This is a detailed proposal for a cable network that was written for a media programming course.

1. Executive Summary
The purpose of this paper is to outline a proposal for a new cable network, which will be
titled “Knockout TV.” The network will be dedicated to providing 24/7 coverage of the sport of
boxing, and has been created in an effort to raise awareness of and grow the sport of boxing.
Included in this proposal are the reasons why the network will be successful and
profitable, an explanation of the audience that the network will be trying to reach, how the
network will position itself to consumers, the importance of the network having strong and
credible talent, what the network will have to do in order to be better than its competition, an
exhaustive list of the programs that will drive the network’s success, and ways in which the
network will integrate other media besides television into their programming.
Other minor topics that this proposal will touch on include how the network will plan
and schedule their programs, how it will sell its programs to advertisers, and the tools that the
network will use perpetually to evaluate its programming and use of other media.
This proposal will go in-depth with regard to the technology that Knockout TV will use,
specifically the use of 3D technology. This is a market that has not been tapped to its fullest
potential, which creates a tremendous opportunity for any network that has the type of
programming that would be compelling if viewed on a 3D technology.
The evaluation of Knockout TV will be based on advertising revenue, Nielsen ratings,
Web traffic, and responses from electronic surveys that will be distributed periodically to
subscribers of the network’s weekly online newsletter.
[1]

2. Programming Strategy
Boxing has been a major part of the American sports scene for nearly a century. Even
though it is a popular sport and a big-money sport, it does not get as much coverage as other
popular American sports. If horse racing, golf and tennis all have cable and satellite networks
dedicated to providing 24/7 coverage of the sport to their fans, then there is no reason why the
fans of boxing shouldn’t have a network dedicated solely to covering their sport.
Up until 1975, every major prize fight was televised through a terrestrial television
station such as CBS or NBC. When HBO televised the Thrilla in Manila in 1975 between Joe
Frazier and Muhammad Ali, however, everything began to change for the sport. The Thrilla in
Manila is considered by many to have been the greatest heavyweight fight of all time and
unfortunately, it was not seen live by anyone who did not have access to such premium cable
networks.
Ever since the advent of premium cable networks such as Home Box Office (HBO) and
Showtime, the best events that the sport has to offer have only been available to consumers at
a premium price. While cable networks such as ESPN and regional sports networks such as FSN
carry some boxing events, none of them have coverage that is up to snuff with the coverage
that HBO and Showtime provide. On top of that, FSN and ESPN tend to only show fighters that
are either washed-up or have yet to make any sort of name for themselves. This is why a
network that provides 24/7 coverage of the sport will have a good chance at being successful if
it provides enough meaningful content to satisfy advertisers and their target audience.
The name of the cable network will be “Knockout TV.” It is important that the network
doesn’t get branded as “KOTV,” because of the fact that it could lead to legal issues since KOTV
[2]

3. is the ABC station that is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The goal of this network will be to give fans
of boxing a reliable source for boxing news, event coverage, and profiles of current and retired
boxers.
Target and Core Audiences
When you watch a major boxing match on pay-per-view, you tend to see a lot of older
men dressed up in nice suits sitting near the ring. While this may seem like it is the sport’s
“biggest” audience, it is a little misleading to say that these are the individuals that Knockout TV
needs to specifically target. Some of the programming that the network will air will be
appealing to this demographic, most of the programming will be aimed at a younger and less
affluent demographic.
Most of the programming that will be aimed at an upscale audience will be produced in
3D, since it isn’t very likely that many households within our target and core audiences will have
easy access to 3D television technology.
The target audience that Knockout TV will be trying to reach will be primarily composed
of men aged 18 to 40, who have access to networks such as HBO and Showtime, and who
occasionally purchase major prize fights via pay-per-view.
The core audience will consist of males aged 24 to 36 who are avid followers of the
sport, and regularly purchase major prize fights on pay-per-view. Knockout TV will have to keep
this audience satisfied and get into the channel repertoire of these peoplein order to be viable
and sustainable.
[3]

