WWF Shotgun (found July to December season of syndicated wrestling show; 1997): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 13:24, 22 February 2024

The show's logo.

Status: Found

Date found: 27 Nov 2022

On January 4th, 1997, the WWF (now WWE) debuted a syndicated wrestling show called WWF Shotgun Saturday Night, with matches initially taking place in nightclubs, malls, subways, etc.^[1] By late February, due to creative decisions by Vince McMahon and then head-writer Vince Russo, they decided to make the show a mid-card show, so that wrestlers unused on WWF Raw Is War could get exposure and television time.

Part of the reason why the initial theme was discontinued was that it was often a struggle to book shows every week at such venues, as well as having to constantly work and drive in the freezing cold of New York City.

The presentation was very similar in format to that of WWF Wrestling Challenge in the 1980s. It would include a variety of exclusive mid-card feuds, jobber matches, house show promos and main-event storyline buildup. Shotgun Saturday Night was a great inspiration for the 1999 video game WWF Attitude, which featured many of the show's mid-carders and had it as a venue in the career mode.

Debut of WWF Shotgun

During the gradual growth of the Attitude Era, the show began branching out into different syndicated versions across the United States, which were different from each other in terms of content, format and commentary. These included WWF Shotgun Saturday Night, WWF New York and WWF Shotgun Challenge in the Midwest market, most notably in the Wisconsin area.

On August 2nd, 1997, WWF Shotgun Challenge would become WWF Shotgun. Thereafter the 1997 season became identical in presentation and format to its 1998 and 1999 counterparts, with the only difference being the use of the New Generation "block" logo on the bottom left of the screen instead of the more widely known "scratch" logo.

In Wisconsin, WWF Shotgun would air on WLUK-TV Fox 11 around midnight or later. It was initially broadcasted from the Stevens Point/Plover area to the Appleton/Green Bay area, being hosted by Michael Cole and Kevin Kelly. Some would also have Raymond Rougeau or Tom Prichard on commentary.

This version of WWF Shotgun has also been aired in the New York City/Long Island area (WLNY-TV NY 55), Anglophone Canada (unknown channel), Connecticut (WCCT-TV CT 20), and the United Kingdom (Sky TV).

Status

The season has been found, with Al Balog uploading monthly compilations of the episodes on November 27th, 2022. Al's uploads are reviewed manually by the WWE upon uploading, with WWE making ad revenue from his videos.

The only ones missing are the September 6 and December 6, 13 and 20 episodes absent from the compilations. However, single matches from these shows have been found and recovered.

Videos

The compilations from Al Balog's channel:

July 1997 compilation, when the show is still Shotgun Challenge.

August 1997 compilation, WWF Shotgun Challenge becomes WWF Shotgun and on August 2nd, 1997, the show gets the 1998/1999 Attitude Era style look.

September 1997 compilation.

October 1997 compilation.

November 1997 compilation.

December 1997 compilation.

