WWE: The Return of "Saturday Night's Main Event" on NBC (Confirmed)
04-08-05, 08:51 PM
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WWE: The Return of "Saturday Night's Main Event" on NBC (Confirmed)
Here's the article:
http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publis...le_12638.shtml
I remember watching this as a kid... hopefully my childhood memories won't be dashed.
http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publis...le_12638.shtml
The following is a press release issued by WWE today confirming yesterday's PWTorch.com report that not only is WWE moving its cable programs to USA, but NBC specials are part of the new package...
NEW YORK, NY, and STAMFORD, Conn., April 4, 2005 - World Wrestling Entertainment and NBC Universal have inked a new, three-year agreement that will return WWE cable programming, including ratings titan Monday Night RAW, to USA Network beginning in October 2005, it was announced today by Linda McMahon, WWE CEO, and Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and SCI FI Channel. Raw, a cable mainstay for more than 12 years, continues to be the most watched regularly scheduled year-round program on ad-supported cable television.
The agreement is a homecoming of sorts for WWE, which introduced Monday Night Raw on USA on January 11, 1993. The prime time cable series flourished for seven years, establishing cable ratings records, before moving to Spike TV on September 25, 2000.
"I’m thrilled to be back in business again with Vince and Linda McMahon," said Hammer. "I led the USA team that helped grow Raw into a true pop phenomenon, and it’s great to welcome it home."
In addition to Monday Night Raw, USA will air a one-hour weekend Raw-branded program, and NBCU's Telemundo will air Spanish-language versions of Raw. NBC will also air at least two yearly, 90-minute Saturday late night Raw specials.
NEW YORK, NY, and STAMFORD, Conn., April 4, 2005 - World Wrestling Entertainment and NBC Universal have inked a new, three-year agreement that will return WWE cable programming, including ratings titan Monday Night RAW, to USA Network beginning in October 2005, it was announced today by Linda McMahon, WWE CEO, and Bonnie Hammer, president, USA Network and SCI FI Channel. Raw, a cable mainstay for more than 12 years, continues to be the most watched regularly scheduled year-round program on ad-supported cable television.
The agreement is a homecoming of sorts for WWE, which introduced Monday Night Raw on USA on January 11, 1993. The prime time cable series flourished for seven years, establishing cable ratings records, before moving to Spike TV on September 25, 2000.
"I’m thrilled to be back in business again with Vince and Linda McMahon," said Hammer. "I led the USA team that helped grow Raw into a true pop phenomenon, and it’s great to welcome it home."
In addition to Monday Night Raw, USA will air a one-hour weekend Raw-branded program, and NBCU's Telemundo will air Spanish-language versions of Raw. NBC will also air at least two yearly, 90-minute Saturday late night Raw specials.
I remember watching this as a kid... hopefully my childhood memories won't be dashed.
Last edited by Goldberg74; 04-08-05 at 08:53 PM.
04-08-05, 09:01 PM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Yeah,SNME was always awesome back in the day,i wonder if the new ones will be just as good.
A side question:Is Hogan back wresting for the WWE?I know he made an appearance at WM,but is he back for good?If so,i would have to start watching rasslin' again.
A side question:Is Hogan back wresting for the WWE?I know he made an appearance at WM,but is he back for good?If so,i would have to start watching rasslin' again.
04-08-05, 11:05 PM
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Before the Monday Night Wars and monthly PPVs, SNME was always a little taste of sweetness. You never knew what was going to happen, but something big usually did.
I remember a good match between Jake Roberts and Randy Savage. It was really strange because both of them were heels, and that never happened back then. There were clear lines and they were seldom crossed. A villain was a real villain, not an in-between villain or a jokey villain.
I remember a good match between Jake Roberts and Randy Savage. It was really strange because both of them were heels, and that never happened back then. There were clear lines and they were seldom crossed. A villain was a real villain, not an in-between villain or a jokey villain.
Last edited by Charlie Goose; 04-08-05 at 11:09 PM.
04-08-05, 11:48 PM
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Well.. I posted it in this thread what the WWE were planning...
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...2&page=1&pp=25
http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...2&page=1&pp=25
04-09-05, 05:07 AM
#6
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I doubt Hogan is back for good, at least i pray not
He is awesome as a once a year tops novelty item but in his 1 minute demolition of Hassan he exhausted both his moveset and his cardio
I don't want to see Hogan on a regular basis, once a year is a great mark out moment but that's it. Ditto for the Rock and Mick Foley
For veterans to not be stale they need to be able to still bring it in the ring, like HBK, HBK is still one of the top in ring performers in the WWE.
