The Contender 2 is moving to ESPN - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

RobOne · 08-22-2005, 01:43 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/box...ory?id=2131600

"The Contender," the reality television series about professional boxers, will begin its second season in April 2006 on ESPN.

The network, Mark Burnett Productions, and DreamWorks Television made the announcement Thursday.

"The Contender" is an unscripted drama about the lives of 16 professional boxers as they compete for the chance to change their lives. The show will air as part of ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) programming and be executive produced by "Survivor" creator Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sylvester Stallone. Casting and production on the series, which will air in primetime beginning April 2006, will begin immediately.

" 'The Contender' has all of the elements that make it the right fit for ESPN: compelling storylines, dynamic characters and suspense over the outcome," Mark Shapiro, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production, said. "This series speaks to our viewers' love for competition and their appreciation for triumph over adversity, and it goes without saying that the track record of Mark Burnett is exemplary -- a perfect match for the critical and ratings successes EOE has delivered in both scripted and unscripted drama."

Said Burnett: "Our vision from the onset was to improve the entertainment experience of televised boxing for the fans. What better platform to achieve that vision than on the network that pioneered sports television programming."

After being introduced to the contestants in the first episode, subsequent shows will see one or more boxers eliminated through ring competition. Viewers will see contestants training in the ring, living together in one house and witness their personal interactions, while learning the details of these men's lives and what led them to pursue their dreams.

ESPN has options to renew the series for two subsequent seasons.

I dont mind the move, but i would think they would get more viewers staying on NBC. OH well cant wait for season 2.

Crashsti · 08-22-2005, 01:12 PM

i think the Contender is lucky is even got picked up for a second season. last i had heard there was'nt going to be a second season. i think ESPN will be a good place to try again. you're more likely to get a dedicated following on a sports network. Stallone really got screwed last season, the Contender must have been moved to 5 or 6 differant time slots. hopefully they'll learn from last season and improve. i had heard they edited the fights instead of showing them as is.

DrumzCT · 08-22-2005, 01:17 PM

Yeah, I heard Season I ratings were terrible. Maybe this will give it a boost. I'm a casual Contender fan.

Crashsti · 08-22-2005, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrumzCT

Yeah, I heard Season I ratings were terrible. Maybe this will give it a boost. I'm a casual Contender fan.

from what i understand the rating for the Contender were very good the first few episodes and then they got moved and moved again. eventually they ended up in some dead time zone, i think it was Sunday night or something. Stallone talked about it in his magazine.

RobOne · 08-22-2005, 08:22 PM

wow i dont know how the ratings werent great, it was an excellent show. Other than the edited fights. But I was under the impression it was doing great. Oh well, maybe being on ESPN will help it out then.

guile · 08-26-2005, 07:14 AM

ESPN will definitely bring in a more targetted audience...I also think they will make some other improvements based on season 1 feedback. I think the 2nd time around might be a success. (will have to bring back "The Contender" section)