Brian Fritz sent this in.
Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross talks with Brian Fritz of BetweenTheRopes.com about his podcast “The Ross Report”, it’s success and how he has liked doing it so far, the young talent in the WWE including Roman Reigns and the direction he hopes the company takes with him on his path to the world title. He also discusses whether or not he would be open to broadcasting for TNA Wrestling, what other broadcasting opportunities he is looking at including wrestling, MMA and college football and how close any of those are to happening. Plus, he talks about his interest in working with CM Punk on broadcasts and what his future could be, having Punk on his podcast and WWE not allowing him to have their talent on his podcast, working on his autobiography, the future of announcing in wrestling and who might be interested in it, why he is troubled about the future of the wrestling business and the product being delivered and much more.
Listen to the podcast or download it directly: http://www.betweentheropes.com/2014/07/17/jim-ross-talks-ross-report-broadcasting-opportunities-cm-punk-future-wrestling/
Subscribe to Between The Ropes on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/between-the-ropes/id652853185
Here are some excepts from the interview:
Following up on a recent question asked to him on Twitter if he would be open to broadcasting for TNA Wrestling and him saying “never say never”:
Well, it’s kind of far-fetched it the sense that A) those discussions aren’t happening. I don’t have any desire to get back into the weekly grind of pro wrestling. Or the weekly grind of anything other than this podcast is weekly. I could do it from home if I wanted to. But I enjoy doing it at the radio station and I enjoy having a destination, to go to work, prepare. I enjoy it. I think when you’re an independent contract as I am, and you’re a freelance talent as I am, by in-large, you don’t want to say “I’m never doing that” because someone can come along and make you an offer that is really better than you dreamer you would ever get. It’s not likely at all. I’m not looking at that direction but I don’t think it’s very smart to say I’ll never do that. It would take an extraordinary deal because I don’t know why I would be excited about replacing one of two guys that I like. You don’t get that many friends in the wrestling business that stick with you through thick and thin. You get a lot fewer calls when you can’t help somebody or can’t do something for them. And I don’t know if I would feel comfortable about of upsetting the team of Mike (Tenay) and Taz. As I sit here, I don’t feel right about that.
On possibly working with CM Punk on broadcasts:
I’m not saying I’ll never do wrestling again. I did my podcast this week and said you know, crazy idea what if CM Punk and I joined forces and made a broadcast team and did an internet pay-per-view for a New Japan show. Something completely off the tracks. An not do it in a studio but go to Tokyo or go wherever the event was held. Be there as the English speaking crew. We might be the version of the Spanish announce table. And I just threw that out there and know I’ve got all kinds of people “oh, when are you and CM Punk. when did you talk to Phil”. Well, I haven’t talked to Phil. I made it clear on the podcast this is fantasy booking. I said this will get people talking. Well, here’s a good one for you. This will get people talking. Watch how this works. And then I laid it out: New Japan is doing these pay-per-views and they want to air them in the States. They’re inexpensive and all this good stuff. CM Punk is going to be available to do some stuff one of these days. And I’d love to work with him as the analyst of a pro wrestling match or a MMA fight.
If he thinks he’ll be broadcasting MMA in the near future:
I don’t have any idea. I’ve thrown it out there. That’s what you have agents. I got two of them. They’re both talking different deals so I don’t know. I’m interested the door is open so we’ll see who walks through if anybody.
On him starting work on his book:
Just this week, we’re starting to do some serious work on my autobiography. And I’m doing it differently than people would say is probably customary. I don’t have a book deal. I turned down book deals from a lot of places. I decided I want to write the book I believe to be true and honest, entertaining, eye-opening and more than just wrestling headlocks and screwjobs and stuff like that. So, I’m going to write the book. I’ve got a writing partner and we’re going to write the book the way that we want it. We’re figured up an ending place which right now is probably going to be when I came back from my second bout of Bell’s Palsy to call the first Rock – Austin WrestleMania main event. I’m thinking that would be the end. That would give us cause to write a second book that would bring in the Attitude Era, the Monday Night Wars, my role in the WWE and the corporate side and then having that third bout of Bell’s Palsy and then kind of getting futured and moving off Raw and moved to Smackdown. I think it give us plenty of material for the second book.