WealthTV is hoping Don King can provide some punch with cable viewers and distributors.
The channel, now in about 12 million homes, will televise a card of fights including the World Boxing Association title fight pitting champion Guillermo "El Felino" Jones against contender Mike Marrone from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on Nov. 5.
"I think it's going to put us on the map," said Robert Herring, CEO of WealthTV, which is offering the Viva Don King evening of boxing live to cable subscribers for free. Many boxing events appear on pay cable or pay per view.
"Don King has always said he like to bring boxing to the masses," said Herring. "We look forward to playing a part in bringing the sports back to the people."
WealthTV is offering cable operators a "free preview" of the channel for 48 hours, including the fights, which could include as many as four championship bouts, during the four-hour window. The fights can also be seen online and via apps for tablets and connected TVs. (The app is free for a month and costs 99 cents a month thereafter.)
Boxing is a good fit for the network, whose programming is aspirational for viewers interested in fast cars, adventure travel and investing, because its audience is on the mature side and skews male, according to President Charles Herring, who declined to say how much WealthTV is investing in the project.
Charles Herring said that WealthTV has rerun rights to the fights and is shooting the bouts in 3D. The 3D version won't be live, but will be made available on cable operators VOD systems.
WealthTV is carried by Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-verse and a number of smaller cable systems.
