WWE in Canada
WWE (formerly World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment), an American professional wrestling promotion based in Stamford, Connecticut in the United States owned by the McMahon family, has been promoting events in Canada since its founding in 1980.
WWE in Canada | |
---|---|
Created by | Vince McMahon |
Promotion(s) | WWE |
Brand(s) | Raw SmackDown NXT |
History
On January 24, 1963, Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt of the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) got into a disputed with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) over "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers losing the NWA World Heavyweight Championship to Lou Thesz in a one-fall match in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This disagree led to Mondt, McMahon, and the CWC leaving the NWA in protest, creating the World Wide Wrestling Federation (the predecessor to the WWE) in the process.[1][2]
In 1984 Vince McMahon purchased Stampede Wrestling, before selling it back the following year.[3] Also in 1984, WWF acquired Maple Leaf Wrestling, and continued to run it for a couple of years. In 1986 Maple Leaf Wrestling was shut down, and the name was used for the Canadian broadcasts of WWF Superstars of Wrestling.
In 1985 WWF created the WWF Canadian Championship, which was given to Dino Bravo. Bravo was the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship for many years for Lutte Internationale. Due to his previous success, Bravo was billed as the WWF Canadian Champion in some Canadian cities until January 1986, when the title was abandoned.[4]
In 1986 WWF hosted The Big Event in Toronto which drew over 74,000 fans.[5] Ten years later, the WWF held an anniversary show of The Big Event, WWF Xperience, which drew over 21,000 fans.[6]
In 1997 Survivor Series was broadcast from Montreal and is infamous for the Montreal Screwjob.[7]
WrestleMania X8 in 2002 set the attendance record for an indoor event in Canada, at the Rogers Centre 68,236 people.[8]
In 2019, Montreal hosted the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up.[9]
Broadcast
Beginning in 2014, WWE content is distributed exclusively via Rogers Media.[10] As part of this agreement, Rogers distributes WWE's weekly television shows, Raw and SmackDown, on Sportsnet 360, while continuing to produce a local version of The Experience. [10] This deal excludes reality series, such as Total Divas (which is produced for E! and shown on its Canadian counterpart owned by Bell Media).
As part of this deal, the WWE Network's live stream was offered as a traditional TV channel for subscribers to cable providers, instead of a standalone service.[11][12][13]
On September 7, 2017, WWE and TVA Sports announced a multi-year agreement to air a weekly recap of Raw in French.[14]
Pay-per-view/WWE Network events
Weekly Television shows
1995-2000
Date | Name | Brand | Venue | City | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
October 23, 1995 | Raw | Brandon, Manitoba | |||
October 23, 1995 Aired October 30, 1995 |
Raw | Brandon, Manitoba | |||
October 23, 1995 Aired November 6, 1995 |
Raw | Brandon, Manitoba | |||
October 23, 1995 Aired November 13, 1995 |
Raw | Brandon, Manitoba | |||
February 3, 1997 | Raw | SkyDome | Toronto, Ontario | This was the first 2-hour Raw | |
July 7, 1997 | Raw | Northlands Coliseum | Edmonton, Alberta | ||
July 21, 1997 | Raw | Halifax Metro Centre | Halifax, Nova Scotia | ||
November 10, 1997 | Raw | Corel Centre | Ottawa, Ontario | ||
November 11, 1997 Aired November 17, 1997 |
Raw | Cornwall Civic Complex | Cornwall, Ontario | ||
February 8, 1999 Aired February 13, 1999 |
Raw | SkyDome | Toronto, Ontario | ||
May 29, 2000 | Raw | General Motors Place | Vancouver, British Columbia | ||
2001-2010
Date | Name | Brand | Venue | City | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 28, 2001 | Raw | Pengrowth Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | ||
May 29, 2001 Aired May 31, 2001 |
SmackDown | Skyreach Centre | Edmonton, Alberta | ||
September 3, 2001 | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | ||
September 4, 2001 | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | Special Tuesday live broadcast | |
October 15, 2001 | Raw | Corel Centre | Ottawa, Ontario | ||
October 16, 2001 Aired October 18, 2001 |
SmackDown | Molson Centre | Montreal, Quebec | ||
March 18, 2002 | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | ||
March 19, 2002 Aired March 21, 2002 |
SmackDown | Corel Centre | Ottawa, Ontario | ||
May 13, 2002 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
May 14, 2002 Aired May 16, 2002 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
May 27, 2002 | Raw | Raw | Skyreach Centre | Edmonton, Alberta | |
May 29, 2002 Aired May 30, 2002 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Pengrowth Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | |
October 14, 2002 | Raw | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
October 15, 2002 Aired October 17, 2002 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
February 24, 2003 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
February 25, 2003 Aired February 27, 2003 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
May 5, 2003 | Raw | Raw | Halifax Metro Centre | Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
May 6, 2003 Aired May 8, 2003 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Halifax Metro Centre | Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
July 7, 2003 | Raw | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
July 8, 2003 Aired July 10, 2003 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
August 4, 2003 | Raw | Raw | PNE Coliseum | Vancouver, British Columbia | |
August 5, 2003 Aired August 7, 2003 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Skyreach Centre | Edmonton, Alberta | |
April 19, 2004 | Raw | Raw | Pengrowth Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | |
April 20, 2004 Aired April 22, 2004 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Prospera Place | Kelowna, British Columbia | |
May 31, 2004 | Raw | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
June 1, 2004 Aired June 3, 2004 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
July 5, 2004 | Raw | Raw | Winnipeg Arena | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
July 6, 2004 Aired July 8, 2004 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Winnipeg Arena | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
August 16, 2004 | Raw | Raw | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
August 17, 2004 Aired August 19, 2004 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Copps Coliseum | Hamilton, Ontario | |
January 17, 2005 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
January 18, 2005 Aired January 20, 2005 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
May 30, 2005 | Raw | Raw | Pengrowth Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | |
May 30, 2005 Aired June 2, 2005 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Rexall Place | Edmonton, Alberta | |
August 15, 2005 | Raw | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
August 16, 2005 Aired August 18, 2005 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
September 18, 2006 | Raw | Raw | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | |
September 18, 2006 Aired September 22, 2006 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Bell Centre | Montreal, Quebec | First episode to air on CW |
May 28, 2007 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
May 29, 2007 | ECW | ECW | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
May 29, 2007 Aired June 1, 2007 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
May 5, 2008 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
May 7, 2008 | ECW | ECW | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
May 7, 2008 Aired May 9, 2008 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | John Labatt Centre | London, Ontario | |
December 22, 2008 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
December 22, 2008 Aired December 26, 2008 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
August 10, 2009 | Raw | Raw | Pengrowth Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | |
August 11, 2009 | ECW | ECW | Rexall Place | Edmonton, Alberta | |
August 11, 2009 Aired August 14, 2009 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Rexall Place | Edmonton, Alberta | |
September 14, 2009 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
September 15, 2009 | ECW | ECW | Copps Coliseum | Hamilton, Ontario | |
September 15, 2009 Aired September 18, 2009 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Copps Coliseum | Hamilton, Ontario | |
May 17, 2010 | Raw | Raw | Air Canada Centre | Toronto, Ontario | |
May 16, 2010 Aired May 21, 2010 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Scotiabank Place | Ottawa, Ontario | |
October 18, 2010 | Raw | Raw | Scotiabank Saddledome | Calgary, Alberta | |
October 19, 2010 Aired October 22, 2010 |
SmackDown | SmackDown | Rexall Place | Edmonton, Alberta | |
2011-present
References
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- "World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation". www.kayfabememories.com. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
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