October 29, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Syfy renews ECW, Brock Lesnar signs with UFC
One week after the show was revamped and the decision was made to include bigger names weekly, The Sci-Fi Network agreed on 10/23 to renew ECW for a new one-year contract through the end of 2008.
No details of the contract were announced, although inside sources say the money terms were the same as the previous deal. WWE was looking for a longer-term commitment, hoping for a multi-year renewal. WWE will have Smackdown wrestlers appear regularly on ECW, and have ECW wrestlers appear regularly on Smackdown in attempts to up the profile of the show. The WWE was worried no deal would be made, and began last week putting tape delayed ECW on its web site as perhaps preparation for not getting a new deal for the brand. Even after the deal was finalized this week, WWE is still airing ECW on a next day tape delay with no commercial interruptions on the site.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.