In a press release issued today, it has been confirmed that IMPACT Wrestling will now be broadcast on Sunday nights in the UK and Ireland after winning record ratings on Challenge TV.
The show – which features Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, Rob Van Dam, AJ Styles, Mr. Anderson, the TNA Knockouts and many other huge wrestling stars – will now air every Sunday night at the earlier time of 9:00pm starting this Sunday, August 28.
A repeat of the episode will then be shown every Tuesday at 10pm in Impact Wrestling’s current slot.
The move to an earlier day in the week is due to fan feedback, with British and Irish fans using social media to request transmission closer to the US airing of Thursday nights. This means only a three day wait for viewers in the UK and Ireland, with the show airing the same week as in the United States and ensuring fans are bang up to date with events state-side.
The move can also been seen as recognition from Sky of the superb ratings IMPACT WRESTLING has received since starting on Challenge in February. In the last six months, the programme has doubled its audience, in some weeks drawing more viewers than the WWE's flagship shows RAW and Smackdown combined and has become the most watched weekly wrestling show on British television of the last 10 years.
Companion show TNA Xplosion recently moved to a prime time slot on Challenge and is broadcast every Wednesday night at 10pm. IMPACT WRESTLING’s monthly PPV events will also continue to go out on a Wednesday night at 10pm, with Xplosion moving to midnight on Tuesday on those weeks.
Challenge is part of Sky TV and can be found on Sky channel 125, Freeview channel 46 and Virgin Media channel 139.
Andy Barton, IMPACT WRESTLING’s Executive Vice President, said: “We’re thrilled with the success we’ve been enjoying in the UK and were determined to reward the fans by giving them exactly what they’ve been asking for – IMPACT WRESTLING earlier in the week.”
“Sunday nights will never be the same again!”
Barbara Gibbon, Sky’s Director of Production for Sky Entertainment Channels, added: “We are delighted to be working with IMPACT WRESTLING at this exciting time.”
“British and Irish fans are among the most ardent in the world – and we are thrilled to be able to bring them all the latest action on Challenge.”
Ray Mullan is a contributing writer at 1Wrestling.com and a number of other online wrestling media, you can find his work via his blog at http://dailydropkick.blogspot.com.
IMPACT WRESTLING will be touring the UK in January 2012 with shows in Nottingham, Manchester and London. To buy tickets go to www.gigsandtours.com.
This is truly excellent news for fans here in the UK. Impact Wrestling has really grown as a product over the last year, and it's great that Sky has recognised its growing popularity with this move.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to January's tour, and to watching the TNA product continue to evolve over the coming months and years.