4. Planning and Scheduling
Knockout TV will air a wide variety of programs focused on the sport of boxing. These
programs will include pre and post-fight coverage of major boxing events, a nightly show that
discusses news and other events taking place in the world of boxing, live coverage of second
and third-tier professional fights, and digitally re-mastered replays of historical fights.
There will also be a weekly show titled “Boxing Magazine.” Boxing Magazine is a 30
minute show that will show highlights of fights from the previous week, profiles of current
boxers who are preparing for fights in the coming weeks,
An innovative show that Knockout TV will show will cover everything that goes behind
the “gambling” part of the sport. It will be a weekly ½ hour program that goes into detail about
what goes on during the days and hours leading up to major fights at casinos in Las Vegas and
Atlantic City.
Salability and Profitability
This network should be an easy enough sell to cable and satellite systems, as they can
include it in a tier that has networks such as ESPN2, NFL Network, and NBA TV. If this network
were made available via DirecTV, I would want to put it on channel number 219, as this would
be right in line with most of the other sports networks that DirecTV carries.
An issue that could come up in the area of salability and profitability is the fact that it
will be difficult to maintain an audience during live events since the network may have to take
commercial breaks in between rounds in order to generate revenue. A way to combat this
would be by having companies sponsor different rounds throughout the fight, and have their
[4]

5. logo superimposed on the screen. Still, this could lead to problems because if you sell a “round”
to 12 different advertisers and the fight only lasts 6 rounds, you could have problems.
When it comes to our target and core audiences, something that will sell is sex. The
majority of the individuals we are trying to target will be men, so if you can find a way to put
beautiful women in front of them, they will stay tuned. In between rounds, if we can show the
ring girls carrying the sign that shows what round it is around the ring instead of showing what
is going on in each boxer’s corner, viewers will be more likely to stay tuned.
Some of the advertisers that will be willing to purchase ad space will be beer companies
such as Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller Lite, automobile companies, Gatorade, and other
companies that typically advertise during sporting events. Knockout TV will also use product
placement advertisements during some of their programs. They will also have certain
companies sponsor some of the programs, such as “Kellerman’s Korner presented by
Gatorade.”
3D programs will be more salable to upscale brands since the majority of the viewers
will have higher income levels than viewers in the primary audience. Some brands that
Knockout TV should be able to sell itself to will be male enhancement distributors such as
Viagra and Cialis, upscale automakers such as Lexus, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz, and expensive
alcohol brands such as Hennessey, Bacardi, and Grey Goose.
Competition
For live boxing events, no network provides better coverage than HBO. They have
excellent broadcasters and analysts, excellent camera angles, excellent music, and the overall
flow of their broadcasts are very smooth. In order for Knockout TV to be successful, it will have
[5]

6. to find ways to make their coverage of live fights as good as HBO. This could be difficult,
however, since Knockout TV will have to air commercials during most of their live broadcasts.
Unlike HBO, the network won’t have the luxury of having the cost to produce and distribute
their broadcasts partially offset by subscriber fees.
Since most major fights are broadcast through an HBO channel, Knockout TV will have
to find ways to offer fans better pre and post-fight coverage of those events that ESPN. When
the fight is over, people will want more coverage, and frankly, ESPN does not do a very good
job of covering boxing. This is something that Knockout TV will have to capitalize on if it is going
to be successful.
A big challenge for Knockout TV will be the ability to come up with video of pay-per-view
events. Production companies do not release footage of the fights to other media outlets
because of the fact that it will cheapen the value of paying to watch the event live. Instead,
most networks show only still photographs of the fight when they are analyzing it. This is the
route Knockout TV will have to go, unless they can work out a deal with the pay-per-view
production companies that would allow them to show actual footage of the event. If an
agreement were reached, it would come with a big price tag for Knockout TV.
As of right now, there is very little competition in the 3D sports broadcasting industry.
This is another area where Knockout TV can capitalize by producing and distributing live events
using 3D technology.
3D technology is still in the introductory stages of the product life cycle, so it won’t
make a lot of sense to pour large amounts of money into producing programs right away, but it
[6]

7. won’t be a bad idea for the network to consider producing a live 3D broadcast once a month for
a few months in order to gauge how much potential 3D technology has for the network.
Product Differentiation
Knockout TV will be different from the competition in that they will be the only network
that is dedicated to covering the sport of boxing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Other sports
networks such as ESPN cover boxing, but they do not do a very good job of covering the sport.
This is something that Knockout TV will have to capitalize on if it is going to be successful.
The network will use several scheduling techniques to compete with other specialized
spots networks, including blunting and lead-in. The network won’t be able to use
counterprogramming as a strategy because they will not be producing any programs that are
the exact opposite of what ESPN, FSN, NFL Network, and NBA TV air.
Even though ESPN produces and distributes some of their programs using 3D
technology, the market for 3D sports programming is still somewhat un-tapped. This is an area
where Knockout TV will have a lot of potential to grow and make itself better than the
competition. If the network can produce and distribute 3D programming in an efficient manner,
it will set the bar higher for all networks that air live sports programming.
Positioning
Since the products that Knockout TV will be selling to its advertisers and audience
appeal primarily to a male audience, it will need to be positioned as a “tough and manly”
network. The positioning statement for Knockout TV will be “All the boxing you want, from
soup to nuts.” This positioning statement will be fitting for the audience that the network will
be trying to appeal to, because “soup to nuts” is an idiom that signifies a sense of toughness,
[7]

