WWF RAW off RDS in Quebec

Tuesday 17 November, 1998
By GREG OLIVER -- SLAM! Sports   In a move that has shocked Quebec wrestling fans, the WWF has dropped its French show from the province's sports network.

Le Reseau Des Sports, which is the francophone arm of TSN, aired RAW for the last time Monday night.

WWF Canada President Carl De Marco said that it was their decision to drop the show from RDS.

"It was a big additional cost for us to produce French," said De Marco. "It may be coming back because, it all depends if there's a deal that's going to be happening in France."

De Marco continued. "The costs were very astronomical. We are committed to Quebec but everything on our end we've postponed ... until we see what happens with the television clearance in France."

"We want to be in there, but the station doesn't pay big dollars."

The future of WWF French announcer Raymond Rougeau is uncertain. De Marco said Rougeau and other staff will "be utilized in other areas."

RAW is still available on TSN in English and on CFCF12 on Saturdays. At the moment, the WWF doesn't have any events scheduled for the Molson Centre in Montreal.

A spokesperson for RDS said that the "WWF will not produce anymore in French because it lost its contract with its European broadcasters" and that Quebec alone did not justify the cost. RDS was quick to point out that WCW Nitro is still available on the station.