Backstage Update on Ted Turner’s Death Causing Changes To 5/6 AEW Dynamite Show & Sting’s Appearance Plans

As noted before, American media mogul and former WCW owner Ted Turner passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 87. AEW had dedicated this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite and Collision three-hour show in North Charleston, South Carolina in Turner’s memory, which included a tribute speech by Tony Schiavone and Sting and 10-bell salute.

Dave Meltzer reported in a recent episode of the Wrestling Observer Radio that his sources stated that Sting was originally planned to come in and do promotional work in the North Charleston area for the show. Sting reportedly was not originally planned to make an appearance on the show itself after a request by him since he didn’t want to take time away from anybody else on the show.

Following Turner’s passing, Meltzer reported that AEW CEO Tony Khan rewrote much of the original plans for the show due to he had felt they needed to open the show with a tribute to Turner. This reportedly led to Khan changing things around for the show’s plans. Khan reportedly also wanted Schiavone and Sting to do the tribute to Turner, which Sting was happy to do. Meltzer reported that Sting’s speech about Turner was completely unscripted in the sense of they just went out there and winged it.