He is awesome as a once a year tops novelty item but in his 1 minute demolition of Hassan he exhausted both his moveset and his cardio
I don't want to see Hogan on a regular basis, once a year is a great mark out moment but that's it. Ditto for the Rock and Mick Foley
For veterans to not be stale they need to be able to still bring it in the ring, like HBK, HBK is still one of the top in ring performers in the WWE.
04-09-05, 07:01 AM
#8
DVD Talk Legend
I loved SNME back in the day. The thing that made it good was it was actually decent people wrestling each other, since the Saturday morning shows were just stars against jobbers.
04-09-05, 09:35 AM
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Yeah, the existence of Raw & Smackdown makes a new SNME less relevant and exciting than it was in the '80s. I remember staying up late just to see stuff like Hogan vs. The Honky Tonk Man, but nowadays, we get hours upon hours per week of these types of matches, unlike what we had back then. Maybe they should give SNME a new twist, like make them semi-annual interpromotional Raw vs. Smackdown shows or something.
04-09-05, 12:44 PM
#10
DVD Talk Legend
I remember hearing the song "Obsession" on the radio back in its day and thinking it was the theme to SNME instead of a real song used as a theme. 
Could be interesting, I just hope they use SNME as something special and not a throwaway show like Sunday Night Heat.
Could be interesting, I just hope they use SNME as something special and not a throwaway show like Sunday Night Heat.
04-11-05, 05:37 PM
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Dr. DVD
I remember hearing the song "Obsession" on the radio back in its day and thinking it was the theme to SNME instead of a real song used as a theme. .
.I agree that the magic of SNME was that it was good matches on free tv, at a time when the syndicated and cable shows featured mostly jobbers. And Hogan rarely wrestled. If he did, it was a non-title match against Iron Mike Sharpe. The main events were usually something an intercontinental-level star like Tito Santana or Brutus Beefcake against a C-level star (not a complete jobber, but would always lose to a bigger name) like Leaping Lanny Poffo or Kim Chee. Plus there were only a handful of pay per view matches a year, and the SNMEs were often the launching point of the really good angles.
I loved when they first made Raw (and Nitro, etc.) into a place where you could actually see top matches on regular tv. But I think that and the monthly PPVs has taken some of the magic out of it all. It's hard tio get excited about a PPV match when the two wrestlers went at each other for three weeks straight on free tv, whether as parts of tag matches or by interfering in another match.
04-11-05, 05:47 PM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by DRG
Ha, to this day whenever I hear that song I instantly think of SNME. I hated when they changed the theme, but the new theme quickly grew on me and I like it as well.
I agree that the magic of SNME was that it was good matches on free tv, at a time when the syndicated and cable shows featured mostly jobbers. And Hogan rarely wrestled. If he did, it was a non-title match against Iron Mike Sharpe. The main events were usually something an intercontinental-level star like Tito Santana or Brutus Beefcake against a C-level star (not a complete jobber, but would always lose to a bigger name) like Leaping Lanny Poffo or Kim Chee. Plus there were only a handful of pay per view matches a year, and the SNMEs were often the launching point of the really good angles.
I loved when they first made Raw (and Nitro, etc.) into a place where you could actually see top matches on regular tv. But I think that and the monthly PPVs has taken some of the magic out of it all. It's hard tio get excited about a PPV match when the two wrestlers went at each other for three weeks straight on free tv, whether as parts of tag matches or by interfering in another match.
I agree that the magic of SNME was that it was good matches on free tv, at a time when the syndicated and cable shows featured mostly jobbers. And Hogan rarely wrestled. If he did, it was a non-title match against Iron Mike Sharpe. The main events were usually something an intercontinental-level star like Tito Santana or Brutus Beefcake against a C-level star (not a complete jobber, but would always lose to a bigger name) like Leaping Lanny Poffo or Kim Chee. Plus there were only a handful of pay per view matches a year, and the SNMEs were often the launching point of the really good angles.
I loved when they first made Raw (and Nitro, etc.) into a place where you could actually see top matches on regular tv. But I think that and the monthly PPVs has taken some of the magic out of it all. It's hard tio get excited about a PPV match when the two wrestlers went at each other for three weeks straight on free tv, whether as parts of tag matches or by interfering in another match.
Didnt WCW start doing that first (wrestling against non-jobbers), forcing McMahon's hand?
As this is the only way people without cable can watch the WWE now, I expect them to do something different to garner ratings. Inter-show matches could be good (although hard to build up), or even PPV-like matches. WWE needs to make this venue a success in the biggest way right now...
04-12-05, 04:49 AM
#13
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by fujishig
Inter-show matches could be good (although hard to build up), or even PPV-like matches. WWE needs to make this venue a success in the biggest way right now...
