dᵻspˈaɪt ɪnˈɪʃəl kənsˈɜːnz ðæt pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɹˈɛsəlɪŋ wʊd nˌɑːt biː ɐksˈɛptᵻd baɪ sˈaɪ fˌaɪz dˌɛməɡɹˈæfɪk, nˈɛtwɜːk pɹˈɛzɪdənt bˈɑːni hˈæmɚ stˈeɪɾᵻd ðæt ʃiː bᵻlˈiːvd ˌiːsˌiːdˈʌbəljˌuː wʊd fˈɪt ðə tʃˈænəlz θˈiːm ʌv "stɹˈɛtʃɪŋ ðɪ ɪmˌædʒᵻnˈeɪʃən".
Despite initial concerns that professional wrestling would not be accepted by Sci Fi's demographic, network President Bonnie Hammer stated that she believed ECW would fit the channel's theme of "stretching the imagination".