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WWE wrestling is coming to Facebook's Watch tab in January
We still don't know how many people actually click the Watch tab on Facebook, but that isn't stopping the social network from signing programming deals at a rapid clip. The latest benefactor of Facebook's billion dollar video fund is a bit surprising. The WWE will air a 12-episode tournament exclusively on Zuckerberg's platform on Tuesday nights starting January 16th. If you're expecting full-on storylines from Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live just because grapplers from each show are participating, you might be disappointed, though. Instead of a Spandex soap opera, Mixed Match Challenge is a single-elimination mixed tag-team tournament where top prize is a $100,000 donation to the charity of the team's choice.
TNA Wrestling preps for first ever HDTV broadcast
Aw, yeah. Just a few short weeks after TNA Wrestling wrapped up the final loose ends on a new high-def studio in Nashville, in comes the announcement we've been expecting. TNA will be taping a live iMPACT! event on October 23rd in Las Vegas which it will broadcast in high-definition on Spike TV. When it airs, it'll mark the first ever HDTV broadcast for the sport. We'd say you could go and watch the sweat / blood in person, but maybe it's best to just take this one in from the (HD) sidelines.
TNA Wrestling nears completion of HD TNAtv studio
Not one to let WWE have the HD spotlight all to itself, TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Entertainment is readying its own HD studio in Nashville, TN. The TNAtv production building will house pre- and post-production for the brand from soup to nuts, including broadcasts, DVDs, on-air graphics and commercials. Whether you consider pro wrestling a sport or a soap opera with stunts, there's no doubt that it puts lots of money in the till. And that money can buy some nice HD toys -- in this case, four Avid Symphony and one Final Cut Pro HD editing suites. Looks like there's a "two man enter, one man leave" HD cagematch set up between TNA and WWE; but if TNA's fortunes aren't better than the WWE's, we might be looking at a double-disqualification.
WWE gets in deeper with Ascent Media on HD production facility
Early last month, we heard that WWE was cutting a $20 million check in order to convert its production facilities at its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters to HD. Now, the outfit is announcing an extended partnership with Ascent Media, which enables WWE to use Ascent's Harbor Plaza facility "for the creation of wraparound elements" used in its programming packages. Additionally, Ascent is promising to provide "new HD-capable fiber optic links between the new studio space and the existing WWE studio in Harbor Plaza, and to the WWE technical facility elsewhere in Stamford." More fiber in the Northeast -- what else is new, eh?
WWE dumps $20 million on HD production facility, still waiting on ratings boost
In case you've been camped out under the nearest boulder for the past few weeks, WWE has officially transitioned to high-definition, but the change most certainly didn't come cheap. Reportedly, the outfit is finishing up a $20 million conversion of its production facilities at its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters, and in the meanwhile, it's using new HD technology for broadcasts out of a temporary location in the same city. Furthermore, the WWE has constructed all new sets and two new production trucks, and while the company seems quite pleased with the results, the general public hasn't exactly responded. According to David Meltzer, editor and publisher of Wrestling Observer, ratings have yet to jump from the move to HD, but as Michael White, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities puts it, WWE "almost needed this investment to keep [its] core fan base excited." Yeah -- who wants to watch sweat drop from ridiculously built bodies in SD, anyway?[Image courtesy of BroadcastEngineering]
WWE HD pay-per-view events head to Cineplex theatres in Canada
We can't exactly say we saw this one coming, but considering that you can catch the Metropolitan Opera in a cinema, we suppose it's not all that shocking. Just days after WWE aired its first live event in high-definition, it has partnered up with Cineplex Entertainment to bring future pay-per-view broadcasts to the big screen. Starting this Sunday with Royal Rumble, Canucks will be able to purchase tickets for $13.95 to enjoy the carnage from within one of Cineplex's many Canadian theaters. If you're impressed, you can check out the full lineup of upcoming HD PPV wrestling events that will be shown on screen here. 'Course, it'll be hard to mimic what you're watching with all those immobile seats, but we're sure you can find a way to sneak a headlock or two in if nothing else.[Image courtesy of WWE]
