Spike TV's commitment to Premier Boxing Champions is "over" after just 17 telecasts on the cable network, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. Launched on the cable network with "much fanfare" in March '15, with the "promise [of] at least 33 monthly cards" -- nine in '15 and 12 apiece in '16 and '17. Spike Senior VP/Communications David Schwarz said that the net and PBC had a "two-year agreement and had negotiated a network option for a third year, but that never made it into the final paperwork." The final card "aired in January." Spike had "positioned PBC as one of its Friday night combat sports cornerstones, along with Bellator MMA and Glory kickboxing." Schwarz said that the reason Spike did "not seek to continue its commitment to PBC was twofold: 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 MMA." Viacom, Spike's parent company, owns Bellator. Spike was also the "only nonpremium network paying a rights fee to PBC for the shows it was putting on, usually a low-six-figure amount to help supplement the often seven-figure costs of the cards." PBC had "time-buy arrangements with its other nonpremium cable partners, including NBC, ESPN and Fox." PBC VP/Communications Tim Smith said, "We're in discussions with Spike about the future, but nothing is firm yet" (ESPN.com, 4/12).
