The title was introduced on February 27, 1974 in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW), a territory of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). MACW, also known as Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), was purchased by Turner Broadcasting System in 1988, and subsequently renamed WCW. In March 2001, certain assets of WCW were sold by AOL Time Warner to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). As such these assets, including the rights to the WCW World Television Championship, inactive since April 10, 2000, were now WWF property.[1] Before it was known as the WCW World Television Championship (starting in 1991 and continuing until the title's deactivation), it was known as the NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship (1974 to 1977), the NWA Television Championship (1977 to 1985), and the NWA World Television Championship (1985 to 1991).
Being a professional wrestling championship, it was won via a scripted ending to a match or awarded to a wrestler because of a storyline. All title changes occurred at JCP or WCW-promoted events. The inaugural champion was Danny Miller, who defeated Ole Anderson on February 27, 1974, in the finals of a tournament. Booker T holds the record for most reigns, with six. Rick Steamboat's second reign ended due to vacancy for unknown reasons. The day on which the reign ended is also unknown, although it is known that the reign began on June 10, 1978, and came to a close sometime in 1980. As such, if the reign ended on January 1, 1980, or any later time during 1980, then Steamboat's second reign is the longest in the title's history, at over 570 days.[N 1] Five different reigns are tied for the record for shortest reign in the title's history, at one day.
Jim Duggan was the last champion in his only reign. At the time, then-champion Scott Hall did not want to be champion, and after unsuccessfully trying to give the title to Kevin Nash, he abandoned the title by throwing the championship belt into a trashcan on the November 29, 1999, episode of one of WCW's television programs, Nitro.[2] Duggan later found the championship belt in a dumpster on the February 16, 2000, episode of another of WCW's television programs, WCW Saturday Night and named himself champion.[3] The championship was later retired on the April 10, 2000, episode of Nitro, after a storyline reboot by WCW authority figures Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo. Overall, there were 108 reigns shared among 56 wrestlers, with 11 vacancies.
During Von Raschke's reign, the championship was renamed the "NWA Television Championship" after he was billed as having won a tournament for all the regional NWA Television Champions.
Stevie Ray claimed the title saying he was given Power of Attorney by Booker T to defend the title due to him not being allowed to compete due to injury.
1 2 3 The exact day in October 1980 Masked Superstar vacated the title during his only reign is unknown, which means that his reign lasted between 183 and 213 days.
1 2 The exact date on which Charlie Brown (Jimmy Valiant) lost the title during his fourth reign in January 1984 is unknown, which means that his reign lasted between 38 and 68 days.
1 2 The exact date on which Scott Steiner was stripped of the title during his first reign is unknown, which means that his reign lasted between 33 and 62 days.
↑ Each reign is ranked highest to lowest; reigns with the same number are tied for that rank.
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References
General
Gary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IW, ECW, NWA) NWA/WCW TV Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp.19–20. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
Gary Will and Royal Duncan (2006). "(Carolinas) Charlotte: NWA Mid-Atlantic TV Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp.115–116. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
Benaka, Matt; Dean, Joe. "NWA World Television Title History". Wrestling Title Histories by Gary Will and Royal Duncan. Solie.org. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
1 2 3 Elliott, Brian (2009-04-30). "Scott Hall". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved 2009-11-21. Two weeks later, he won the Television title from Rick Steiner, when Steiner was unable to defend the title due to injury. In a baffling decision, Hall claimed he had no interest in the TV title, and when he unsuccessfully tried to give it to Kevin Nash, he threw it in the trash instead.
1 2 "Nitro: The Ultimate Fight". Wayback Machine. WCW.com. Archived from the original on February 29, 2000. Retrieved 2009-11-21. The WCW TV Title has resurfaced after Jim Duggan found the belt in the trash on a recent episode of WCW Saturday Night.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Milner, John; Urena, Steve (2004-11-04). "Sting". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-21. Although Sting would come up short in his quest to win the NWA World Tag Team titles with Rhodes, he would defeat Mike Rotunda for the NWA Television Championship in March 1989.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ Milner, John (2005-05-16). "William Regal". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved 2009-11-21. At Fall Brawl '93, however, he was pushed up the card, defeating Ricky Steamboat for the WCW Television Championship....Regal recovered and regained the title at the Clash of the Champions XXVII in June. Regal would hold that championship until September 18, 1994, when Johnny B. Badd (Marc Mero) defeated him......By the summer of 1996, Regal had set his sights on regaining the WCW Television title, defeating Lex Luger for the belt on August 20, 1996. Prince Iaukea would upset Regal for the title in February 1997, leading to a short program between the two. Regal would regain the title, but not from Iaukea but from Ultimo Dragon at Slamboree '97 in May.....Regal's fourth and final reign as WCW Television Champion would end with Ultimo Dragon regaining the title on July 22, 1997.
↑ Milner, John; Kamchen, Richard (2005-03-22). "Chris Jericho". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-21. Jericho would feud with Dean Malenko, Booker T (over the WCW Television title, a belt Jericho won from Booker's brother, Stevie Ray) and Bill Goldberg. Or rather, Jericho tried to feud with Goldberg, cutting several promos but the match never actually took place.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ Milner, John; Molinaro, John (2005-10-21). "Konnan". SLAM! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-21. Konnan would join forces with the NWO and eventually defeat Jericho< for the WCW Television Championship on November 30, 1998.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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