In a surprise move, the WWE Network has removed the entire Stampede Wrestling collection from the Vault section. This is a disappointing development, as Stampede Wrestling is a showcase for the early careers of Dynamite Kid, British Bulldog and of course the entire Hart family. There have been some controversies with the Stampede video library over the years, but they were resolved long ago and should have no bearing on its appearance on the Network last week. There were also no publicized technical issues as far as viewing the footage, though the audio was spotty at times, likely due to age. This could possibly mean that WWE are working to improve the quality, though there has been no official statement.
Update: Rumours are currently circulating online that this sudden content disappearance is tied to a clause in the ownership of the Stampede video library. To cut a long story short, WWE are unable to do anything with the footage without Bret Hart’s permission. In this case, it seems WWE jumped the gun in uploading the 5 episodes and are now quickly back peddling. This content will presumably be restored once everything has been straightened out.
In a further rumour, more episodes from the territory were allegedly planned to be uploaded today before the word was given to wipe all the content from the service.
Stick with The WWE Network Chronicle for updates on this developing situation!