US cable-television broadcaster Spike TV has ended its rights partnership with the Premier Boxing Champions series in favour of focusing its attention on mixed martial arts promotion Bellator.
Under the original deal, PBC launched on Spike TV in March 2015 with the promise of at least 33 monthly cards – nine in 2015 and 12 apiece in 2016 and 2017.
Spike and PBC held a two-year agreement and had negotiated an option for a third year, but that never made it into the final paperwork, Spike spokesman David Schwarz told ESPN.com. The final card aired on January 13, with Spike televising 17 events in total.
Spike had used PBC as one of its main Friday night combat sports attractions, along with Bellator and Glory kickboxing. Schwarz said the reason Spike did not seek to extend its association was due to a general dissatisfaction with the quality of cards being provided by PBC founder Al Haymon, as well as the decision to more heavily support Bellator. US media conglomerate Viacom, Spike’s parent company, owns Bellator.
ESPN.com noted that Spike was also the only non-premium network paying a rights fee to PBC for the shows it was airing, usually a low-six-figure amount. By contrast, PBC had time-buy arrangements with its other non-premium cable partners, including NBC, ESPN and Fox.
Schwarz said Spike would remain open to televising boxing, adding: “We have a great relationship and running dialogue with Al and the PBC. Our focus is on Bellator right now, but if the right fight arises we are all ears.”