Mr. Belding was one of us.

In the 1990s, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) reached fans across the United States through late-night syndicated broadcasts. Many of these shows aired at 2 or 3 a.m. on regional sports networks, and fans stayed up to watch despite the late hours. In the Northeast, ECW programming was carried on SportsChannel Philadelphia and other SportsChannel affiliates. In Florida, fans could watch on the Sunshine Network, which helped expand the promotion’s reach into the Southeast. Similar late-night time slots appeared in other regions, giving ECW exposure outside its base in Philadelphia. The company’s broadcasts featured matches that emphasized weapons, tables, and a presentation different from WWF and WCW. While ECW’s national visibility was limited, its presence on regional networks created strong followings in key markets. Joey Styles was the voice of ECW during these broadcasts. Working solo on commentary, he provided both play-by-play and color analysis, and his exclamation “Oh my God!” became one of the promotion’s trademarks. Through these television deals, along with tape trading and word of mouth, ECW gained a dedicated fanbase. By the late 1990s, wrestlers such as Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer, Taz, and The Dudley Boyz had become recognizable names to fans who stayed up for ECW’s late-night broadcasts.