early 90s

[DJ Kris]

Does anyone remember when Sky One became part of the subscription package? I remember being gutted because I could no longer watch WWF other than whatever was on the German channels. Shortly after my Sky box packed up and my parents said they weren't going to replace it. I had friends that taped as much for me as they could, but it wasn't the same. I saved up for what seemed like months to buy a new box myself. Eventually I handed

[Angle_fan]

I'm pretty sure that Sky One became part of the subscription around the same time Sky Digital got launched around October 98. As for watching a scrambled screen, I had to do that a few times when at mates houses etc. I'll never forget listening to Wrestlemania 12 live at a mates house waking him up when HBK finally won the Iron Man Match and getting a punch in the nose for being annoying

[bAzTNM#1]

Does anybody know what year did the U.K version of TNT start showing Nitro, am i right in thinking TNT was linked with another channel..

It was Cartoon Network then it changed into TNT. Must have been around 7pm. Ain't so sure about that.

 

TNT must have started showing Nitro in around December 1995. Definately very late 1995.

[fugaziuk]

Does anybody know what year did the U.K version of TNT start showing Nitro, am i right in thinking TNT was linked with another channel..

It was Cartoon Network then it changed into TNT. Must have been around 7pm. Ain't so sure about that.

 

TNT must have started showing Nitro in around December 1995. Definately very late 1995.

 

cheers - i knew it was sometime i was in secondary school as a mate of mine recorded me nitro from time to time.

[DJ Kris]

I'm pretty sure that Sky One became part of the subscription around the same time Sky Digital got launched around October 98.

No it was definately much earlier than that. I'm pretty sure it was '93/'94, although it would have had to be late '93 if it was.

 

EDIT: According to Wiki, it became an encrypted channel on September 1st 1993, which fits because I'm sure I had my new box by WrestleMania X as I think that was the first one I watch proper live.

[DCW]

We didn't get Sky Digital in until 2001 so my WWF viewing was mainly confined to listening to Raw(scrambled)on Friday nights,watching the censored version of Smackdown which aired at 10am on Saturday mornings on Sky One(Sky One is on basic cable here)and then recording the scrambled ppv's once a month and getting up at 6am on Monday mornings to listen to it before school.

 

Hated doing all this back then,but looking back on it now I've fond memories of it!

[Taylorslade]

It was Cartoon Network then it changed into TNT. Must have been around 7pm. Ain't so sure about that.

 

TNT must have started showing Nitro in around December 1995. Definately very late 1995.

 

For years, my life revolved around friday nights. Here's how the listings normally went ;

 

21:00 -- 00:00 - TNT, Nitro. The switch-over from Cartoon Network would run about a minute before or right on 9pm, going straight to those fucking brilliant opening credits for Nitro.

 

22:00 -- 00:00 Sky Sports, Raw.

 

00:00 -- 02:00 TNT, Thunder.

 

Normally, I would watch Nitro, then Thunder, and then Raw (which was repeated at 02:00am, fortunatley). Back then (1997), I had Cable, as opposed to Sky, through a company called 'Cable and Wireless' (which would later become NTL). Rather annoyingly, their feed of all the Sky Sports channels, would cut off and cease broadcasting at 23:50, leaving me rather pissed off and not knowing what the fuck happened during the last 10 minutes of Raw. I made a few phonecalls to them to complain, and I think others probably did also, because they sorted that shit out not very long afterwards.

 

TNT also used to put the match listings for Nitro on their teletext page, normally on tuesday/wednesday. Speaking of which, I also remember the wrestling teletext pages on Sky 1, featuring an opinions page which I'm sure a lot of people on here will remember.

 

Although not particularly related, going back in time and thinking of memories of wrestling on Sky at that time, I've just thought of the WWF merchandise shows which were on QVC, and of course the idiot who was the co-host of all those WWF segments on QVC, and claimed to be an "insider". I cannot remember his name, but my god did he ever talk some absolute bollocks. I seem to remember one of the customers who called the show, giving him quite a bit of well-deserved stick.

[DJ Kris]

I used to love watching Superstars, Challenge and All American (Heenan and Mean Gene were superb on that!) Mania was also a great highlight show, but my first 2 main reasons for wanting to see Monday Night Raw were when Brutus Beefcake got battered by Money Inc and Hulk Hogan returned a week later. Both were edited when shown on Mania. To this day I don't think I've seen an uncut version of the Hogan interview.

