Evolution of "The Network" and PPV
March 31 1985, who knew what started with JYD vs. Greg the Hammer Valentine; what started with Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Piper and Orndorff would EXPLODE into WWE having its own Network????
This evolution is bigger than Hulkamania, Bigger than the Attitude Era. With this MAJOR step, as fan’s we can watch in order “The Streak”, we can compare and decide who was bigger Hogan or Austin. We can recap and view week by week “The Monday Night Wars”. The WWE Network will allow the novice fan a chance to review history. The Network will allow all the wraslin Historians like myself a chance to relive and rehash major turns in the industry. We will be able to go back in time and see Andre Slam Big John Studd, and even see the match when Jimmy Super Fly Snuka jumped off the top of the cage vs. Bob Backlund(me personally, this was the first wrestling match I ever saw).
We have gone from “Closed Circuit” TV to internet TV to sitting in a bar, or at home watching 12 PPV’s a year. Remember when we just had WrestleMania, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and Summerslam??? I still remember the first ever Survivor Series which was shown on a Thanksgiving Thursday, and then a few were on Thanksgiving Eve. This was the only PPV that wasn’t shown on the NOW traditional Sunday Night.
We can watch Raw, Smackdown, Thunder, Nitro, and my personal favorite old episodes of WCW Saturday Night…from TBS 6:05 to 8:05 respectively. Less I forget “The Clash Of Champions”.
WWE Network will be the epitome of PPV as for 9.99 a month we can view and admire the early years of superstars, see their rise to stardom, even see all the factions develop, break up and develop again.
The Network, Yes the Network will change how we think of sports. Imagine if the NBA or NFL or NHL used their network to show all the championship series in their respective genre? What if the NBA channel had past programming where you could see the game where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points? Imagine if the NFL Network had an option to where we could watch Bart Star throw 7 touchdowns or John Riggins rush for over two hundred yards. I would love to relive 1985 when the NY Rangers won the Stanley Cup or the year of the infamous “in the crease” “no goal” screw job from the Buffalo Sabres Stanley Cup run of 1999.
It is possible with the popularity of Wrestling in General, that other traditional sports follow suit; until then 2/24/2014 will be a day of PPV history…Enjoy it, I know I will.
Next Up “The Samoan Influence” Until then see you on Monday Night or Thursday Impact
I’m tapping out
Martin Bryant
