Sci Fi Channel is getting into the ring with wrestling.
The cable network is following its NBC Universal sibling USA Network into a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment for a weekly series devoted to a WWE spin-off league, Extreme Championship Wrestling.
Beginning June 13, the yet-to-be-titled series will air at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on the network through the rest of the summer. Bonnie Hammer, president of USA and Sci Fi, hopes the latter channel gets the same ratings lift that USA has gotten from WWE's Raw.
"This is going to be a great summer series for us," Hammer said.
She cited research documenting an overlap among Sci Fi's viewers and WWE fans. "It's a huge duplication," she said. "Close to 50 percent who watch Raw watch Sci Fi as well."
As for how a wrestling franchise fits within the parameters of the Sci Fi brand, Hammer said the series is being developed to match the sensibility of the channel's "stretching the imagination" theme. "It will have a nice little twist that will fit in the brand," she said.
While the ECW is scheduled to run only in the summer, Hammer did not rule out extending its run year-round a la Raw if it proves successful.
"ECW on Sci Fi will push the boundaries of sports entertainment in new and unexpected ways," WWE chairman Vince McMahon said.
In recent weeks, WWE has been incorporating ECW into its story lines, positioning it to be a stand-alone series opposite Raw and UPN's Smackdown, which will continue next season on the CW. The ECW franchise also has been a brisk seller for WWE on DVD and pay-per-view since McMahon acquired the brand in 2003.
ECW is the answer To SciFi’s weekday problems! <br />
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Do You Remember when SciFi Tried to Put Lexx, Stargate & Farscape on “SCIFI MONDAY/TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY” On Three different occasions?! What happened? <br />
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Two Things: <br />
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#1. It was a school night & the demographic was for 13-18, 18-24, & 24-36 year olds on SciFi Friday. <br />
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#2. When the days were changed WE FORGOT ABOUT IT! It’s the human thing to do! I’ missed 3 weeks of LEXX because of that crap! Every one Obviously looks forward to The end of the “work” week anyhow (stay up late, No more school/work, etc.) So We all associated that with The “awesome SCIFI Programing” to be on Fridays NOT MONDAY, TUESDAY & WEDNESDAYS!<br />
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And if Your saying the scifi original Movies/Films Are “GOOD/AWESOME PROGRAMING” Then you need to be put in Sensory Deprivation Room! Their Acting & Stories Are Horrible! I was looking forward to Man-Thing and I was disappointed! Return of the Living Dead 4 & 5 Blew my Mind… AT HOW BAD THEY WERE!! And don’t try to feed me this-“It’s the love of “B” movies” Crap! I’d get more Enjoyment & Entertainment from Ed Wood’s Movies and they make me PHYSICALLY SICK every time I see them! Granted Man with the Screaming Brain- Kicked Ass! But then what doesn’t with Bruce Campbell!<br />
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Tuesdays are open in the land of scifi and ECW will fit in Nicely! OR EXTREMELY NICE (lol, Cheap Pop) But really it will help balance The Week on SciFi better!<br />
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Now we’ll have ECW on Tuesdays, Ghost Hunters on Wednesdays, & SCIFI’s Friday Day line up of Stargate SG1 & Atlantis, Battlestar Galattica, the new Doctor Who! <br />
Not to mention the reruns of season 1-8 of STARGATE SG-1 & the X-Files During the week’s afternoons!<br />
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Believe Me. IT WORKS. ECW will bring more Viewers to the SciFi network, IT will “Indeed”(lol, Cheap Teal’c Pop) bring more fans to flock at SG1, Doctor Who, Ghost Hunters & Battlestar Galactica; Who are not already fans of both SCIFI & Wrestling.<br />
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We can all sit here & “Bitch” out each other, Wrestling, & the network; But in the end if Wrestling & Sci Fi can help each other, why not go for it? <br />
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I’m Hardcore for SCIFI & I know every aspect Stargate, Doctor Who & Ghost huters, I researched what I don’t know to get a clearer understanding of the shows I like and their history & I’m the same with Pro Wrestling! It’s Like Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kun Do: “Having no limitation as limitation” & “From form to formless and from finite to infinite.”<br />
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Some people watch only SCIFI FRIDAY line up, others catch Ghosthunters too & some only wrestling. Now we have the best of both worlds & some people will be intoduced to new things. As it should be.<br />
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ECW IS A Fantastic Show With Nearly unreal feats happening Every show! It belongs on Sci-Fi! If You cant see the vison I'll Dumb it down for you who disagree. There is a science to their Performances & much of the story telling is Fiction, I.e. SCIENCE FICTION; Ergo= Sci Fi!<br />
Either way I Think Whatever the result is it will be nothing short of EXTREME!
all you wrestling haters can fuck off! If you don't like wrestling don't watch it and let those of us who do enjoy it!
Here we go again. First we got John Edwards, then Shannon Doherty, then the Ghost Hunters, now Wrestling. Do we need these horrible programs while trying to watch some good SciFi.
Unbelieveable. I don;t know about you, but when you say Sci-Fi, I think aliens, spaceships, and wrestling. Next line-up changes Larry King on Comedy Central & Monster Garage on Animal Planet.
Thats just ridiculous. I'm glad I just download my tv shows and don't pay for cable...
Is this a sign of things to come? Could ECW be invaded by aliens?<br />
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I remember watching ECW when it was first on MSG, and that was a good match because it was usually on near fishing programs and paid programming. And then when they went to TNN it all went downhill because they made fun of "The National Network's" shows. Now, I'm not saying their shows weren't bad and that the station wasn't trying to cover up their redneck side, but you know, don't bite the hand that feeds you.<br />
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Hopefully ECW won't meet the same fate on Sci-Fi and make fun of their shows. Especially since I like most of the shows Sci-Fi has to offer. However anything "Tripping The Rift" with Carmen Electra is up for grabs.moreless
I KNEW NBC/Universal was treating the Sci Fi Channel like a "cog" in their "machinery" lately-<br />
but this deal is outrageous!!!! Science fiction and wrestling do NOT blend very well together...<br />
or DO they?
ECDub ECDub!!!! Let's just hope that Heyman and Dreamer are given the chance to fully run with this thing and not be ruined by Vince's ego and/or the WWE "Un"Creative team.
ECW ECW ECW ECW ECW ECW
i don't know if this is such a great idea. i used to watch wrestling regularly, but lately the product is kind of bland. that and i can't stand paul heyman.