Survivor Series
Encyclopedia
The Survivor Series is an annual professional wrestling
pay-per-view
event held in November by WWE. It is one of the "Big Four" events, along with WrestleMania
, Royal Rumble
and SummerSlam
, as It is one of the original four pay-per-views produced by WWE.
Survivor Series is the number two longest running pay-per-view event in WWE history, behind WrestleMania. The first Survivor Series, held in 1987, came on the heels of the incredible success of WrestleMania III
, as the WWF began to see the lucrative potential of the pay-per-view market. During a press conference held on February 11, 2010, WWE announced that it would drop the Survivor Series name and rebrand the event. However, in June, 2010, the event was added back onto WWE's pay-per-view schedule.
The original concept for the Survivor Series was to have an annual pay-per-view event that focused on tag team
wrestling. Another contributing factor to the birth of the Survivor Series was to capitalize on the big time feud between Hulk Hogan
and André the Giant
, who wrestled each other at WrestleMania III
. Additionally, the WWF had several "elimination" tag-team matches earlier in 1987, albeit with three-man teams and the feuds loosely related.
The Survivor Series was originally created to be a "Thanksgiving tradition" as the first four Survivor Series events took place on Thanksgiving
Day in November. After four years of taking place on Thanksgiving Eve following that, Survivor Series moved to a more-traditional Sunday PPV date.
, not seen since WrestleMania IV
. The 2002 Survivor Series featured the debut of the Elimination Chamber
match. The 2007 Survivor Series featured a Hell in a Cell match for the first time in the history of the event.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
event held in November by WWE. It is one of the "Big Four" events, along with WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
, Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
and SummerSlam
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in August by professional wrestling promotion WWE. The inaugural SummerSlam took place on August 29, 1988 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and was broadcast via pay-per-view, unlike the Royal Rumble of that...
, as It is one of the original four pay-per-views produced by WWE.
Survivor Series is the number two longest running pay-per-view event in WWE history, behind WrestleMania. The first Survivor Series, held in 1987, came on the heels of the incredible success of WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
, as the WWF began to see the lucrative potential of the pay-per-view market. During a press conference held on February 11, 2010, WWE announced that it would drop the Survivor Series name and rebrand the event. However, in June, 2010, the event was added back onto WWE's pay-per-view schedule.
Original concept
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
wrestling. Another contributing factor to the birth of the Survivor Series was to capitalize on the big time feud between Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and André the Giant
André the Giant
André René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
, who wrestled each other at WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III was the third annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . The event was held on March 29, 1987 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan....
. Additionally, the WWF had several "elimination" tag-team matches earlier in 1987, albeit with three-man teams and the feuds loosely related.
The Survivor Series was originally created to be a "Thanksgiving tradition" as the first four Survivor Series events took place on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
Day in November. After four years of taking place on Thanksgiving Eve following that, Survivor Series moved to a more-traditional Sunday PPV date.
Survivor Series matches
The event is usually characterized by having five on five (or sometimes four on four or six man) tag-team elimination matches. These matches are generally referred to simply as "Survivor Series matches". The 1987-1991 and 1993-1997 Survivor Series events featured multiple Survivor Series style matches. The 1992 event had only one 4 on 4 tag team elimination match, but featured the first WWF Casket match, referred to at that time as a Coffin match, with slightly different rules from what is now employed, as a wrestler had to first pin their opponent and then place them inside a coffin and nail it shut in order to win. The Casket Match, by that point under the Casket match name, would return to the Survivor Series in its now standard format in 1994, intended as a means of bringing an end to a long-standing feud between Yokozuna and The Undertaker that had begun the previous year at the self-same event. The 1998 edition featured an elimination tournament for the WWF ChampionshipWWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
, not seen since WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV
WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey....
. The 2002 Survivor Series featured the debut of the Elimination Chamber
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE promotion. It features a large chain-linked circular steel structure or "chamber" which encloses the ring. The chamber's floor is platformed over the ringside area which elevates it to ring level and within...
match. The 2007 Survivor Series featured a Hell in a Cell match for the first time in the history of the event.
