Eric Bischoff says his life would look very different without Ted Turner.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show following Turner’s passing at 87, Bischoff reflected on his time working under the media mogul in WCW and credited him as a visionary who opened doors for countless people.

“He was indeed a great guy. I don’t want to make it sound like we were close, we didn’t go out for steak dinners or anything like that. But I did get to know him through work and by watching how he operated,” Bischoff said. “Look, he changed my life. He changed the lives of my children. None of us would be where we are today. I wouldn’t be involved with Real American Freestyle if it wasn’t for the opportunities Ted Turner gave me. And I’m just one person. Think about the thousands who worked at Turner Broadcasting who were given chances to grow and chase careers because of his vision. He was the media version of Elon Musk in his time.”

Bischoff added that Turner connected well with employees at all levels. Despite his wealth, he kept things simple and was approachable, often engaging with staff beyond just executives.

When it came to WCW, Bischoff said Turner stayed completely hands off creatively but always kept an eye on the numbers. He would regularly call after ratings came in, especially when WCW was outperforming WWE.

Bischoff believes Turner valued wrestling not only for its low production cost but because it resonated with his view of middle America. He pointed to WCW, The Andy Griffith Show, and Atlanta Braves baseball as the foundation that helped build Turner Broadcasting into a powerhouse.

“It fit that middle America connection Ted had,” Bischoff said. “He grew up in the South and understood the audience that loved pro wrestling, just like they loved Andy in Mayberry and the Braves. Those three really became the pillars of the Superstation that grew into TNT.”

Calling Turner a “fighter,” Bischoff also noted that he enjoyed WWE’s “Billionaire Ted” skits in the 1990s, seeing them as proof he was getting under Vince McMahon’s skin.

Turner revealed his Lewy body dementia diagnosis in 2018. Bischoff said he hopes wrestling fans remember him as one of the most influential media figures and entrepreneurs of his era.

Eric Bischoff reflects on the legacy of Ted Turner and the massive impact he had on the wrestling business and beyond:

“He changed my life, he changed the lives of my children. None of us would be where we are today.

And I’m just one guy.

Think about all of the people who… pic.twitter.com/qMk6DVGryV

, Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 6, 2026