Professional wrestling Super Bowl counterprogramming that is produced by WWE
Professional wrestling pay-per-view event series
Halftime Heat was a series of professional wrestling broadcasts produced by WWE used as Super Bowl counterprogramming . They aired during their respective year's halftime of the Super Bowl .
History
Originally produced under the World Wrestling Federation banner (WWF), Halftime Heat aired during a 20-minute block[1] on USA Network during Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999,[2] as a special episode of Sunday Night Heat . The inaugural Halftime Heat featured an Empty arena match between The Rock and Mankind . The match was also accompanied by a Super Bowl ad purchased by the WWF, tying into their Attitude Era branding.[3] During the match, Mankind won his second WWF Championship .[4]
Halftime Heat returned the following year, featuring highlights from the Hardy Boyz taking on the Dudley Boyz as well as the bikini contest, both from that year's Royal Rumble . It concluded with an Interview with Jim Ross and Stone Cold Steve Austin , which discussed an injury update and his engagement to Debra McMichael .[5]
It was announced in January 2019 that it would be brought back as a special event on the WWE Network ,[6] YouTube , Facebook and Twitter .[7] During the pre-show of the Royal Rumble footage was shown of what happened after NXT TakeOver: Phoenix went off the air, which led to the announcement of Aleister Black , Ricochet , and Velveteen Dream taking on Adam Cole , Johnny Gargano , and Tommaso Ciampa , during the returning Halftime Heat .[8] [9] Shawn Michaels was also announced as part of the announce team,[10] and was joined by Vic Joseph.[11] During the match, the team of Black, Ricochet and Dream were victorious.[12] WWE personnel later announced that the match had 3 million viewers, making it the most watched NXT match in history.[13]
Events
The events included matches that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains , heroes , or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by WWE's writers.[14]
#
Super Bowl
Date
City
Venue
Main Event
Ref.
1
XXXIII
January 31, 1999
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson Convention Center
The Rock (c) vs. Mankind in an Empty Arena match for the WWF Championship
[15] [16]
2
XXXIV
January 30, 2000
Stamford, Connecticut
Titan Towers
In-studio show (interview with Stone Cold Steve Austin as he recovered from neck surgery)
[17]
3
LIII
February 3, 2019
Orlando, Florida
WWE Performance Center
Aleister Black , Ricochet , and Velveteen Dream vs. Johnny Gargano , Tommaso Ciampa , and Adam Cole
[18] [19]
1999
Halftime Heat was a professional wrestling show produced by World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The event was pre-recorded and aired on January 31, 1999, the night of Super Bowl XXXIII , at the Tucson Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona .
On January 26, 1999 WWF recorded their episode of February 1 Raw . Prior to the recording the empty arena match that aired as Halftime Heat was filmed.[20]
2019
Halftime Heat [22] was a professional wrestling event and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their NXT brand division . The event took place on February 3, 2019, the night of Super Bowl LIII , at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida .[21]
After NXT TakeOver: Phoenix went off the air, Aleister Black , Ricochet , and Velveteen Dream would brawl with Adam Cole , Johnny Gargano , and Tommaso Ciampa .[23] The brawl led to a six-man tag team match between the wrestlers which was scheduled for Halftime Heat.[8] [24]
Other on screen personnel