Survivor Series dates and venues
| Event | Date | City | Venue | Main Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor Series (1987) Survivor Series (1987) Survivor Series was the first Survivor Series pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1987 and was held at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio.... |
November 26, 1987 | Richfield, Ohio Richfield, Ohio Richfield is a village in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,286 at the 2000 census. The village and the adjacent Richfield Township are approximately equidistant between the downtown areas of Akron and Cleveland... |
Richfield Coliseum Coliseum at Richfield The Coliseum at Richfield was an arena located in Richfield Township in Summit County, Ohio, roughly halfway between Cleveland and Akron... |
|
| Survivor Series (1988) Survivor Series (1988) Survivor Series was the second annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation... |
November 24, 1988 | Richfield, Ohio | Richfield Coliseum | |
| Survivor Series (1989) Survivor Series (1989) Survivor Series was the third annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1989 at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois. This was the first Survivor Series event to feature team... |
November 23, 1989 | Rosemont, Illinois Rosemont, Illinois Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that... |
Rosemont Horizon Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and... |
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| Survivor Series (1990) Survivor Series (1990) Survivor Series was the fourth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation... |
November 22, 1990 | Hartford, Connecticut Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making... |
Hartford Civic Center | |
| Survivor Series (1991) Survivor Series (1991) Survivor Series was the fifth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 27, 1991 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan... |
November 27, 1991 | Detroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... |
Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight... |
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| Survivor Series (1992) Survivor Series (1992) Survivor Series was the sixth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 25, 1992 at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio... |
November 25, 1992 | Richfield, Ohio | Richfield Coliseum | |
| Survivor Series (1993) Survivor Series (1993) Survivor Series was the seventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 24, 1993 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts... |
November 24, 1993 | Boston, Massachusetts | Boston Garden Boston Garden The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years... |
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| Survivor Series (1994) Survivor Series (1994) Survivor Series was the eighth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 23, 1994 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas... |
November 23, 1994 | San Antonio, Texas San Antonio, Texas San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,... |
Freeman Coliseum Freeman Coliseum The Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum is a sports and concert venue in San Antonio, Texas, USA, built in 1949.It has been host to thousands of events including the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts, trade shows, motor sports, circus, professional sports including professional bull riding,... |
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| Survivor Series (1995) Survivor Series (1995) Survivor Series was the ninth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation... |
November 19, 1995 | Landover, Maryland Landover, Maryland Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover... |
USAir Arena Capital Centre The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey.... |
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| Survivor Series (1996) Survivor Series (1996) Survivor Series was the tenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 17, 1996 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.... |
November 17, 1996 | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the... |
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| Survivor Series (1997) Survivor Series (1997) Survivor Series was the eleventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec.... |
November 9, 1997 | Montreal, Quebec | Molson Centre Bell Centre The Bell Centre , formerly known as the Molson Centre , is a sports and entertainment complex in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened on March 16, 1996 after nearly three years under construction... |
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| Survivor Series (1998) Survivor Series (1998) Survivor Series was the twelfth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on November 15, 1998 at the Kiel Center in St... |
November 15, 1998 | St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St... |
Kiel Center Scottrade Center Scottrade Center is a 19,150 seat arena located in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, opened in 1994. It is the home of the St... |
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| Survivor Series (1999) Survivor Series (1999) Survivor Series was the thirteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation... |
November 14, 1999 | Detroit, Michigan | Joe Louis Arena | |
| Survivor Series (2000) Survivor Series (2000) Survivor Series was the fourteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 19, 2000 at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida.... |
November 19, 2000 | Tampa, Florida Tampa, Florida Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709.... |
Ice Palace St. Pete Times Forum The St. Pete Times Forum is an arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, and arena football games, as well as concerts.... |
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| Survivor Series (2001) Survivor Series (2001) Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation... |
November 18, 2001 | Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S... |
Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro Coliseum The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill neighborhood of Greensboro, North Carolina. Opening in 1959, the arena was one of the largest venues in the South, with a seating capacity of over 7,000... |
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| Survivor Series (2002) Survivor Series (2002) Survivor Series was the sixteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands... |
November 17, 2002 | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden | |
| Survivor Series (2003) Survivor Series (2003) Survivor Series was the seventeenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment... |
November 16, 2003 | Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States... |
American Airlines Center American Airlines Center The American Airlines Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the Victory Park neighborhood, near downtown Dallas, Texas.It is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and the Dallas Stars of the NHL.... |
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| Survivor Series (2004) Survivor Series (2004) Survivor Series was the eighteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment... |
November 14, 2004 | Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border... |
Gund Arena Quicken Loans Arena Quicken Loans Arena , is a multi-purpose arena, in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States.... |
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| Survivor Series (2005) Survivor Series (2005) Survivor Series was the 19th annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment... |
November 27, 2005 | Detroit, Michigan | Joe Louis Arena | |
| Survivor Series (2006) Survivor Series (2006) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It was the twentieth annual Survivor Series event, and it took place on November 26, 2006 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The main match on the SmackDown brand was King... |
November 26, 2006 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,... |
Wachovia Center | |
| Survivor Series (2007) Survivor Series (2007) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 18, 2007 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida... |
November 18, 2007 | Miami, Florida Miami, Florida Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625... |
American Airlines Arena | |
| Survivor Series (2008) Survivor Series (2008) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , took place on November 23, 2008 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts The Survivor Series was in Boston 15 years prior in 1993 in the now-demolished Boston Garden... |
November 23, 2008 | Boston, Massachusetts | TD Banknorth Garden | |
| Survivor Series (2009) Survivor Series (2009) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on November 22, 2009 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.. It was the 23rd annual Survivor Series event. It featured talent from the Raw, SmackDown and ECW brands... |
November 22, 2009 | Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution.... |
Verizon Center Verizon Center Verizon Center is a sports and entertainment arena in Washington, D.C., USA, named after telecommunications sponsor Verizon Communications, and has been nicknamed the "Phone Booth" because of its association with telecommunications companies... |
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| Survivor Series (2010) Survivor Series (2010) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , that took place on November 21, 2010 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida... |
November 21, 2010 | Miami, Florida | American Airlines Arena | |
| Survivor Series (2011) Survivor Series (2011) Survivor Series was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE that took place on November 20, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was the 25th annual Survivor Series event and the first one to take place in Madison Square Garden since the 2002 event... |
November 20, 2011 | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden |
Video box set
- WWE Home Video released The Survivor Series Anthology 1987-91 & 1992-96 (Vol 1&2) on DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on November 3, 2009.