According to Nielsen Media Research and PWInsider.com’s Dave Scherer, WWE RAW on Spike TV Monday night delivered a 4.0 cable TV rating (approx. 3.4 million homes) with a 5.9 share. The show did hours of 3.8 and 4.2, and the overrun did one of the highest numbers a segment has gotten in quite some time, a 5.0. The 2/20 Heat did a 0.8 cable rating, with a 1.3 share; the 2/20 Experience did a 0.5 cable rating, with a 1.3 share; and the 2/19 Velocity did a 0.5 cable rating, with a 1.0 share.
According to the Des Plaines Dealer in Illinois, Wrestlemania 22 will be held at the AllState Arena in Chicago in April 2006. Wrestlemania 13 was held in Chicago, which was one of three locations for Wrestlemania 2. The arena seats about 20,000 fans.
Joey Styles at 1wrestling is also reporting that Frankie Kazarian announced that he had signed a WWE contract and would be joining them soon after he lost the UPW Light Heavyweight Title last night. Also appearing at the show were former WCW Tag Team Champions Sean O’ Haire and Chuck Palumbo, Tank Abbott, Daniel Puder and Aaron Aguilera (WWE’s Jesus).
To clarify our recent report of yesteday’s WWE third quarter earnings call, Linda McMahon stated that the UPN and SpikeTV deals are separate, and that UPN exercized a two year option in January to extend Smackdown through the 2005-2006 season. As previously reported here, Linda said that negotiations were ongoing and negotiations are underway with Spike and other parties for RAW, a matter which should be resolved within 60 days.
