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(2013319)

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College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 21:03:26 2025

Yes. College basketball shaped the history of WWF and Wrstelmania.

WWF held most of their monthly cards at Madison Square Garden on a Monday night.

Beginning in March 1982, Madison Square Garden began putting WWF in a unique time and day. Sunday afternoon at 1pm.

It actually became an annual tradition and did extremely well at the box office with shows in March 1983 and March 1984 selling out with overflow crowds at The Felt Forum for closed circuit.

When Vince came up with the idea for Wrestlemania in the summer of 1984 he most likely had his 1985 dates at MSG on the calendar. In other words he had a list of dates on hold or confirmed at MSG that he knew about and had to chose from for Wrestlemania.

Sunday afternoon for a closed circuit made the most sense instead of a Monday night. By then most of the fans were young kids and women so a weekend date made the most sense.

But if it wasn't for MSG's busy March schedule of college basketball, namely Big East Men's Basketball, Knicks and Rangers, MSG most likely never would have come up with the idea for a Sunday afternoon slot. It would have been business as usual on a Monday night.

Things worked out just right for him and fans like me who watched on closed circuit at Ridgewood Groves.

But I did attend the March 1983 and 1984 shows live at MSG. 1984 was amazing because Roddy Piper and David Schultz pummeled Andre the Giant.

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(2013323)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 22:10:12 2025, in response to College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 21:03:26 2025.

Wow Wrestlemania will be 40 this month!

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(2013324)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by Olog-hai on Sun Mar 16 22:18:30 2025, in response to College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 21:03:26 2025.

That's a stretch, #37.

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(2013325)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 22:26:49 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 22:10:12 2025.

Yes.

Cyndi Lauper did a concert at MSG last year and spoke about how great it was to headline there and remembered Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, and Wendi Richter.

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(2013326)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 22:48:29 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 22:26:49 2025.

Billy Martin and Muhammad Ali.

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(2013327)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 23:08:41 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 22:48:29 2025.

Did you see it on closed-circuit?

BTW- Wrestlemania was only 2 hours and 15 minutes. A very short show.

WWF had to finish their event so that the Rangers could play a night game.

When MSG squeezed WWF in the March Sunday afternoon slot back in 1982, it was usually Knicks on Saturday night, WWF Sunday afternoon, then Rangers on Sunday night.

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(2013328)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 23:14:48 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 23:08:41 2025.

I didn’t see it until it came out on tape and we rented it. Must have been a couple years later

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(2013329)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 23:15:48 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by Catfish 44 on Sun Mar 16 23:14:48 2025.

Ah yes. Coliseum Video.

It was a hot item.



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(2013336)

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Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF

Posted by BILLBKLYN on Mon Mar 17 01:20:48 2025, in response to Re: College basketball shaped the history of WWF, posted by LuchAAA on Sun Mar 16 23:08:41 2025.

I went almost every month for a few years. The ones I missed, Warner Wolf always had a highlight reel with the silly music.

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