Ted Turner, the founder of Cartoon Network and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), has died at age 87. According to CNN, the billionaire mogul passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.
In the wake of his passing, WCW and WWE legend Ric Flair issued a statement on social media.
“So sorry to hear about the passing of the great Ted Turner!” Flair wrote. “The man that created cable before cable was cool! He created CNN and look at it now, he rolled the dice and wasn’t afraid of taking risks, he won the America’s Cup for sailing!”
Flair also touted Turner for his role in revolutionizing American pro wrestling.
“His office looked like the Hall of Fame, which included a picture of him and Khrushchev. On top of all of that, he created so many opportunities for so many wrestlers because of his love for wrestling. Rest in peace, my friend! Thank you for the memorable personal times that we spent together.”
Eric Bischoff, who served as WCW President under Turner, also expressed his condolensces.
“RIP Ted,” Bischoff wrote on X. “And thank you for everything.”
Ted Turner Founded World Championship Wrestling
HeavyDennis Rodman and the nWo helped WCW thrive during the “Monday Night Wars”
When it comes to American pro wrestling, few people were as influential as Ted Turner.
In 1988, Turner founded World Championship Wrestling, which aired on his Superstation WTBS for nearly three decades.
During its prime, WCW blossomed into the most prominent rival to Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation, which later became the WWE.
Backed by Turner’s resources, WCW became home to wrestling icons Sting, Ric Flair, Booker T, Diamond Dallas Paige, and Goldberg.
In 1995, Eric Bischoff, with Turner’s support, secured a primetime slot on TNT for WCW Monday Nitro, which initiated the heralded “Monday Night Wars” against the WWF’s Monday Night Raw.
Despite WWF having an established fandom, WCW outperformed Monday Night Raw for 83 consecutive weeks.
Turner’s ten-year influence on the industry permanently altered the landscape of American professional wrestling, even though he eventually sold WCW to his business rival Vince McMahon in 2001.
Ted Turner Owned Atlanta Sports Teams For Two Decades
GettyTed Turner previously owned the Atlanta Braves and Hawks
Ted Turner’s contributions to the sports world were not just limited to pro wrestling.
The billionaire business mogul also owned the Atlanta Braves and Hawks for 20 years.
Turner bought the Braves in 1976 and later owned the Hawks. The CNN founder owned the Braves for 20 years and used his WTBS station to broadcast games nationally.
He purchased the team for $12 million to keep it in Atlanta and later presided over their 1995 World Series championship.
During his 19-year ownership of the Atlanta Hawks, the team made the playoffs 15 times.
Ted Turner Created the First 24-Hour News Channel
Turner founded CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel, in June 1980.
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it was created by Turner and Reese Schonfeld to provide around-the-clock news coverage.
Additionally, his Turner Broadcasting System helped establish the “superstation” concept and launched channels such as TBS, TNT and Cartoon Network.
Originating in the late 1970s, these stations (such as TBS and WGN) enabled local content to reach a national audience. They often feature movies, reruns, and sports.
Ric Flair Writes Heartfelt Tribute to WCW Founder Ted Turner