Fight Network recruits consultant, Protocol Sports maintains boxing series

Fight Network, the international fight sports channel, has appointed Adrian Clark as a consultant as it seeks to develop new boxing programming and relaunch its mobile app to support growth on new platforms.

Clark has managed various boxers, including Jerry Belmontes, James De La Rosa, Willie Monroe Jr. and Frank Galarza.

He will look to help Fight Network develop original programming and strategic partnerships with a focus on professional and amateur boxing content, as well as supporting social media and community growth across digital and social platforms.

Clark launched his Protect Yourself at All Times initiative in February 2016, including a book, podcast and video blog. Everlast Worldwide, a manufacturer, marketer and licensor of boxing, MMA and fitness equipment, worked with Clark in 2018 to launch the first-ever Protect Yourself at All Times symposium, an educational tool to inform professional boxers on the nature of business in boxing.

Clark will be developing the concept into a television series for Fight Network in addition to other original programming for the network.

Ariel Shnerer, newly-appointed general manager of Fight Network, said: “We look forward to collaborating with Adrian on new programming initiatives and sponsorship opportunities as we put a renewed focus on our coverage of the sport, not only through our weekly news coverage and live fights, but by developing original productions that bring our viewers closer to the fights and fighters they love, as well educational programming about the business of boxing.”

Fight Network is available on many of the top 20 video providers in the US, fuboTV, all major carriers in Canada, Roku and Apple TV devices across North America, pay-television broadcaster Sky in the UK and over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Elsewhere, broadcast rights distributor, sponsorship and sports marketing agency Protocol Sports Marketing has said it is working on further original sports programming to fill the void left by the cancellation of live events due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Protocol said its production company subsidiary, Boxcaster, continues to produce and deliver the 30-minute Boxing World Weekly programme.

The company said: “Boxcaster has successfully migrated its entire team of producers, writers, voice talent and editors to work safely from home while producing the high-quality product that is presently being televised by scores of major broadcasters and streaming platforms globally.”

Boxcaster is also in late-stage development of a new weekly boxing series that will be introduced to the industry in the coming weeks.

The agency last year struck distribution deals with Liga ACB, the top division of basketball in Spain, and the World Boxing Super Series.

Protocol Sports Marketing president Lowell Conn remarked: “In addition to Boxcaster’s production work, there are other excellent developments at Protocol Sports that are almost ready to share with our industry.”