Tag: InVasion

WWE changing name of upcoming NXT vs. TNA TV episode

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: WWE

Next Tuesday’s WWE NXT vs. TNA themed show on The CW is no longer named Invasion and will now go by Showdown, according to WrestleVotes.

The reason was backlash to the name that emerged from Israeli fans due to the date: October 7 which is the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks in southern Israel that killed 1200 people and began the current war in Gaza. Some also reportedly took umbrage with the logo used: a red letter V as it “unintentionally resembles the downward-facing red triangle used as a Hamas symbol.”

The name and logo were the same used during the WWE vs. WCW pay-per-view Invasion from 2001. References to the old name have disappeared from both the WWE and TNA websites with social media posts using the name also having disappeared. As of this writing, the show is being referred to as “next week’s special event.”

Next Tuesday will feature wrestlers from NXT and TNA going head-to-head as part of an angle that has been playing out for several weeks.

WWE files for new ‘Invasion’ trademark

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has made a new trademark filing that looks to be related to NXT’s TNA invasion storyline.

On September 24, WWE applied to trademark the term “Invasion.” The application states that the trademark is to cover goods and services related to pro wrestling performances:

Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment

Tuesday night’s NXT episode ended with an angle where — one week after voicing frustration with how NXT is treating them — TNA stars invaded NXT and brawled with the show’s roster. The episode was headlined by NXT Champion Oba Femi vs. TNA World Champion Trick Williams in a title vs. title match, which ended in a no contest due to the invasion.

Williams — an NXT star — has held the TNA World Championship since May. He has a title defense coming up against Mike Santana at TNA Bound for Glory on October 12. The story is that Santana has the chance to accomplish his goal of becoming World Champion along with bringing the title back home to TNA.

TNA is reported to be in discussions for a new TV deal with a WWE-associated network, with The CW and A&E both mentioned as options. The CW is also the broadcast home of NXT.

September 3, 2001 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF quarterly earnings exceed expectations, more

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Largely due to the success of the Invasion PPV, WWFE exceeded its previous projections for the first fiscal quarter of 2001-2002 (May through July) .

Invasion, which is now estimated at doing 681,000 buys (1.43 buy rate), slightly down from the projections of two weeks ago but still putting it in the top ten PPVs in pro wrestling history (trailing the last four Wrestlemanias, a couple of Royal Rumbles, an Undertaker vs. Austin SummerSlam with a summer-long build-up and nothing else) when it comes to total buys and total revenue ($20,396,000 of which the WWF share would be about $8.77 million, about 10 percent lower than original estimates that were used in last week’s Observer’s business figures). The event nearly doubled what WWF had averaged on its previous three PPVs since business fell after Wrestlemania, none of which came close to previously estimated 1.0 percent buy rates.

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August 13, 2001 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Invasion PPV does big business, more

Posted on by F4W Staff

It’s amazing how quickly things change, and realizing that, it has to be recognized just how quickly they can change again.

The Invasion PPV on 7/22 in Cleveland, based on preliminary reports, looks to have done a 1.6 buy rate. With the ever-expanding PPV universe, it would be 750,000 buys, making it, if these numbers hold up, the fourth most purchased pro wrestling PPV in history, trailing only the past three Wrestlemanias. SummerSlam, which is being far more heavily promoted within the cable industry because of the belief the return of the Rock (who did both his first TV appearance and match on Raw the past two weeks) will lead to another large number. It’s pretty clear the Invasion number was drawn both based on the interpromotional aspect, this being the first big event, as well as the tease of the return of the old Stone Cold, which no matter what TV and movie executives think of Rock, it is Austin, well at least the old Austin, who has always been the bigger PPV draw.

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July 30, 2001 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF Invasion reviewed, more

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Just a few weeks ago, the World Wrestling Federation appeared to be on its way down. Bad booking, lack of making fresh stars, all the usual reasons. Then, as pro wrestling shows, the right angle can turn it all around.

The Invasion PPV on 7/22 from the Gund Arena in Cleveland appears to have been a major success based on three things happening, 1) ECW was injected into the interpromotional angle; 2) The booking of the interpromotional angle, once head writer Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman was involved as characters, suddenly got inspired; and 3) They gave the fans what they wanted. The Steve Austin that sold tickets. Preliminary indicators, such as attendance at the Famous Players theaters in Canada as compared with usual shows, volume of feedback, and television ratings from 7/23 (5.35 rating, best number since 4/9), are all positive signs of a turnaround.

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