Will
01-29-2007, 08:02 AM
The following is an excerpt from an article from the sports section of NYDailyNews.com:
HBO's 'Ultimate' dilemma
Talks are heating up between HBO Sports execs and representatives of Ultimate Fighting Championship that could soon end in a deal bringing the caged warriors to the pay-cable network.
If a contract gets done there are all kinds of ramifications. HBO does serious sports journalism with shows such as "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" and Bob Costas' "Costas Now." Where would the controversial UFC fit in? Yes, boxing, HBO's marquee sports franchise, ain't exactly without its share of whacked actors, but compared to UFC it is a mainstream sport.
Also, how would HBO handle the production? Considering its history, both HBO Sports boss Ross Greenburg and executive producer Rick Bernstein would probably seek new and independent voices with no ties to UFC.
Would they do some crossover with their boxing yackers? Word is both Lennox Lewis and MeMax Kellerman, who work on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series, are UFC aficionados.
I don't have a clue how this guy is able to have such a prominent job while also being mentally challenged. Boxing is a circus act with old guys who don't know when to hang it up and freaks like Tyson and King running around doing drugs and biting peoples ears off, while the UFC is the fastest growing sport in any genre in the world, but he calls boxing the mainstream sport?
HBO's 'Ultimate' dilemma
Talks are heating up between HBO Sports execs and representatives of Ultimate Fighting Championship that could soon end in a deal bringing the caged warriors to the pay-cable network.
If a contract gets done there are all kinds of ramifications. HBO does serious sports journalism with shows such as "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" and Bob Costas' "Costas Now." Where would the controversial UFC fit in? Yes, boxing, HBO's marquee sports franchise, ain't exactly without its share of whacked actors, but compared to UFC it is a mainstream sport.
Also, how would HBO handle the production? Considering its history, both HBO Sports boss Ross Greenburg and executive producer Rick Bernstein would probably seek new and independent voices with no ties to UFC.
Would they do some crossover with their boxing yackers? Word is both Lennox Lewis and MeMax Kellerman, who work on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series, are UFC aficionados.
I don't have a clue how this guy is able to have such a prominent job while also being mentally challenged. Boxing is a circus act with old guys who don't know when to hang it up and freaks like Tyson and King running around doing drugs and biting peoples ears off, while the UFC is the fastest growing sport in any genre in the world, but he calls boxing the mainstream sport?