WWE RAW: live in HD for first time tonight
Not that rabid professional wrestling fans really needed a reminder, but WWE's first high-definition broadcast of RAW does indeed start tonight. Set to air from Virginia's Hampton Coliseum on USA HD, we can expect to see crystal clear glimpses of Triple-H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho (among others) -- sweat beads and artificial blood included. Gather up the fam, the party starts at 9:00PM EST.[Image courtesy of WWE]
WWE in HD gets official, carnage begins next week
Just in case things weren't official enough for you, WWE has gone the extra mile and boasted about WWE in HD via an on-air spot. Starting a week from today (January 21st for those taking notes), Monday Night RAW will be broadcast in high-definition for the first time on USA HD. The very next night, ECW will air in HD on Sci-Fi HD, and if you're still itching for more, you can catch the first HD showing of Smackdown on The CW HD on January 25th. Oh yeah, and then there's that little Royal Rumble thing going down on the 27th -- we're hearing that will be available in crystal clear HD, too (albeit for $10 more than the SD version). Hit the read link for a look at the promotional ad, and feel free to dig up your stash of bandannas and ripped-up shirts up from the bottom drawer -- next week's gonna be pretty intense.[Thanks, Dustin R.]
WWE RAW scheduled for HD on USA
For fans of WWE and HD, things are about as good as they could possibly be. Just as you get ready to experience Smackdown and Royal Rumble in high-definition, along comes word that next Monday's episode of RAW will likely be aired in HD, too. Apparently, DirecTV is listing the show in HD on USA, which means that either RAW is indeed finally making the leap to HD or DirecTV has labeled it erroneously. Needless to say, we're hoping for the former, even if it ends up happening a bit later in the month.Update: Sure enough, we may not see RAW in HD until after Royal Rumble. Better late than never, we say.[Thanks, Colin V. and gamedude420]
WWE Royal Rumble confirmed for HD
Just as expected, the January 27, 2008 WWE Royal Rumble will indeed be airing in HD, and considering that the event itself sold out in five hours, catching it via HD pay-per-view is likely your best remaining option. Reportedly, the high-definition broadcast of Royal Rumble will be available via DirecTV and "digital cable" providers, but we're not entirely sure if it'll be accessible on every provider out there. Unfortunately, those requesting the event in HD will be dinged for an extra $10 ($49.95 versus $39.95 in SD), but hey, that's still a fair bit cheaper than snapping up a ticket from a scalper.[Thanks, gamedude420]
Royal Rumble to be WWE's first HD pay-per-view event?
Apparently, the WWE will finally be rolling out a major pay-per-view event in high-definition some 12 months after UFC did the same. According to a tipster, Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) is gearing up to offer the WWE Royal Rumble PPV event in HD when it airs on January 27, 2008. Of course, this shouldn't be too surprising considering that WWE was already planning to switch Smackdown to HD next month, but for fans of the sport, we're sure they'll be delighted to have the PPV matches in 1080i, too. We'll let you know if we hear anything official.[Thanks, DG]
CW Network going all-HD next season, including WWE in January
We worried that The CW Network wouldn't be able to broadcast HD every night when it was originally announced, but it recently revealed that all of its dramas and comedies for the upcoming 2007-2008 season will be produced in high definition with surround sound. Unfortunately wrestling fans were left out of the party, but no longer, as PW Insider is reporting that SmackDown is finally going 1080i in January, following tests of HD technology by WWE over the last few months.[Thanks, delldude360] Read - WWE Going HD this January Read - CW 2007-2008 Premiere Dates
Duck Hunt, others get ESRB's thumbs-up, zapper imminent
The ESRB has approved and rated another pile of Nintendo's Virtual Console throwbacks, including: Duck Hunt (E) Hogan's Alley (E) Kid Icarus (E) Kirby's Adventure (E) PilotWings (E) Pro Wrestling (E) Punch-Out (E) Wild Gunman (E) With Duck Hunt, Hogan's Alley, and Wild Gunman making appearances, the Zapper can't be far behind. Think the E3 prototype fits the bill?[Thanks, Spindash54]
