Full Sail Stories

This November, Full Sail University welcomed TNA Wrestling back to campus for a packed three-day series of live events, rehearsals, and televised broadcasts, bringing the nonstop energy of the IMPACT brand directly into Full Sail Live and classrooms across campus.

Load-in began early in the week, followed by full rehearsals on Wednesday, all leading up to TNA IMPACT Live, which aired nationwide on AXS TV and in Canada on SportsNet 360 and throughout the globe on the TNA + streaming platform. Fans packed the venue, filling the space with chants, boos, cheers, and the kind of electricity that only live wrestling can provide.

While the crowd reacted to championship matches, surprise appearances, and storylines rolling out fresh off TNA’s Bound for Glory, the heart of the week for Full Sail was behind the camera.

During the three-day production, dozens of students from programs including Live Event Production, Film, and Recording Arts worked alongside TNA’s professional crew, filling roles across lighting, audio, stagehand teams, and stage management support. Student crew members assisted Full Sail staff and TNA production leadership across Full Sail Live, the EB Auditorium, and breakout rooms used for camera tests, interviews, and interstitial content filming.

According to John Saboor, Full Sail’s Executive Director and Head of Partnerships, that level of involvement is exactly what the university’s collaborations are designed to create.

“TNA’s leadership team has fully embraced providing Full Sail with the kind of real-world learning and experience that will translate on day one when students join the industry,” he says. Throughout the week, that was visible as students participated in pre-taping, live-show execution, and late-night strike – mirroring the full workflow of a touring broadcast production.

The crossover moments between TNA talent and visiting NXT performers added a layer of industry context unique to Full Sail’s long-standing relationship with professional wrestling and sports entertainment. Throughout the show, fans saw cross-promotion bouts, appearances from figures like Santino Marella and NXT General Manager Ava, and segments filmed around campus. The week also featured Turning Point matchups, multi-tag showdowns, and a memorable in-ring retirement from JDC, who told the crowd he chose to close his career at Full Sail because “this place means the world to me.”

The combination of brands underscored how the campus’s facilities and technical teams have become a trusted hub for sports entertainment broadcasts. As John explained, “The growth of the TNA IMPACT brand over the last year was reflected in the quality of these events and the broadcast opportunities presented to our students.”

As TNA continues expanding, their week on campus reinforced how partnerships like this place Full Sail students inside productions seen around the world. “With TNA weekly broadcasts moving to AMC Network, we look forward to working with our partners to create even more meaningful opportunities and experiences for our students in 2026, and be able to showcase Full Sail to the more than 350M households that AMC is available throughout the globe,” says John.