References

↑ https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/96

External Links

[1] ttps://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/96

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{NeedingWork|lack of references}}
+{{InfoboxFound
-{{InfoboxLost
 |title=<center>WWF Shotgun (July to December 1997 season)</center>
 |image=Wwf shotgun title.png
 |imagecaption=The show's logo.
-|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
+|status=<span style="color:green;">'''Found'''</span>
+|datefound=27 Nov 2022
+|foundby=[https://youtube.com/@albalog2449 Al Balog]
 }}
-On January 4, 1997 the WWF (now WWE) debuted a syndicated wrestling show called ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'', with matches initially taking place in nightclubs, malls, subways, etc. By late February, due to creative decisions by Vince McMahon and then head-writer Vince Russo, they decided to make the show a midcard show, so that wrestlers unused on ''WWF Raw Is War'' could get exposure and television time.
-Part of the reason why the initial theme was discontinued was because it was often a struggle booking shows every week at such venues, as well as having to constantly work and drive in the freezing cold of New York City.
+On January 4th, 1997, the WWF (now WWE) debuted a syndicated wrestling show called '''''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night''''', with matches initially taking place in nightclubs, malls, subways, etc.<ref>https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/96</ref> By late February, due to creative decisions by Vince McMahon and then head-writer Vince Russo, they decided to make the show a mid-card show, so that wrestlers unused on ''WWF Raw Is War'' could get exposure and television time.
-The presentation was very similar in format to that of ''WWF Wrestling Challenge'' in the 1980s. It would include a variety of exclusive midcard feuds, jobber matches, house show promos and main-event storyline buildup. ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' was a great inspiration for the 1999 video game ''WWF Attitude'', which featured many of the show's midcarders and had it as an venue in the career mode.
+Part of the reason why the initial theme was discontinued was that it was often a struggle to book shows every week at such venues, as well as having to constantly work and drive in the freezing cold of New York City.
+The presentation was very similar in format to that of ''WWF Wrestling Challenge'' in the 1980s. It would include a variety of exclusive mid-card feuds, jobber matches, house show promos and main-event storyline buildup. ''Shotgun Saturday Night'' was a great inspiration for the 1999 video game ''WWF Attitude'', which featured many of the show's mid-carders and had it as a venue in the career mode.
 ==Debut of WWF Shotgun==
-On July 12, 1997, during the gradual growth of the Attitude Era, the show began branching-out into different syndicated versions across the United States, which were very different from each other in terms of content, format and commentary. These included ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'', ''WWF New York'', ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'' (in the Southern market), ''WWF Superstars'' (outside the US) and ultimately ''WWF Shotgun'' in the Midwest market, most notably in the Wisconsin area.
+During the gradual growth of the Attitude Era, the show began branching out into different syndicated versions across the United States, which were different from each other in terms of content, format and commentary. These included ''WWF Shotgun Saturday Night'', ''WWF New York'' and ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'' in the Midwest market, most notably in the Wisconsin area.
+On August 2nd, 1997, ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'' would become ''WWF Shotgun''. Thereafter the 1997 season became identical in presentation and format to its 1998 and 1999 counterparts, with the only difference being the use of the New Generation "block" logo on the bottom left of the screen instead of the more widely known "scratch" logo.
 In Wisconsin, ''WWF Shotgun'' would air on WLUK-TV Fox 11 around midnight or later. It was initially broadcasted from the Stevens Point/Plover area to the Appleton/Green Bay area, being hosted by Michael Cole and Kevin Kelly. Some would also have Raymond Rougeau or Tom Prichard on commentary.
-This version of ''WWF Shotgun'' has also been said to have aired in the New York City/Long Island area (WLNY-TV NY 55), Anglophone Canada (unknown channel), and Connecticut (WCCT-TV CT 20).
+This version of ''WWF Shotgun'' has also been aired in the New York City/Long Island area (WLNY-TV NY 55), Anglophone Canada (unknown channel), Connecticut (WCCT-TV CT 20), and the United Kingdom (Sky TV).
-In Georgia, ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'' would air on on WFXG Fox 54 in and around the Augusta area.
 ==Status==
-'''The July to December 1997 season of ''WWF Shotgun'' is for the most part lost to time''', and it and ''Shotgun Challenge'' are the only syndicated version that were known to have the full-length matches, Dok Hendrix's "Slam Jam" center, and exclusive storyline promos.
+'''The season has been found''', with Al Balog uploading monthly compilations of the episodes on November 27th, 2022. Al's uploads are reviewed manually by the WWE upon uploading, with WWE making ad revenue from his videos.
-Despite that, most of those ''WWF Shotgun'' episodes from January 1998 to August 1999 have survived and were preserved though VHS transfers, but the season from July to December 1997 is almost completely lost.
+The only ones missing are the September 6 and December 6, 13 and 20 episodes absent from the compilations. However, single matches from these shows have been found and recovered.
-The July 12 and July 19 episodes of ''Shotgun Challenge'' have since been discovered and preserved. Also discovered has been the December 13, 1997 match of Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon vs. The Hardy Boyz, aired on ''Shotgun''. <ref> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEPhSNMb3Z4</ref>
+==Videos==
-The 1997 season was identical in presentation and format to its 1998 and 1999 counterparts, with the only difference being the use of the New Generation "block" logo on the bottom left of the screen instead of the more widely known "scratch" logo.
+The compilations from Al Balog's channel:
-==Gallery==
