ECW | |
---|---|
Created by |
Paul Heyman Vince McMahon |
Starring | ECW brand roster |
Opening theme | "Don't Question My Heart" By Saliva & Brent Smith |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 193 |
Production | |
Camera setup | Multicamera setup |
Running time | 60 minutes (including commercials) |
Release | |
Original network | Sci-Fi/Syfy (2006–2010) |
Picture format |
480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
Original release | June 13, 2006 | – February 16, 2010
Chronology | |
Related shows | |
External links | |
Website |
ECW (also known as ECW on Sci-Fi/Syfy) was a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE, based on the independent Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) promotion that lasted from 1992 to 2001. The show's name also referred to the ECW brand, in which WWE employees were assigned to work and perform, complementary to WWE's other brands, Raw and SmackDown. It debuted on June 13, 2006, on Sci Fi in the United States and ran for close to four years until it aired its final episode on February 16, 2010, on the rebranded Syfy. It was replaced the following week with WWE NXT.
WWE acquired the rights to Extreme Championship Wrestling's trademarks and video library in 2003 and later began reintroducing ECW through content from the ECW library and a series of books, which included the release of The Rise and Fall of ECW documentary. The enormous popularity of ECW merchandise prompted WWE to organize ECW One Night Stand, an ECW reunion pay-per-view in 2005. The financial and critical success of the event motivated WWE to organize a second One Night Stand the following year. With rejuvenated interest in the ECW product, WWE began exploring the possibility of reviving the promotion full-time. On May 25, 2006, WWE announced the launch of ECW as a stand-alone brand, congruous to Raw and SmackDown!, with its own show on Sci Fi (now Syfy). Despite initial concerns that professional wrestling would not be accepted by Sci Fi's demographic, network President Bonnie Hammer stated that she believed ECW would fit the channel's theme of "stretching the imagination". Sci Fi (now known as Syfy) is owned by NBC Universal, parent company of USA Network and exclusive cable broadcaster of Raw and Smackdown. ECW's weekly series was originally given a thirteen episode run as a "summer series" on Sci Fi. The premiere received a 2.79 rating, making it the highest rated show on cable in its time slot. Because of its good ratings it was granted an extended run through the end of 2007. On October 23, 2007, the network renewed the series through 2008.