with aggressive efforts to bring people in for free.

What’s your take on TNA’s live attendance strategy? Are free tickets part of the hustle, or does this hurt the brand’s credibility? Sound off in the comments and let us know.