SFX Sports Group acquired N.Y.-based Black Canyon
Productions, a TV production company that has created sports
documentaries for HBO and other networks. Black Canyon also
produces direct marketing TV campaigns for SI, the NFL and
the NCAA, and has a sports film library. Currently, Black
Canyon is producing eight one-hour biographies for ESPN to
air as part of its "SportsCentury" series (SFX). Financial
terms of the deal were not disclosed. But SFX Sports Group
President of TV & Entertainment Mike Trager said, "This is
not the last acquisition. There will be others in our
programming and production area over the next six to 12
months. We're going to increase our production capability,
in sports and entertainment production" (SPORTSBUSINESS
JOURNAL, 5/15 issue). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Brett
Sporich writes that Trager will "be announcing original
sports and entertainment programming within the next three
to six months." Trager: "We won't be trying to duplicate
HBO sports programming, but we can and will extend the
quality and style of programming that Black Canyon is famous
for into what works with SFX" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 5/16).
