The Contender 2! WOOOOO.

Mikk · 07-09-2006, 11:25 AM

"The Contender" Coming To ESPN April 2006

11.08.05 - ESPN, Inc., Mark Burnett Productions, and DreamWorks Television announced today that the second season of the critically acclaimed series The Contender is set to begin airing on ESPN April 2006. The Contender is an unscripted drama about the lives, fears and hopes of 16 professional boxers as they compete for the chance to change their lives and the lives of the people they love forever..

The Contender will air under the ESPN Original Entertainment (EOE) banner and be executive produced by Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Apprentice, Rock Star INXS), Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sylvester Stallone. Plans call for casting and production to begin immediately and for the series to air beginning April 2006 in primetime on ESPN.

"The Contender has all of the elements that make it the right fit for ESPN: compelling storylines, dynamic characters and suspense over the outcome," said Mark Shapiro, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production. "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."

Mark Burnett said, "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 all the contestants in the first episode, each subsequent show will see one or more boxing hopefuls eliminated via in-the-ring competition against each other. Viewers will see contestants training in the ring, living together in one house, and witness their personal interactions, while learning the often heart wrenching details of the lives these men lead and what led them to pursue their dream.

ESPN has options to renew the series for two subsequent seasons, and the network is partnered with Burnett and Katzenberg in utilizing the series across all media platforms on a worldwide basis.

Mark Burnett Productions will continue to handle the distribution of the series internationally, as well as the sponsorships and product integration.

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EXCELLENT!

I saw an advert last night on ITV2 hyping this up on ITV4 and i can't wait as this was such a good programme.

Have you americans already had this at all?

DD · 07-09-2006, 01:11 PM

It says its going to air in April 06???

Mikk · 07-09-2006, 02:10 PM

I was thinking that too and thats why i asked because i think last time us in the UK did get it on a delay.

I can't wait for it to start.

Joe Cool · 07-09-2006, 02:11 PM

This premieres July 18th on ESPN in the USA.

I just looked it up.

Mikk · 07-09-2006, 02:14 PM

I'm guessing it won't be too far behind in the UK then as they are advertising it now.

Joe Cool · 07-09-2006, 02:16 PM

Most likely....im sure we could get some episodes up in the Multimedia forum once they air here if you dont want to wait though. :up:

Edit: Just found a forum that says the UK start date for the series is July 24 one week behind us.

Mikk · 07-09-2006, 02:25 PM

I have heard that Sly isn't on screen this time as he was shooting Rocky 6 so its Sugar Ray presenting and they have gotten rid of the challenges like the truck race.

Still going to be good hopefully.

Joe Cool · 07-09-2006, 02:29 PM

Yup I just read the same thing.

Here's a page with all the fighters for this season if you want to check it out.

You've peaked my interest Mikk so I did a few searches and found their homepage:

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Mikk · 07-09-2006, 04:05 PM

I saw quite a strange thing on the promo vid on ITV4, i swear i saw Randy Coture {sp?} of the UFC on the vid.

It probably wasn't but it was a hell of a look a like.