Spike TV is in talks with Top Rank to produce a weekly boxing show.
RingTV.com is reporting that Top Rank Inc. and cable channel Spike TV are working on a deal to produce a weekly, 36-show boxing program, which could help Top Rank get better coverage for its fighters on a more widely-watched outlet than Fox Sports Net, which tends to preempt their shows anyway, and would help Spike replace the UFC programming they recently lost.
As far as Spike goes, obviously UFC did pretty well there; not monster numbers all the time, but their reality show (The Ultimate Fighter) was a huge lift for the UFC as a company. For a long time both sides were getting a good return on the deal. In the end, UFC became too expensive for Spike, and the promotion's deal with the Fox network pretty much made being on Spike pointless for UFC. Spike has a new deal with smaller MMA promotion Bellator, but that doesn't start until 2013.
UFC and Spike eventually devolved into some fairly ugly pettiness, including UFC refusing to fundamentally promote its own shows that were airing in the end, but that would just be par for the course in boxing. (Rimshot!)
Most likely this would be a series similar to Top Rank Live, which currently airs on FSN and Fox Deportes, as I wouldn't expect Spike to be going in deep on money to produce big fights. At its best, Top Rank Live produces some very good shows with lower-weight fighters in action bouts, and gives looks at prospects like Mercito Gesta or Diego Magdaleno.
Obviously I believe this is nothing but good news if the deal is worked out; Spike is not going to cast the boxing aside for the local hockey team's post-game report, which happens on FSN constantly, because the FSN channels are regional and frankly the boxing show is not that important in most regions.
0 recs | 15 comments
It was soccer for me instead of hockey. It was always a pain in the ass dvr’ing TR Live and finding out thathalf the show was soccer
battle axe of doom - January 6, 2012 via mobile
Good news
More boxing options is always a good thing.
Matt Miller - January 6, 2012 via Android app
High school football...
Is usually what I end up getting. If they even bother showing whatever fight is supposed to come on in the first place. Fantastic news. Boxing on NBC/NBC Sports Network, TNT is still in the works, and now maybe Spike TV. Boxing maybe on the upswing, who knows? Great news.
TheDemolitionDan - January 6, 2012 via iPhone app
IIRC Spike tried boxing briefly around 2004-2005 showing undercard PPV fights, which was met with a pretty lukewarm response. Given what PPV undercards are made of , I wasn’t surprised.
If Top Rank has some good matchmaking, maybe things will be different this time.
cyke - January 6, 2012
it’s just gonna be a boxing series. It won’t change the world. Response will likely be lukewarm.
Scott Christ - January 6, 2012
You can never tell based on the matchmaking. Last year’s Luna vs Luna fight with two prospects was a great scrap, as was Cunningham-Adamek on Versus.
Lukewarm is an accurate reading of the reception, but it could get a following if they get some good fights going.
cyke - January 6, 2012
But Spike is much bigger now than they were in 04/05.
UFC really put Spike on the map as a network, really in 04 what was Spike? It wasnt a huge network, UFC put Spike on the map so it shoudl be easier now for boxing to get on spike.
And yeah both UFC/Spike were petty but it seems to be Spike that is more bitter, the whole counter programming shit now and its not even the UFC refusing to promote shows, Spike wouldnt promote shows.
One of the shows or prelims for a PPV on Spike, Spike was actually promoting Bellator on MTV 2 on the bottom of the screen the day of the UFC PPV which had Spike prelims, they promoted another org on another network, even if both are Viacom owned, they promoted another networks show over the UFC’s show on Spike that night.
CAC27 - January 6, 2012
It had nothing to do with the network or its reputation. If you’re familiar with undercard fights, you’ll realize that they’re not exactly the cream of the crop. If top rank can put on good fights instead of undercard quality stuff, they should get a good following.
cyke - January 6, 2012
I'm sure it will be identical to Top Rank Live on Fox
Only less likely to get preempted.
Brickhaus - January 6, 2012
Speaking of which
Due to a dispute between Time Warner and Cablevision, I no longer get Fox Sports Net at all (which was airing via MSG+ in the NYC area), so I’d welcome the move.
Brickhaus - January 6, 2012
would be nice if top rank live would show all their fights live..i usually got soccer as well…
Vicmatic1 - January 6, 2012
It’s not Top Rank’s fault. Their show is just extremely low priority to basically every FSN/CSN affiliate.
Scott Christ - January 6, 2012
Excellent, and smart!
A Top Rink win and Goldenboy fail.
xFenixKnightx - January 6, 2012
Crap, I thought I was done hearing the words "Blue Mountain State."
Sugel Mendoza - January 6, 2012
Just a heads up...
Directv is moving Fox Deportes off the Sports Pack (The RSN package) in February and the only way to get it will be with a Spanish base package of the En Espanol add on (which is $15/month). I’m sad.
BangBangLampley - January 6, 2012
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