TSN's 11-year run as host of RAW will end when the show moves to The Score on Aug. 7. The Score will also move its WWE show SmackDown - currently the top-rated show on the network - from Thursday to Friday night.
RAW has been a steady ratings machine for TSN for years, especially in the 1990's when the sports entertainment business enjoyed a surge in popularity thanks to performers like (Stone Cold) Steve Austin and The Rock. The business has cooled somewhat since then, but the Canadian market has remained strong.
TSN averaged a solid 375,000 viewers for RAW this year, a six-per-cent jump from last year. But last fall the network secured exclusive Canadian rights to air NFL games on Monday nights. That opened the door for The Score, which does not have the same reach as TSN but is still available in almost six million Canadian homes.
RAW was occasionally bumped a few hours or even into the next day's programming in the past. The Score general manager David Errington said the show will get a consistent 10 p.m. time slot.
"There shouldn't be a pre-emption whatsoever and that was really key to getting the deal done," Errington said.
The WWE brought out some of its top performers for the news conference, including world champion and Orangeville, Ont., native Edge, Richmond Hill, Ont., native Trish Stratus and the legendary Ric Flair.
"We are at the point in this industry, in television and in sports entertainment where we don't have to take a back seat to anybody," Flair said. "The Score has come up and said, 'We're going to put you guys where you need to be.' We'll still be on Monday night and in our eyes that's a big coup for us."
A few hundred fans braved the heat and piercing sunshine for a spot near the red carpet to catch a glimpse of the performers outside the downtown theatre. The loudest cheers were for Flair, who is still going strong in the squared circle at the age of 57. With his ring entrance music blaring, the 16-time world champion treated the crowd to his trademark 'Whoooooooo!,' before entering the building.
RAW is the top-rated program on specialty TV in Canada. DeMarco said that was a big reason why several Canadian networks were in contact with WWE over the last few months.
"It really came down to scheduling," he said. "We really left (TSN) on good terms together and we've got a lot of respect for each other. We had a great relationship over the years."
RAW will be recorded an hour before it's aired on The Score, which will allow the network to give the show a consistent time slot. It also means The Score doesn't have to worry about its live programming limit since the show is taped and allows for an hour of editing time if the programming - which offers everything from bikini to steel cage matches - proves to be too intense.
Errington said some scenes could be edited out if the network is uncomfortable.
"We have to be responsible as a broadcaster," he said. "But we've had SmackDown for six years and I don't think we've had more than five complaints. So I'm not too concerned about it."
A WWE spokesperson said the company is close to announcing a deal to air its new ECW program in Canada. Errington said it won't be on The Score.
"We've got our fill of wrestling and we've got the No. 1 wrestling show and that's what we wanted," Errington said. "We targeted RAW, we got it and we're airing it at a consistent time slot on Mondays. We're done."
The Score also plans to air a one-hour wrestling analysis show on Sunday evenings. Both RAW and SmackDown will be repeated after each week's broadcast (RAW at 12:30 a.m, SmackDown at midnight). The Score will also air the WWE Diva Search Finals on Aug. 16 at 9 p.m. ET.
Ok, so good news is that someone in Canada has picked up ECW, bad news is that RAW is now on ticker-happy Score. Oh well, take the good with the bad.
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