WWE News: ‘Slammy Awards’ Set To Become Their Own Event Once Again?
When WWE started the Slammy Awards back in 1986, the show was it’s own event. Held in a theater setting, the Slammy Awards were originally WWE’s take on the Grammy Awards (hence the name) and the Academy Awards, all rolled into one. With WWE lacking a yearly Hall of Fame show for many years (outside of 1993-1996, the Hall of Fame wasn’t a yearly occurrence until 2004), the Slammys was the one time of the year when WWE stars put on their tuxes in an attempt to act like A-list celebrities.
Over the years, the Slammy Awards have disappeared and re-appeared several times. The first incarnations of the show were held in 1986 and 1987. Following the 1987 Slammy Awards at Caesars Atlantic City, the show did not return until 1994.
When the Slammys were re-incarnated in 1994, it was a far cry from the shows held in the 1980s. The 1994 Slammy Awards took place as a special edition of the old Saturday morning show WWF Mania. The show’s hosts, notably Todd Pettengill, simply presented the awards from the old WWF television studios.
Following that 1994 disaster of an awards show, the Slammy Awards again went dormant. After only one year off this time, the Slammys were brought back in 1996 as part of WrestleMania weekend. For two years straight, the awards show was held the night before WrestleMania. It became a stand-alone event again, just as it was in the 1980s, with the wrestlers and divas donning tuxes and thousand dollar dresses for the big event. The 1996 Slammy Awards were held at the Anaheim Marriot and the 1997 Slammy Awards were held at the Westin Hotel in Chicago. Both shows were broadcast live on the USA Network.
The Slammy Awards again became a forgotten event for WWE following the 1997 edition. It seemed like the Slammys were a distant memory when it took over a decade for them to return, this time at the end of 2008 as part of Monday Night RAW. Ever since being brought back in 2008, the Slammys have been a yearly occurrence towards the end of the year on RAW, mixed in with the usual Monday night wrestling show. The Superstar Of The Year award is typically the biggest prize.
Now, per a report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it looks as though WWE is looking at making the Slammy Awards their own stand-alone event once more. For the first time since 1997, the show would again take place in a small theater setting, rather than in an arena like the WWE Hall of Fame. If they go with this new plan, WWE plans on having the Slammy Awards take place as a live WWE Network special, similar to the unedited Hall of Fame broadcast that has aired on WWE Network the past two years.
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