WWE® Launches ECW® As Third Brand - Starts airing june 13 @ 10 on sci-fi

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

WWE® Launches ECW® As Third Brand

STAMFORD, Conn., May 25, 2006 - World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., today announced the official launch of ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling®) as a brand extension to its RAW® and SmackDown® franchises.

After acquiring the ECW assets in 2003, WWE spent the past few years re-introducing ECW to the global WWE audience and increasing the interest in its unique brand of sports entertainment. To date, WWE has successfully released three ECW DVD’s, all of which have become best sellers, and produced a very profitable ECW pay-per-view event in June 2005, with another ECW pay-per-view scheduled for this June 11, 2006. With consumer interest at an all-time high, WWE is introducing ECW as a complementary brand to RAW and SmackDown.

“After keeping the ECW concept alive and creating an enormous cult-like following for all things ECW from DVD’s to PPV’s to books, we feel that now the time is right to officially launch ECW as its own stand-alone franchise,� said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman. “RAW, SmackDown and ECW now represent a portfolio of WWE brands for fans of all ages and interests to enjoy.�

Similar to WWE’s RAW and SmackDown brands, WWE will produce, market and promote a full line of ECW products from television programs to pay-per-views to live events to licensed consumer goods.

In a related announcement, The SCI FI Channel today announced it would start airing one-hour episodes of a new ECW live television program, debuting June 13 at 10 p.m. ET. (more on this announcement)

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

K Jay

If it is live then wow. Like the time-slot too, it won't generate too much heat with OTT violence at 10.

I had a sig, once.

Blitzkrieg

Damn, that's sweet if it's a live show.. Sweet either way but LIVE is F'n nuts.

Mikk

WC's Sexy Beast

Haha, they will already be better than smackdown because it will be live.

Oh WWE, how much more do you want to crap on smackdown.

Dakstang

WC's Resident Redneck

Poor Smackdown

What do they have to do to get a live show?

Blitzkrieg

They could put on a live show but to my understanding it'd be too much work for them and that's why they tape two days in a row or three if it's a PPV. However, what day is ECW on again??

I dunno.. SD! I guess will never be anything especially when UPN shows baseball in a lot of cities on Fridays now.. I don't get SD! until Sat. night and screw that, I got better things to do.

Necro

this is gona be awsome

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

I think smackdown isn't live cuz it would lose money for wwe. Since I think the workweek is Friday-Tuesday cuz they do house shows fri-mon then tape on tuesday. so if they start going live on friday they will lose that house show on friday and i doubt a house show on a tuesday night would get anyone to go to it.