WWE Network... It's Here

[sek69]

Is it possible TSN had a deal to show AWA matches like ESPN did in the US? I would assume WWE would have had the rights to those like they did the ESPN shows, just that TSN/ESPN still had rights to show it on their station too.

[Ricky Jackson]

Yeah, TSN broadcast the ESPN show. Not sure about the Winnipeg footage, that was before my time, but I think there was some kind of TSN exclusive wrestling show? Khawk would know

[khawk20]

Yeah, TSN broadcast the ESPN show. Not sure about the Winnipeg footage, that was before my time, but I think there was some kind of TSN exclusive wrestling show? Khawk would know

 

TSN Wrestling featuring the AWA ran from the network debut in 1984 through early 1986. It was an exclusive show to that network, with about 90 percent of the matches being broadcast from the Winnipeg arena monthly card. Standard format was 1) arena match from the previous card, 2) classic match from the past (between 1980 and 1984, all form Winnipeg), 3) Main event match (again from previous card).

After the AWA was forced out of Winnipeg the TSN show changed briefly to a WWF show out of the Winnipeg arena.I don't think it lasted long. The WWF only came a couple of times a year and could not have sustained original content like the AWA did. With Canadian Content rules in place that likely is how TSN moved forward...I believe Stampede came next.

 

The local Winnipeg show ran arena clips from Winnipeg as well but may have started only in the middle of 1984, that is the earliest footage of the Winnipeg show I have been able to find outside of the TSN show. The arena clips on the local tv show were shown around the interviews and promoted the upcoming card. Their TV later was squash matches and the odd angle taped out of a local high school gym.

 

They also would broadcast major angles from regular AWA TV but occasionally did their own thing. Larry Z turned on Bockwinkel in Winnipeg on a TV angle, for example, as opposed to the Atlantic city Nunchakus angle that the rest of the AWA saw.

 

Pre-1984 Winnipeg TV footage is somewhat scarce (frustratingly, it's like nobody in that city owned a VCR before 1984) so if they may have with more of a regular AWA TV show before 1984, but Canadian Content rules might also have dictated they do more local things.

 

TSN retaining the rights to the Winnipeg footage it showed is entirely possible but they seem to have no plans to use it. TSN is affiliated to a degree with ESPN so a similar agreement being in place could definitely be a thing.

 

Hope that helps some. The TSN rights thing is definitely in play, not that it means much if they don't ever intend on using it.

[iamthedoctor]

Im suprised they still havent put back up the Mankind/Rock half time heat match yet.

[clintthecrippler]

Thanks khawk! I had given up the idea that Winnipeg AWA was in the library that WWE had since it hadn't surfaced yet but hoping the Andre/Bockwinkel match will lead to more!

 

Now if only WWE had the glory days World Class Fort Worth TV in full, though my understanding is the original broadcasts of those aren't in the WWE library acquisition.

[khawk20]

I enjoyed the Fort Worth TV, I used to get it on KTVT on Saturday nights when I had the big dish.

[Grimmas]

Odd question, but what was wrong with the SuperBrawl V originals? The ppv on the network starts midway through the opener and says it's presented in best form possible. By 1995, I thought WCW would have their stuff in good shape.

[khawk20]

It could be as simple as there was a flaw in their blank master tape/reel that carried through the first part of that first match before correcting itself.

 

I remember buying new vhs tapes that would occasionally have a fault in it. Never ealized there was a problem until I went back and checked the tape.

 

It's possible they had the same problem that one time.

[Grimmas]

Thank you!

[sek69]

So an empty folder for Heat briefly appeared on the Roku app today, setting off speculation that it could be the next content dump. I would assume at least if they created a placeholder folder for it that would indicate it is coming at some point sooner than later.

[Jimmy Redman]

Heat would be fantastically useful for me.

[iamthedoctor]

So an empty folder for Heat briefly appeared on the Roku app today, setting off speculation that it could be the next content dump. I would assume at least if they created a placeholder folder for it that would indicate it is coming at some point sooner than later.

 

Oh I hope so I want 1998 Attitude extra segments.

[Gutenberger]

I just watched the 24 on Raw 25 and while it (naturally) was very much white washed, it was still interesting, as thee 24's tend to be.

 

BUT, coming out of this, how in the hell is there not yet a proper DVD/Blu Ray documentary on The Miz? He came across so great in this, and I really wanna see something more in depth on him.

