TNA News: Official statement on Jeff Jarrett's departure, additional notes

TNA issued the following statement via the TNA website regarding Jeff Jarrett, who announced on Monday that he resigned from the company on Sunday.

TNA Entertainment, LLC announced today that it has accepted Mr. Jeff Jarrett’s resignation from the company effective January 6th, 2014. Dixie Carter, President, commented “On behalf of TNA, we would like to thank Jeff for his contributions to the Company. We wish him the very best and look forward to his continued participation as an investor in TNA Wrestling."

Powell's POV: Sources within the company have all expressed some level of surprise over the departure of Jarrett. He had taken a more active role in creative and had also been doing some agent work. I have yet to hear from anyone who was aware of a particular issue involving Jarrett at the last television tapings, and more than one source has stated that it seemed like it was simply business as usual.

TNA sources who would normally be in the know stated that they were caught off guard by Jarrett's announcement. Sources are not entirely ruling out the possibility that this is a work designed to set up Jarrett as the babyface who fights Dixie Carter's character for control of the company, but no one I've spoken with has any direct knowledge of that being the case. Rather, most seem to believe that Jarrett is actually leaving the company's management team, though it's unclear whether he will remain in control of his minority ownership stake.

Jarrett was rumored to be tied to the notable name who was or still is interested in purchasing the company from Panda Energy. There is plenty of speculation that Jarrett's departure could be tied to something that occurred on that end. Again, though, there is plenty of speculation, yet no one I have spoken with seems to know exactly what motivated Jarrett's announcement.