Knocked Out: ESPN Not Renewing Reality Series "The Contender"

ESPN has "pulled the plug" on its reality boxing show "The Contender," according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. ESPN televised the series' second and third seasons after NBC ran the first. ESPN VP/Series Development & Production Ron Wechsler: "It was a hard decision to make." Wechsler added the net "couldn't come to terms" on a renewal with Tournament of Contenders (TOC), the show's promoter. Rafael noted the series "likely will find new life on another network." TOC Promoter Jeff Wald, one of the show's exec producers, said, "We're sorry it didn't work out at ESPN, but we're in the process of making another deal. ... Hopefully, the deal we are working on will be closed in the next few days" (ESPN.com, 4/10).