[peachchaos]

 

So an empty folder for Heat briefly appeared on the Roku app today, setting off speculation that it could be the next content dump. I would assume at least if they created a placeholder folder for it that would indicate it is coming at some point sooner than later.

 

Oh I hope so I want 1998 Attitude extra segments.

 

 

There won't be extras for Heat since those were usually taped before RAW.

[iamthedoctor]

 

 

So an empty folder for Heat briefly appeared on the Roku app today, setting off speculation that it could be the next content dump. I would assume at least if they created a placeholder folder for it that would indicate it is coming at some point sooner than later.

 

Oh I hope so I want 1998 Attitude extra segments.

 

 

There won't be extras for Heat since those were usually taped before RAW.

 

 

But there is a specific moment in a highlight package where you see Austin giving McMahon the stunner and the tshirt he wore he only wore once on TV which was on Heat so they deffinately have footage after broadcast.

[Matt D]

 

 

 

So an empty folder for Heat briefly appeared on the Roku app today, setting off speculation that it could be the next content dump. I would assume at least if they created a placeholder folder for it that would indicate it is coming at some point sooner than later.

 

Oh I hope so I want 1998 Attitude extra segments.

 

 

There won't be extras for Heat since those were usually taped before RAW.

 

 

But there is a specific moment in a highlight package where you see Austin giving McMahon the stunner and the tshirt he wore he only wore once on TV which was on Heat so they deffinately have footage after broadcast.

 

We can all be this at times, but I'm still posting it:

 

[C.S.]

Did anyone else watch the Bruce Prichard podcast - Something ELSE to Wrestle With - on WWE Network?

 

(Note: I'm new to Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson. I have not listened to their podcast before, but I have read the recaps on PWPodcasts.com.)

 

First of all, the content is INCREDIBLE - "Dave Meltzer would have given Kane vs. Undertaker 18 stars if Kane had set the Tokyo Dome on fire" haha! - and some of Prichard's imitations are spot-on. Others are...less so. Cornette sounds like a chipmunk, Heyman sounds nothing Heyman, and Patterson is impossible to understand. With that said, he at least nailed the word choices Cornette and Heyman would make. Also, the argument between Prichard and Conrad about Prichard kissing Triple H's ass felt really forced, as did Conrad constantly sucking Meltzer's teet by quoting him seemingly every ten seconds. But that's obviously their shtick. Overall, it's fantastic.

 

But what the hell is the deal with the piss-poor production values?

 

1. Prichard's feed is choppy as hell, to the point where I thought something was wrong with my connection.

 

2. Conrad Thompson's feed is even worse - choppy too, low res, just awful.

 

3. The entire presentation looks like shit. Really ugly blue borders and boxes for Bruce and Conrad that are actually crooked on the screen.

 

4. Very little video footage.

 

Geez, Conrad wasn't kidding when he said he didn't really work for WWE Network, because there's no way WWE had anything to do with this. That's a plus content-wise but a minus in every other way. How hard would it be for WWE to give these guys a studio or oversee the production in some way? It looks abysmally bad. I've seen amateur YouTubers with more professional presentations - I'm not kidding.

[Cornette's racket]

Did anyone else watch the Tom Prichard podcast - Something ELSE to Wrestle With - on WWE Network?

 

(Note: I'm new to Tom Prichard and Conrad Thompson. I have not listened to their podcast before, but I have read the recaps on PWPodcasts.com.)

First of all, the content is INCREDIBLE - "Dave Meltzer would have given Kane vs. Undertaker 18 stars if Kane had set the Tokyo Dome on fire" haha! - and some of Prichard's imitations are spot-on. Others are...less so. Cornette sounds like a chipmunk, Heyman sounds nothing Heyman, and Patterson is impossible to understand. With that said, he at least nailed the word choices Cornette and Heyman would make. Also, the argument between Prichard and Conrad about Prichard kissing Triple H's ass felt really forced, as did Conrad constantly sucking Meltzer's teet by quoting him seemingly every ten seconds. But that's obviously their shtick. Overall, it's fantastic.

 

But what the hell is the deal with the piss-poor production values?

 

1. Prichard's feed is choppy as hell, to the point where I thought something was wrong with my connection.

 

2. Conrad Thompson's feed is even worse - choppy too, low res, just awful.

 

3. The entire presentation looks like shit. Really ugly blue borders and boxes for Tom and Conrad that are actually crooked on the screen.

