As renewed attention falls on TNA following the latest episode of Dark Side of the Ring, Eric Bischoff has shared a passionate defense of former TNA President Dixie Carter.
Speaking on 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff argued that Carter has long been judged too harshly, insisting she deserves far greater recognition for her commitment to the promotion. He praised her character, describing her as one of the kindest people he has encountered throughout his career.

“I think Dixie deserves a lot more respect and credit than she gets,” Bischoff said. “I think Dixie is one of the nicest people I’ve ever worked with. I think she’s got a very good heart. I think her intentions when she got involved with TNA were as righteous as yours or mine would be in that same situation.”

While acknowledging that Carter's tenure was far from perfect, Bischoff believes her shortcomings stemmed from inexperience rather than a lack of passion or effort. He suggested she entered a business unlike any other without the right people to guide her.

“She wasn’t prepared for it, and neither was anybody around her,” Bischoff said. “She didn’t have anybody around her that really understood entertainment and the wrestling business.”

Bischoff went on to explain that although Carter was surrounded by accomplished business professionals, few truly understood the complexities of professional wrestling. In his view, that lack of experienced voices left her exposed to poor advice and difficult decisions.

“Because Dixie wasn’t surrounded by enough people that could insulate her from bad choices or bad decisions or bad directions, she got pulled in a lot of different directions,” Bischoff said. “She didn’t have enough knowledge or experience of her own to make decisions that were really hers.”

His comments arrive as renewed discussion surrounding TNA's history continues, with many revisiting Carter's leadership and the company's highs and lows through the Dark Side of the Ring documentary series.