The October 22 edition of WWE NXT was marked by an unexpected debut as Zaria, formerly known as Delta, made her first appearance during the closing moments of the show. However, many fans missed the dramatic ending due to unexpected broadcast issues, leaving viewers frustrated and NXT officials upset. Their tenure on The CW hasnt started off with the best look.
According to a report from Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, Zarias debut was planned as a highlight of the night. As the go-home episode before Halloween Havoc, the moment was highly anticipated, but it went unseen by many as the show was cut off in certain markets before it could air. The issue primarily stemmed from delays on CW affiliate feeds, which resulted in the premature end of the broadcast.
It was reported that NXT had been scheduled to run exactly until 10 p.m. EST, with producers meticulously planning the shows pacing to hit this hard out. Despite confirmation from satellite providers that the broadcast would continue uninterrupted until the end, Orlandos CW affiliate, and several others, were operating on a 20-second delay. This caused the show to be cut short.
NXT officials were reportedly very upset with the situation, with one source noting, everyone who runs or has a say in the show was pissed. The broadcast problems had been anticipated in the weeks leading up to the CW debut, as the network enforces strict hard-outs. This marks a departure from NXTs previous flexibility on the USA Network, where the show often had more leeway with its end time.
Despite the technical hiccups, Zarias debut still made waves online, and her presence is expected to be a significant factor moving forward in NXT programming. However, the situation has raised concerns about similar issues occurring in future broadcasts, especially with NXTs transition to the CW network.
We will have to see whats next for Zaria, but she didnt get the big moment on live television. Many fans have experienced issues with The CW, from its local setup to the fact that NXT airs an hour later in some markets. Either way, WWE was still able to upload the video on their official YouTube page.
Did you catch Zaria's NXT debut? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
