Spike Kicks Off `Premier Boxing Champions’ Series

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Spike TV tonight (March 13) will launch its monthly live boxing series as part of its Friday night block of combat sports programming.

Spike’s Premier Boxing Champions series will open with a doubleheader fight card featuring the Andre Berto-Josesito Lopez and Shawn Porter-Roberto Garcia bouts, according to Spike. The event follows NBC’s successful March 7 launch of the Al Haymon-produced Premier Boxing Champions series on the broadcast network.

Haymon’s Premier Boxing franchise also has deals to distribute boxing cards to CBS, Showtime and Bounce TV.

Spike TV president Kevin Kay said the addition of boxing to its Friday night lineup -- which already offers Bellator mixed martial arts events -- will help attract and retain young male viewers as the network looks to broaden its entertainment programming offerings  to bring in more female viewers.  

“It’s a really important place for us to keep (18-34 year old) guys and give them something that they’ve always counted on Spike for,” Kay said during a recent MCN One-On-One In 2 video interview.

To view the full interview click here.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.