More Information On World Of Sport Taping Delays

Issues related to the partnership between ITV and Impact Wrestling reportedly contributed to the recently delayed World of Sport tapings.

The Wrestling Observer reported that the tapings were postponed because ITV, the network airing World of Sport, and Impact Wrestling had not come to a business agreement regarding their working relationship. 

Last month, World of Sport announced its tapings that originally were scheduled for the end of May would need to be postponed. As of yet, a new taping date has not been announced and the understated way the taping delay was announced reportedly have many of the wrestlers who appeared on the WoS pilot or who were committed to the upcoming taping thinking it will never happen now.

ITV, which is one of the largest TV networks in the United Kingdom, had ordered a 10-episode run of World of Sport, reviving the long-dormant but once quite popular British promotion as part of a joint effort with Jeff Jarrett and Impact Wrestling. 

ITV still wants to explore putting together wrestling content, but may not be able to do it on its own. For one thing, The Observer noted, ITV wants its roster for World of Sport to sign contracts to avoid talent being poached by WWE — something that likely led to WWE's United Kingdom division starting earlier this year, and WWE signing several UK talents to uniquely structured contracts that allowed them to continue to work independent events as long as those bookings were cleared by the WWE office. WWE likely views World of Sport as a threat, as ITV is a much bigger network than Sky, which carries WWE programming in the U.K. 

ITV reportedly has a backup plan to still revive the World of Sport brand.