CBS Seeks To Pin MMA Content
Mixed-Martial Arts Deal Would Mark Second Time Broadcaster Has Tapped Premium Net’s Original Fare
By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 2/27/2008 10:31:00 AM
CBS is looking to tap the Showtime content well again for original programming -- this time in the sports arena..
Black Rock is expected to announce a deal with mixed-martial arts company ProElite Inc.that will put the genre on broadcast television for the first time, according to mixed martial arts Web site MMAjunkie.
According to the site, ProElite Inc., which partnered in 2006 with CBS-owned Showtime to create the Elite Xtreme Combat series, will create events for CBS to air in primetime every other month. The deal could be announced next week.
CBS officials could not be reached for comment; Showtime executives would not comment on the matter.
If the deal is consummated, it will mark the second time this year CBS has looked to a Showtime franchise for primetime content: The eye network is currently running episodes of the premium channel's Dexter drama series.
In its second week on CBS, the show averaged 6.5 million viewers this past Sunday up against ABC’s Academy Awards telecast. That was down from the 8.1 million viewers the serial killer series generated in its Feb. 17 debut.
The deal will also mark the first time an MMA event has appeared on the big four networks CBS, NBC, ABC or Fox.
MyNetworkTv last year carried International Fight League MMA content.
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