attempted to purchase the company with Fusient Media Ventures. However, although Bischoff's offer had been accepted, recently appointed Turner Broadcasting executive Jamie Kellner announced shortly after his arrival that Thunder and all WCW programming was immediately canceled on TBS. Bischoff's group then withdrew their offer, as it was contingent on keeping WCW programming on some outlet. WCW's trademarks and certain assets (such as its video library and the contracts of 24 wrestlers), though not the company itself (which still exists as a Time Warner-owned legal entity under the name Universal Wrestling Corporation), were bought by the WWF, its long-time competitor. Thunder was the antepenultimate WCW broadcast before the final episode of WCW WorldWide on March 31, 2001. WCW Thunder is the final wrestling broadcast to air on TBS until the debut of AEW Dynamite which premiered on January 5, 2022. Reception Veteran industry journalist Wade Keller said that the introduction of Thunder could be called "the beginning of the end" for the now-defunct WCW, adding that the program's debut "is probably as good of a turning point as you could pick out". Wrestling Observer subscribers voted WCW Thunder the worst weekly television show in 1999 and 2000. On-air personalities Commentators Tony Schiavone Bobby Heenan Lee Marshall Mike Tenay Larry Zbyszko Scott Hudson Mark Madden Jeremy Borash Stevie Ray Ring announcers David Penzer Pamela Paulshock References External links The Importance Of… 06.19.09: Thunder Thunder American sports television series TBS (American TV channel) original programming 1998 American television series debuts 2001 American television series endings Wrestling Observer Newsletter award winners