+{{Video|perrow  =3
-These are screenshots of the 1998 season of ''Shotgun'', which the lost July to December 1997 also used. The only difference the 1997 season had was just the New Generation yellow-blue "block" logo on the bottom left.
+  |service1     =youtube
+  |id1          =wEPhSNMb3Z4
+  |description1 =July 1997 compilation, when the show is still ''Shotgun Challenge''.
+  |service2     =youtube
+  |id2          =G23t4cpO1iQ
+  |description2 =August 1997 compilation, ''WWF Shotgun Challenge'' becomes ''WWF Shotgun'' and on August 2nd, 1997, the show gets the 1998/1999 Attitude Era style look.
+  |service3     =youtube
+  |id3          =zBN6_r5sI38
+  |description3 =September 1997 compilation.
+}}
-''Shotgun Challenge'' would have minor cosmetic changes, most notably a slightly different badge logo and no blue box behind the nameplates. Other than that the show versions are basically identical in terms of show content, structure and segments.
+{{Video|perrow  =3
+  |service1     =youtube
-<gallery mode=packed heights=175px>
+  |id1          =qvrEccsFZQ8
-Wwf shotgun.png
+  |description1 =October 1997 compilation.
-Wwf shotgun 2.png
+  |service2     =youtube
-Wwf shotgun 3.png
+  |id2          =X9GXbJkgqs8
-Wwf shotgun 4.png
+  |description2 =November 1997 compilation.
-</gallery>
+  |service3     =youtube
+  |id3          =Fmwx7XJoPPk
+  |description3 =December 1997 compilation.
+}}
 ==See Also==
+*[[AJ Styles vs Kenny Omega (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2006)]]
+*[[Alberto Del Rio vs CM Punk vs Dolph Ziggler vs Jack Swagger vs John Cena (partially found master tape footage of untelevised Hell in a Cell match; 2011)]]
+*[[Awesome Kong vs Melissa Anderson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2009)]]
 *[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
+*[[Blood Circus (partially found Santo Gold film; 1985)]]
 *[[Braden Walker's "Knock Knock" promo (lost original pre-tapes of WWE backstage segment; 2008)]]
 *[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]]
@@ Line 53: / Line 71: @@
 *[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]]
 *[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]]
-*[[Cultaholic (lost debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)]]
+*[[Cultaholic (found debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)]]
 *[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]]
 *[[ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
@@ Line 60: / Line 78: @@
 *[[The Game (partially found Disturbed cover of professional wrestling theme song; mid 2000s)]]
 *[[GFW Amped (partially found unaired professional wrestling show; 2015)]]
+*[[The Giant's moonsault (lost footage of professional wrestling move; existence unconfirmed; 1990s)]]
 *[[Girls Gone Wild: Live from Spring Break (found WWE/Girls Gone Wild crossover special; 2003)]]
 *[[GLOW (lost unfinished final season of Netflix comedy-drama series; 2019-2020)]]
+*[[Goldberg's pre-television debut matches (lost footage of professional wrestling dark matches; 1997)]]
 *[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1908)]]
 *[[Gotch-Hackenschmidt Match Film (lost world championship match; 1911)]]
 *[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
+*[[Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream (lost footage of alternate finish to professional wrestling match; 2019)]]
+*[[Kurt Angle vs Owen Hart (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1999)]]
 *[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
-*[[Lita (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
+*[[Lita's training matches (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
+*[[Low Ki & Mercury vs Ric Blade & TCK (partially lost footage of hardcore wrestling tag team match; 2000)]]
+*[[Mark Jindrak in Evolution (partially found unaired vignettes of professional wrestling stable; 2003)]]
+*[[Pat Tanaka vs Rocco Rock (lost footage of "Body Count" professional wrestling match; 1993)]]
 *[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
 *[[Radio WWF (lost professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000)]]
@@ Line 74: / Line 99: @@
 *[[Strange Kentucky People (lost recording of Chris Jericho "tribute"; 1994)]]
 *[[TNA Impact! 2 (lost build of unfinished professional wrestling game; 2009)]]
+*[[TNA International and TNA Wrestling Collection (completely lost pro-wrestling TV shows; 2006)]]
+*[[TNA Xplosion (partially found TV series; 2002-2016)]]
 *[[WCW 2000 (lost work on unfinished PlayStation 2 game; 2000)]]
 *[[WCW All Nighter (partially lost professional wrestling compilation show; 1994-1995)]]
@@ Line 81: / Line 108: @@
 *[[WWE 24x7 (lost professional wrestling compilation show; 2007)]]
 *[[WWE Brawl (lost build of cancelled fighting game based on professional wrestling; 2012)]]
+*[[WWE Crush Hour (lost build of cancelled Xbox port of vehicular combat game; 2002)]]
 *[[WWE SmackDown vs Raw Online (lost build of cancelled online professional wrestling PC game; 2010-2011)]]
+*[[WWE Wrestlemania 36 (lost footage of alternate finishes to professional wrestling matches; 2020)]]
 *[[WWF Attitude (lost professional wrestling recap show; 2001-2002)]]
 *[[WWF Backlash (non-existent unfinished Nintendo 64 professional wrestling game; 2001)]]
@@ Line 89: / Line 118: @@
 *[[WWF No Mercy (lost Game Boy Color games based on Nintendo 64 wrestling game; 2000)]]
 *[[WWF Xperience (found pay-per-view event footage; 1996)]]
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
 ==External Links==
-*[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13ub8TyGzchzuAnyBNE-B8tsa76Grfxgk Google Drive upload of the December 13th, 1997 match of The Hardy Boyz vs. Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon.]
+*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWF_Shotgun_Saturday_Night
-*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEPhSNMb3Z4 The July 12 and July 19 episodes of ''Shotgun Challenge'', featuring the match linked above towards the end of the video compilation]
+*[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13ub8TyGzchzuAnyBNE-B8tsa76Grfxgk Google Drive upload of the December 13th, 1997, match of The Hardy Boyz vs. Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon.]
+*[https://youtu.be/wEPhSNMb3Z4 The July 12 and July 19 episodes of ''Shotgun Challenge'', featuring the match linked above towards the end of the video compilation]
-[[Category:Lost TV]]
+[[Category:Found media]]
-[[Category:Partially found media]]
+[[Category:Found TV]]