Television. The Von Erichs. Those two things are what made WCCW into the international industry that it became.

While Vince McMahon gets most of the credit, and rightfully so, for the nationalization of a regional promotion, Fritz Von Erich (Jack Adkinson) was just as instrumental in helping to turn the industry into the national product that we see today. When most people think of WCCW, they think of the nationally syndicated one-hour show that went nationwide. But did you know that there were actually two World Class television shows?

As fans in the Southwest know, every Saturday night originating from the Will Rogers Complex in Fort Worth, Championship Sports (formerly Big Time Wrestling) was a regular part of their wrestling docket. From the early 70’ until the Gaylord Family turned KTVT from an independent station to a CBS affiliate, pro wrestling was a staple for the station. Fans from across the Southwest would tune into get their wrestling fix for the weekend. Much like WTBS did for Georgia Championship Wrestling, KTVT allowed World Class to not only showcase itself locally, but also regionally.