 

I have to say though, while its clear business has picked up since the days of squash matches and 4/5 PPV's a year, I can't help but think WWE would be so much more exciting today if it was still like that. Imagine WrestleMania if they only had one or two matches a week with star vs star after Royal Rumble to build up? Likewise if there was nothing after SummerSlam, Survivor Series would still feel big. To me that's just a B PPV these days, which is sad.

 

EDIT: Prior to WrestleMania I saw a photo of The Mega-Maniac in ring gear, but I never saw a match on TV, does anyone know what that was and if footage exists?

[matbro1984]

I've just thought of the WWF merchandise shows which were on QVC, and of course the idiot who was the co-host of all those WWF segments on QVC, and claimed to be an "insider". I cannot remember his name, but my god did he ever talk some absolute bollocks. I seem to remember one of the customers who called the show, giving him quite a bit of well-deserved stick.

 

What a blast from the past. I remember those shows, and that dickhead did not have a clue what he was talking about. Ill-informed to the point of being offensive. If you're going to sell us this stuff, at least make the effort of watching the show once in a while. Absolute dickbox.

[Merzbow]

What a blast from the past. I remember those shows, and that dickhead did not have a clue what he was talking about. Ill-informed to the point of being offensive. If you're going to sell us this stuff, at least make the effort of watching the show once in a while. Absolute dickbox.

 

I remember some bint coming out with "Heart Break" Hulk Hogan during one of them shows, me and the ma got rather irate at her.

[gmoney]

Does anyone remember when Sky One became part of the subscription package? I remember being gutted because I could no longer watch WWF other than whatever was on the German channels. Shortly after my Sky box packed up and my parents said they weren't going to replace it. I had friends that taped as much for me as they could, but it wasn't the same. I saved up for what seemed like months to buy a new box myself. Eventually I handed

[bAzTNM#1]

EDIT: Prior to WrestleMania I saw a photo of The Mega-Maniacs in ring gear, but I never saw a match on TV, does anyone know what that was and if footage exists?

They (Hogan and Brutus) had a few House Show matches according to that theHistoryofWWE.com site. Maybe one of these matches was where the photo was taken..

 

WWF @ North Charleston, SC - Civic Center - March 8, 1993 (8,500; 7,800 paid)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Beverly Brothers after using Hart's megaphone as a weapon

 

WWF @ Augusta, GA - Civic Center - March 9, 1993 (8,000; sell out)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Beverly Brothers when Hogan pinned Beau after hitting him with Hart's megaphone (Grudges, Gripes, & Grunts)

 

WWF @ Lakeland, FL - Civic Center - March 19, 1993 (2,400)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Ted Dibiase & IRS in a non-title match when Hogan pinned IRS (Added by me: A bit odd having this match so close to Wrestlemania 9)

 

http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/93.htm

[Phil Jones]

They (Hogan and Brutus) had a few House Show matches according to that theHistoryofWWE.com site. Maybe one of these matches was where the photo was taken..

 

WWF @ North Charleston, SC - Civic Center - March 8, 1993 (8,500; 7,800 paid)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Beverly Brothers after using Hart's megaphone as a weapon

 

WWF @ Augusta, GA - Civic Center - March 9, 1993 (8,000; sell out)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Beverly Brothers when Hogan pinned Beau after hitting him with Hart's megaphone (Grudges, Gripes, & Grunts)

 

WWF @ Lakeland, FL - Civic Center - March 19, 1993 (2,400)

Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Ted Dibiase & IRS in a non-title match when Hogan pinned IRS (Added by me: A bit odd having this match so close to Wrestlemania 9)

 

http://www.thehistoryofwwe.com/93.htm

 

The Hogan/Beefcake vs DiBiase/IRS Lakeland match would have been a run-through for WrestleMania.

[Brian Elliott]

Does anyone remember much about the BSB era? My next-door-neighbour had a BSB dish, and I remember watching WCW Power Hour.

 

I also vaguely remember this fella:

[Brian Elliott]

I know DSF showed WCW, but I used to get annoyed with the German commentary.

Just to add a little more info on WCW on DSF, they had a regular timeslot for airing the WCW PPVs, which was always three weeks after they were broadcast in the States. It was great that they aired in such a regular fashion, although there was at least one widely-available TV magazine (the name escapes me) that had listings for all of the foreign channels available on Sky. The first WCW PPV I recall seeing on DSF was Fall Brawl 1993.

 

DSF were aware of their following in the UK, and during one show (I want to say it was Hallowe'en Havoc '94, but don't hold me to that) one of their announcers spoke in English for about 30 seconds, thanking the UK fans for tuning in.