As of late Monday December 20th, Channel 4 confirmed on their website, and in a personal e-mail to myself, that they have successfully acquired the rights to WWF Pay-per-View events, beginning with the Royal Rumble. There is no indication yet as to whether the coverage will be live, with no commercials, or perhpas shown edited on Monday evenings: whatever, I am sure that the WWF would not consent to a deal where the PPV specials were shown out of step with "Raw" and "Smackdown!" on Sky. The coverage itself begins on Sunday January 9th, 2000, with the premiere UK episode of "Sunday Night HeAT".

There had been word that the WWF would be shown on Channel 4's new digital subscription channel E4, and I have no doubt that this could well be the case once it is launched later this year. It *would* appear, however, that in the short-term, the coverage will be on the 'network'. Who knows, Channel Four may be blown away if they can pull in 2million plus viewers on free-to-air terrestrial tv and shelve any plans to transfer the coverage, if such plans exist.

I also find it hard to believe that the WWF, in negotiating to increase their profile in UK television, would be prepared to see the potential penetration of their product be limited by a move onto digital pay-tv... I must seem really anal, but it is worth mentioning that approximately three months ago, I can distinctly remember JR boasting that some exciting television deals worldwide were in the pipleline internationally, and that we should "watch this space"...

With FoxTel in Australia commencing pay-per-view broadcasts of WWF PPVs on January 24th (I am including the HUGE time difference: the Rumble will air at around 10am on the Monday morning in Oz!!!), and now WWF PPVs and "HeAT" debuting on free-to-air terrestrial television in the UK, this is SURELY what he was hinting at?

If I don't post another column before then, I would like to take this opportunity to thank CRZ for giving me this forum: I love writing and commentating on the state of the business, especially sharing the latest UK news with all those interested on the other side of 'the Pond'. Have a Great Christmas, CRZ, and may all [slash] wrestling columnists, readers and fans have a wonderful Yuletide also!!!

I WILL be back before the New Year, CRZ's updating schedule over the holidays allowing. After all, there *are* episodes of "Raw" on Monday December 27 (is Nitro preempted?) and they have that New Year's Eve special as well...