By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

TNA creative contributor Eric Bischoff covered a number of TNA subjects, including Impact moving back to Thursday nights, his personal disappointment with moving off Monday nights, the future of TNA's product and creative team, individual stars in TNA, going up against WWE, his thoughts on Vince McMahon creatively, how long he'll stay in TNA, a balance of familiar faces and new names in TNA, Impact going on the road, and more during an interview on the Monday Night Mayhem radio show last night.

In this installment of the interview recap, we'll cover Bischoff's thoughts on TNA taking Impact on the road, but not being ready for it yet, the TNA creative team, balancing the older and newer stars on the roster, and more.

-- Bischoff said he believes TNA taking Impact and more PPVs on the road will "absolutely" make a difference for TNA when the promotion is ready to make the move. He cited one big benefit of creating more awareness for the product when they tour locally.

"If TNA were - and when they're able to - it will clearly, clearly have a dramatic impact on the business. The challenge is that is a massive, massive step. When you look at the WWE model and what was the WCW model when it was a success, one of the reasons it's successful and one of the reasons wrestling is such a unique television enterprise, is because it's one of the only TV shows that tours the country. When WWE goes into a local market, that local market is being promoted heavily. All of that local promotion creates an overall awareness that is a powerful, powerful thing," Bischoff said.

"Is TNA there? Absolutely not. WWE is three generations old. It's a very mature and sophisticated business. TNA is eight years old, technically speaking, but they didn't really make national television until they signed with Spike TV a few years ago. It's an extremely young company and it will be some time before TNA reaches that level taking Impact on the road. That is an astronomically expensive enterprise. It will change things dramatically when that becomes a reality."

-- Bischoff discussed the TNA creative effort, specifically Vince Russo's contributions. He also talked about his current standing with TNA and how long he'll continue to work for the company.

"I'm not going to discuss my contract status. I'm going to be here as long as it's fun for me, beneficial for me, and as long as it's good for TNA. The minute it's not good for TNA - I don't care what my contract says - with me being involved is no longer a benefit, I would be gone," Bischoff said. "I'm going to be here as long as I'm enjoying it and as long as it's productive. In terms of what I'm really doing right now, I get to enjoy being involved in a lot of things I enjoy doing and not being responsible for a lot of things I don't want the responsibility for that I don't enjoy."

On the TNA creative team make-up of Vince Russo, Ed Ferrara, Ed Conway, and management: "I'm part of it as well. There are a lot of people involved. Clearly, Hulk Hogan has an opinion and a lot of say on what happens. Dixie Carter is the president of the company and has a lot of say on what happens. In the entertainment industry, there is no one person that has ultimate creative control. Networks always have final say because networks write the check. The rest of us work really hard to manage the process."

"I think Russo does a phenomenal job. I know everyone out there listening hopes I bad-mouth Vince Russo. People out there want a civil war. They want an internally fractured situation so they can all talk about it. I get it. It's interesting in some respects, but in terms of what I've worked with creatively, this team is probably more fun to work with than any team that I've worked with before," he said.

"Vince is passionate, but very open-minded despite what people want to repeat about him and despite his own history. Overall, this is a healthy creative team. I'm spending more time with them than I ever thought I would. This product will continue to evolve. Make no mistake about it."

-- Bischoff said TNA is trying to find a way to balance the older, recognizable names with the younger names on the roster.

"I've heard a lot of people say - who are both fans of WWE and TNA - they like seeing names, brands, and faces they have a history with. That's not to say they want to see them dominate the show and we know that. We don't need research to tell us that," Bischoff said.

Regarding a question on TNA bringing back the NWO with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall trying to re-create the late 1990s situation in WCW, Bischoff said it's not feasible now.

"That was a period of time when situations in both companies were at a particular phase and talent was at a particular point. To try to re-create that again would fall flat," Bischoff said. "There are some aspects of 'The Band' that harken back to that period that resonates with the audience a little bit, but to go back and try to do the exact same type of things with the same exact people that we did 12 years ago - long-term, I don't think that's a great idea."

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