Wrestlemania XXX on UK TV...

[Lucas Chapel]

Since Wrestlemania next year is set to bethe biggest pro wrestling event yet, I was thinking that a major UK TV channel should air it live. I was ideally hoping for ITV1 (channel 3 for you old timers), or maybe Channel 4 with its history with WWE and WCW. With a good few month's heavy promotion every day, can you imagine howmany extra viewers would tune in to watch? With WM30 on ITV1 they could have celebs building it up over the start of 2014.
If you could program WM30 on ITV3 how would you go about it and how would you promote it?
Also, what do you think the outcome of broadcasting WM30 on a major TV channel like ITV1 or C4 would be?

I honestly believe if Wrestlemania isn't on one of the channels then WWE are missing a trick.

[CGBigMan]

Since Wrestlemania next year is set to bethe biggest pro wrestling event yet, I was thinking that a major UK TV channel should air it live. I was ideally hoping for ITV1 (channel 3 for you old timers), or maybe Channel 4 with its history with WWE and WCW. With a good few month's heavy promotion every day, can you imagine howmany extra viewers would tune in to watch? With WM30 on ITV1 they could have celebs building it up over the start of 2014.
If you could program WM30 on ITV3 how would you go about it and how would you promote it?
Also, what do you think the outcome of broadcasting WM30 on a major TV channel like ITV1 or C4 would be?

I honestly believe if Wrestlemania isn't on one of the channels then WWE are missing a trick.

sadly it wont ever be on free tv in the uk
its always been a box office ppv and will always be

[Wade Barrett 1979]

They won't take it off PPV.

I'm not sure how it would work on channels that have commercial breaks, they wouldn't be allowed to run a show that long without commercials, the channels would lose out on too much revenue.

I think the 4 PPV's they put on Sky Sports each year, is about the limit on what they give away and I'm sure Sky pays pretty handsomely for those anyway.

[Cabers]

I can't see it happening personally i used to watch all the WWE ppvs on Channel 4 back in the 90s ah memories! Now i torrent them all ain't nobody got €60 for a ppv crazy bastards!!

[MachoManFan]

I like the idea of WWE on free tv but as everyone has already pointed out Wrestlemania free won't happen. I'd like to see the UK filmed Raw or Smackdown shown live and if they were on free tv too WWE might win over some viewers and Sky couldn't complain because they'd be gaining subscribers from all the new fans. As it is Wrestlemania is the only PPV I buy each year so if it were ever free I'd be laughing.

[CMBison]

Who should be the Headliner for this epic event? Sting vs Taker? Punk vs Austin? Orton vs Rock?

[Lowki]

Since Wrestlemania next year is set to bethe biggest pro wrestling event yet, I was thinking that a major UK TV channel should air it live. I was ideally hoping for ITV1 (channel 3 for you old timers), or maybe Channel 4 with its history with WWE and WCW. With a good few month's heavy promotion every day, can you imagine howmany extra viewers would tune in to watch? With WM30 on ITV1 they could have celebs building it up over the start of 2014.
If you could program WM30 on ITV3 how would you go about it and how would you promote it?
Also, what do you think the outcome of broadcasting WM30 on a major TV channel like ITV1 or C4 would be?

I honestly believe if Wrestlemania isn't on one of the channels then WWE are missing a trick.

Sky owns the viewing rights until at least 2016. End of discussion unfortunately.

I think it would draw HUGE numbers on free TV, but that just isn't going to happen as they make a hell of a lot of money from PPV. ITV3 promotion would consist of promotion during children's "tv time" and before/during/after more "male" orientated programming.

[CM_SUXX_NOT]

We get it good here anyway. In the US a PPV is about $60, amirite? Whereas in the UK we get 4 PPVs on "free" TV and all the others inc. WrestleMania are £14.95, which works out about $25.

Maybe they would get more viewers, but I bet they'll get a lot more money from fewer people paying £15 for it.

[Aaron0912]

I remember watching PPV's 1999 on Channel 4 and every 15 minutes there was adverts. However, because Channel 4 is more of an "alternative" channel, they didn't edit any swearing or blood or even when the Kat and Mae Young showed their tits. It's a win / lose situation with them which I wouldn't watch live if there were adverts.

I could understand BBC1 or BBC2 taking this as there wouldn't be any interruptions and they already show the SuperBowl for free (not sure if Americans have to pay for it?). Unless Sky decide to throw away a major asset to a rival channel, I really doubt that we'll ever get it on free TV. The closest we get is TNA on Challenge and that's only on Freeview TV because Sky bought Bravo.

[Lowki]

The closest we get is TNA on Challenge and that's only on Freeview TV because Sky bought Bravo.

Also, it's on challenge because it's not sky branded. But yeah, they do own it.