WWF Championship Wrestling

History

WWF Championship Wrestling made history as the very first WWF program ever broadcast on national television. To build this syndicated network, Vincent J. McMahon convinced local stations to purchase the rights to air the show. Reports indicate that outlets like KPLR-TV in St. Louis and KHJ-TV (now KCAL) in Los Angeles each paid $100,000 for the privilege. Early tapings took place at the Philadelphia Arena before moving to the Allentown Agricultural Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

A single night of taping typically produced three weeks’ worth of episodes. The last Allentown taping occurred on June 19, 1984, with the resulting episodes airing on June 30, July 7, and July 14. Production then shifted to the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York. The final taping there happened on August 5, 1986, and the last episode aired on August 30, featuring the coronation of King Harley Race.

The following week, WWF Superstars of Wrestling took over as the company’s flagship syndicated program. Unlike Championship Wrestling, Superstars of Wrestling taped its episodes in larger arenas across the country.

Over the years, the show featured several announcing teams. Bill Cardille handled the role from 1971 to 1972 and again in 1976, stepping in for Vince McMahon for three weeks that summer. Vincent K. McMahon and Antonino Rocca worked together from 1972 to 1976, followed by Vincent K. McMahon and Bruno Sammartino from 1976 to 1980. Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson announced from 1980 to 1983, with Bruno Sammartino occasionally filling in for Patterson. In 1984, Vince McMahon partnered with “Mean” Gene Okerlund, then with Tony Garea, and finally with “Living Legend” Bruno Sammartino from 1984 to 1986. Jesse “The Body” Ventura sometimes substituted for Sammartino during this period. Ray Stevens and André the Giant both made guest appearances as announcers alongside McMahon.