▁It ▁was ▁too ▁little , ▁too ▁late ▁as ▁the ▁World ▁Wrestling ▁Alliance ▁would ▁fol d ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁After ▁W WF ’ s ▁massive ▁Wrest le Man ia ▁III ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁the ▁W WF ▁scheduled ▁a ▁pay - per - view , ▁Sur viv or ▁Series , ▁on ▁Thanks g iving ▁night ▁to ▁comp ete ▁directly ▁with ▁N WA ’ s ▁St arr cade ▁event , ▁and ▁demanded ▁exclus ivity ▁from ▁cable ▁prov iders ▁on ▁carriage ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁prevent ▁such ▁a ▁problem , ▁St arr cade ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁December ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁and ▁the ▁show ▁was ▁held ▁around ▁Christmas ▁Day , ▁mostly ▁in ▁the ▁days ▁following , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁The ▁W WF ▁then ▁scheduled ▁their ▁first ▁Royal ▁R umble ▁event ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁counter program ▁against ▁the ▁N WA ’ s ▁B unk house ▁St amp ede . ▁The ▁Royal ▁R umble ▁originally ▁a ired ▁on ▁the ▁USA ▁cable ▁networks ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁before ▁finally ▁transition ing ▁to ▁pay - per - view ▁in ▁subsequent ▁years . ▁The ▁N WA ▁respond ed ▁by ▁creating ▁Cl ash ▁of ▁the ▁Champions ▁on ▁T BS ▁to ▁comp ete ▁against ▁Wrest le Man ia ▁IV . ▁The ▁W WF ▁also ▁became ▁an ▁international ▁success ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Jim ▁Cro ck ett ▁Prom ot ions ▁was ▁facing ▁bank rupt cy .