ITV World of Sport Revival Update

As noted before, ITV recently resumed production on their World of Sport revival project. Tapings for the first season, ten episodes in length, were held last month in Norfolk, England.

In an update to ITV’s World of Sport revival, the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Newsletter that the first season is currently scheduled to air on Saturdays in the United Kingdom starting in mid-to-late July. ITV was also reported to be currently considering plans to hold World of Sport tours in the U.K. if the ratings for the first season were an overall success.

In regards to the talent involved, Meltzer reported they were each paid around $1,000 per day of taping and their contracts are structured similar to television deals rather than typical wrestling deals. Besides being paid for the tapings, they will also receive royalties for televised replays of World of Sport episodes and merchandise pay similar to television actors. Meltzer also reported, the terms of the contracts allow World of Sport’s talent to work for any promotion in the world except the WWE or for promotions in the U.K. with national television deals.

Meltzer also reported WWE managed to get twelve wrestlers from ITV’s original talent list to defect and sign deals with them instead. Chris Brookes was reported to have turned down WWE’s offer for a WWE UK contract in order to work for ITV.