The video library of the Heartland Wrestling Association reportedly has been acquired by WWE.
WWE Network News broke the story regarding WWE's acquisition of the library for the HWA, which served as a developmental territory for WWE in the early 2000s. Les Thatcher ran the territory during that time, and told WWE Network News that WWE purchased all HWA footage from 2001 and 2002. That encompasses 48 total events. Some of the competitors who appeared for HWA during that time include John Cena, Nick Dinsmore aka Eugene, Charlie Haas, Raven, and Shark Boy, as well as former ROH World Champion Nigel McGuinness.
The HWA also trained a host of standout wrestlers in the 2000s, including Dean Ambrose, Jamie Noble, the Haas Brothers, B.J. Whitmer, Umaga, and Rosey, among many others.
The HWA also served as a developmental feeder for WCW, but that changed when WWE purchased its chief rival promotion in March of 2001.
No announcement or comment has been made by WWE regarding the purchase, or when any HWA footage may begin to appear on the WWE Network.
The WWE Network sent our a survey regarding pricing tiers earlier this year.
Other tape libraries currently owned by the WWE include footage from the World Class, Stampede Wrestling, and Mid-South territories, as well as the AWA, Maple Leaf Wrestling, WCW/Jim Crockett Promotions, Georgia Championship Wrestling, the Global Wrestling Federation, Smoky Mountain Wrestling, and ECW. WWE also owns all the footage from when Ohio Valley Wrestling (1998-08), Memphis Championship Wrestling (2000-01) and Deep South Wrestling (2005-07) served as developmental territories.
