WWE programming is to air on a free-to-air channel in the Republic of Ireland for the very first time.
Virgin Media has announced that they will be screening WWE Monday Night Raw on Saturday mornings, starting March 27 at 10.30am.
WWE programming has previously only been available to Irish fans via UK channels, first via Sky and more recently on the BT Sport channels.
The wrestling company owned by Vince McMahon has had dalliances with terrestrial television in the past. Its content was included on ITV's World of Sport wrestling show in 1986.
Perhaps more memorable was a one-year stint on Channel 4 which screened five monthly pay-per-view shows, as well as Sunday Night Heat.
Welcome to Monday Night RAW! 🤼♂️🤼♀️
Do not adjust your sets! WWE is coming to Virgin Media Two.
WWE Raw, Saturday Mornings at 10.30am on Virgin Media Two. #WWERaw @WWE pic.twitter.com/v7VbMZAYBv— Virgin Media Television (@VirginMedia_TV) March 23, 2021
Since WWE's migration from Sky to BT Sport in the UK, a highlighted version of Monday Night Raw has been shown weekly by free-to-air Channel 5.
According to television listings, Virgin Media 2's presentation of Raw will only be one-hour in duration (including adverts).
However, it will be a boost the company which is currently in the midst of 'Wrestlemania season'.
The 37th edition of the WWE's big show of the year will be held over two nights (April 10 & 11) at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
It's expected crowds of 25,000 per night will be inside the stadium. Recent outdoor Wrestlemanias have routinely accommodated north of 50,000 fans.
These will be the first WWE shows in over a year to have fans physically present.
WWE is currently producing all of its television shows behind closed doors. Raw and SmackDown have emanated from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
However, it was announced on Wednesday that it's 'Thunderdome' set is moving to Tampa's Yuengling Centre. The 'Thunderdome' has seen fans 'attend' via banks of video screens surrounding the ring.
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