Brian W. Tosh says a possible class-action lawsuit against TNA has now been discussed—but he also admits it may never happen.
That didn’t stop the fan at the center of wrestling’s strangest controversy from explaining exactly why he believes TNA crossed the line with its LeBron James promotion. Speaking on the Business of the Business podcast, Tosh walked through everything from the infamous “See you there” message to retaining attorneys, why he believes TNA management made the company look “minor league,” and why he still refuses to let the issue go.
Later in the interview, the hosts asked Tosh directly whether he had considered turning the dispute into a class-action lawsuit. Tosh immediately followed that by explaining why he isn’t pretending it’s a slam dunk.
“It’s something that is being considered.”
Tosh immediately followed that by explaining why he isn’t pretending it’s a slam dunk. He then admitted that, beyond the people who attended the show with him, he hasn’t exactly had fans lining up to join the effort. According to Tosh, another problem could stop everything before it even starts.
“I know that there were a number that did, including John… as well as some of my other cohorts who were at the show with me… But I haven’t had a lot of traction as far as other fans wanting to join in on this case. Due to the pressing cases and a full docket that the court system has… we might not be able to move forward with pending litigation.”
For Tosh, though, the lawsuit was never the real story. He said everything started with one line in TNA’s promotion for the Philadelphia iMPACT! tapings.
“Well, the promotion in advance, I had seen that he was invited to go to the show. TNA Wrestling invited LeBron James to present the championship to the winner of the Nic Nemeth and Jeff Hardy championship match… But yeah, he was invited, and the line that triggered not just myself but a number of other people was, ‘See you there. See you there.’ And to me that is an implicit invitation.”
Tosh argued that if TNA had simply invited LeBron James, fans probably would’ve understood it as an attempt to get the NBA superstar’s attention. In his mind, ending the message with “See you there” completely changed what people were being led to believe.
He also rejected the idea that expecting LeBron to appear was unrealistic, pointing to TNA’s long history of bringing celebrity athletes into the company.
“If you do know your history of TNA… Frank Wycheck, D’Angelo Williams, Pac-Man Jones, Tito Ortiz, A.J. Pierzynski… LeBron would have fit right into the pattern of all-star celebrity athletes booked in this company.”
Tosh then reached for a comparison from the movie Casino to explain the two possibilities he keeps coming back to.
“There’s a scene where Sam Rothstein… either he was in on it or he was too stupid to notice. So I have to ask… was TNA deliberately promoting LeBron James knowing he would not appear, or did they actually think he would appear?”
Tosh admitted he doesn’t know which explanation is true. Instead, he said that’s the question he believes TNA should have to answer. After LeBron never appeared, Tosh said he tried getting reimbursed for his ticket and parking, which totaled roughly $54.38, but claims every attempt failed.
“Attempts to get reimbursed for the ticket plus parking… went nowhere. So, I had to do what I had to do, and that was to reach out for some litigation… I’ve retained an attorney… and have so far had no success.”
Even then, Tosh acknowledged he doesn’t know where things ultimately lead. He also questioned whether LeBron’s name was simply being used to move tickets.
“I’m not sure where we’re going to go with this, if anywhere… but it’s still upsetting. I think people trying to mislead Philadelphia is wrong, especially when it comes to something like LeBron James. Was this just a desperate attempt to try to move some tickets is my question.”
Tosh also explained why he says the situation became personal. He pointed to his longtime friend, Junkyard Brown John, a lifelong wrestling fan who attended the show believing there was a chance LeBron would be there. Despite everything that’s happened, Tosh stressed he isn’t blaming the wrestlers themselves.
“He was excited to go to the show. He was excited to see LeBron James. And when LeBron James did not appear… he was visibly upset. That’s what really drove me to this point. When you upset a man like that… to the verge of tears… that’s not right. I’m not trying to disparage any of the great talents still working and competing in TNA… Bear Bronson and Gabby just signed… Cheeseburger… Mecca… there’s still some great hungry talents there.”
Instead, he believes the people who approved the promotion are responsible.
“The management team, whoever okayed this, really dropped the ball. I mean, you make your league look minor league by doing this.”
Tosh knows plenty of people think he’s taking things too far over a $54 ticket and parking bill. He also knows the class-action lawsuit he discussed may never materialize, other fans haven’t exactly rushed to join him, and the court system could prevent the case from ever moving forward. None of that has changed his opinion.
“Right is right, wrong is wrong, and you do not mislead Philadelphia.”
Whether this ends inside a courtroom or quietly fades away, Tosh made one thing clear throughout the interview: as far as he’s concerned, this stopped being about LeBron James a long time ago. In his mind, it became about a company making a promise with the words “See you there”—and that’s a line he still believes TNA should answer for.
Do you think Brian W. Tosh has a legitimate complaint against TNA, or has this situation gone too far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
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