 

4. Very little video footage.

 

Geez, Conrad wasn't kidding when he said he didn't really work for WWE Network, because there's no way WWE had anything to do with this. That's a plus content-wise but a minus in every other way. How hard would it be for WWE to give these guys a studio or oversee the production in some way? It looks abysmally bad. I've seen amateur YouTubers with more professional presentations - I'm not kidding.

Tom ? I didn't know the good doctor was hosting it instead of his brother Bruce.

[peachchaos]

I guess I really need to talk to Tom.

[sek69]

I have zero interest to watch it since it seems Bruce's entire schtick is everyone is wrong but him because he used to work for the WWF and by the way did you know he totally used to work for the WWF?

[clintthecrippler]

That was pretty much my biggest disappointment with the first episode. It really was just an episode of the podcast but with webcams of each host. I was hopeful that there would be a lot of cutaway video while they talked in the background to highlight a lot of the moments they were talking about, like in the early few minutes when they talked about Tyson's aborted 1990 referee run it would have been a great place to insert even a 5-second clip of Buster Douglas refereeing that match with an event name and tag to look for it in the Vault section. The webcam thing is whatever but there definitely could have been a lot more video cut ins to spruce up and provide more visual flair to the presentation.

[The Thread Killer]

I have zero interest to watch it since it seems Bruce's entire schtick is everyone is wrong but him because he used to work for the WWF and by the way did you know he totally used to work for the WWF?

 

The show certainly started that way, which was why I didn't like it at first. Then over time, I think Bruce figured out that he was going to have to do more than just defend WWE and bash Dave Meltzer at every turn if the show was going to survive long term.

 

He eventually got to the point where he will disclose interesting facts and insights about how things worked behind the scenes when he was either the head of Talent Relations or on the Creative Team. The show about the creation and implementation of the Million Dollar Man character is a good example of that. But the main reason I listen is because (at times) the show can be very, very funny. Stories like Vince McMahon's reasoning for the exploding limo angle ("You can't be on TV if you're dead!") or Bob Holly's proposal for a storyline for his character ("Give me the belt!" "Then what?" "Then...I beat everybody!") are the main reasons I listen.

 

If you don't like the humor or you don't like the relationship and interplay between Conrad Thompson and Bruce, this show is definitely not for you. And although I don't doubt that some of the things Bruce Prichard says on the show are true and factual, I wouldn't trust him and I'd take pretty much everything he says as bullshit. I certainly don't consider STW a "news source." As much as he bashes Meltzer (and I do agree a lot of that is just a "gimmick") I'd take Dave Meltzer's version of events over Prichard's 9 times out of 10.

 

So yeah, as a source of information or facts there is no way you can take that show seriously. As entertainment, it's fun and I like it most of the time.

[sek69]

His personality has always been grating to me, and fans of the show are starting to get nearly as obnoxious as Russo fans when it comes to blindly defending everything he says and bashing anyone who points out when he's wrong.

[C.S.]

The webcam thing is whatever but there definitely could have been a lot more video cut ins to spruce up and provide more visual flair to the presentation.

 

It's more than "whatever" to me - it's a major handicap of the show, and it's not going to last on the Network if they don't fix it ASAP. Any newer viewer tuning in and seeing choppy low-res video will tune out immediately, as I almost did. Only the reputation of the podcast kept me going.

 

I don't know why WWE doesn't put them in a studio and/or film it themselves, or at the very least give Conrad Thompson and Jimmy Del Ray top of the line equipment to work with. It's ridiculous.

[The Thread Killer]

His personality has always been grating to me, and fans of the show are starting to get nearly as obnoxious as Russo fans when it comes to blindly defending everything he says and bashing anyone who points out when he's wrong.

 

I am an admitted fan of the show, and that is something that even I don't get. If you can't listen to just one episode of that show, and see that Prichard clearly has Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to WWE, not to mention a vested financial interest in playing that up - I don't know what to say. That's scary.

 

It's more than "whatever" to me - it's a major handicap of the show, and it's not going to last on the Network if they don't fix it ASAP. Any newer viewer tuning in and seeing choppy low-res video will tune out immediately, as I almost did. Only the reputation of the podcast kept me going.

 

I don't know why WWE doesn't put them in a studio and/or film it themselves, or at the very least give Conrad Thompson and Jimmy Del Ray top of the line equipment to work with. It's ridiculous.

 

Apparently the main feedback they have gotten since the show debuted is complaints about the technical issues and presentation, so they are planning on addressing it over the next couple of weeks. I am guessing there will be new cameras at the very least showing up soon. We'll see.