8. and since boxing is a sport that is viewed by many as a “tough” sport, so this positioning
statement will fit the network very well.
In order for Knockout TV to achieve this positioning, they will have to use appropriate
music, visual aids, and use language during their broadcast that will appeal to their target
audience.
Since most major boxing events take place in Las Vegas, this is where the network’s
primary studio and business offices will be located. It will be an attractive place for talent to
live, and will be more cost-effective for the network as they won’t have to spend a great deal of
money to travel to the site of a major event.
In order for the network to accomplish its goals in reaching its target audience, it will
have to show some things that most sports networks don’t show during live events. For
example, one of the most important parts of a live boxing event occurs when each fighter is
shown in their corner in between rounds. Sometimes, the images are very gruesome and there
is a lot of inappropriate language picked up by microphones. While this may not be appealing to
everyone who is watching the event, it adds to the drama of the broadcast.
Since Knockout TV wants to have as many appeals as possible during their programs, the
network will have to add some sort of sex appeal to its broadcasts. Since the network is
targeting a male audience, one of the best ways to do this would be by having an attractive
female reporter as a part of all of their live broadcasts and studio shows, and by occasionally
showing the “ring girls” in between the rounds of live events.
[8]

9. Promotion
Before the network is launched, it will have to be promoted through various mediums. It
should be easy enough to have HBO promote the network during the fights that they show,
since HBO doesn’t provide pre and post-event coverage. Knockout TV can produce
advertisements that will be super-imposed on the television screen during segments when
advertisements are shown. A typical message will include details about the programming that
the network provides, and a line that says “Contact your cable or satellite provider for details
on how to subscribe to Knockout TV.”
The network will promote their 3D broadcasts during its own programs, as well as
through other media.
Programs
Boxing Axxess
The most innovative program that Knockout TV will air will be a program that focuses on
what happens in the days and hours that lead up to major prize fights. This would be an
interesting program because it will allow viewers to see what goes on behind the scenes in Las
Vegas as the fights approach. Not only will this program show what is going on in Las Vegas
casinos, but it will also show some of the things that are going behind the scenes with event
management, television production crews, and the fighters themselves. There will be some
things that can’t be shown to the public, so Knockout TV will have to do their homework and
make sure they aren’t putting anything that invades privacy or endangers ill will at these events
on television.
[9]

10. It’s possible that this program will be produced and distributed using 3D technology.
This will help Knockout TV expand their “footprint” and possibly attract a whole new target
audience to the network.
Rags to Rings
This is a show that will chronicle the lives of boxers who had to overcome a lot of
obstacles in order to get to where they are now. This is a show that could create a lot of human
interest among individuals who want to see what it takes to get to the highest level of boxing.
This program would also appeal to a lower-income audience because it will show them that no
matter how bad things may seem, there is always a chance that things can get better. This
would also appeal to a younger (12-18) audience because it will also show them the importance
of hard work and persistence in achieving their goals and dreams. This is a show that will also
appeal to people who are of a lower socioeconomic status.
Since this is a program that will appeal to younger viewers and viewers of a lower
socioeconomic status, it won’t make much sense for the network to invest any money in
producing the program using 3D technology.
Boxin’ All Over the World
Boxin’ All Over the World is a program that will profile boxers from countries outside of
North America, and will place an emphasis on the popularity of the sport and of specific fighters
who hail from countries underdeveloped and poor countries.
The goal of this program will be to give viewers some sort of insight as to how much
people, specifically children, look up to high-profile boxers from their home country. It will also
give viewers an idea as to what takes place during boxing events in these countries. The
[10]

11. program may have some appeal to a female audience, and will air at 9:00 eastern time on
Wednesdays, and will re-air at 9:00 pacific time in order to accommodate the west coast
audience.
Because there will be a great deal of overhead involved with the production of this
program, it is highly unlikely that it will be produces and broadcast using 3D technology until
the cost of producing 3D programming comes down.
Sunday Night Boxing
From January 1st until the NFL season kicks off in September, there is very little to watch
on Sunday nights in the world of sports. ESPN has Sunday Night Baseball from April until
September, but aside from a few NASCAR races, there are very few programs that are aimed at
sports fans. This is why having a program that airs live fights on Sunday nights has the potential
to be successful.
The program will begin at 8:00 eastern time, and 3 fights will be shown. This will be an
opportunity for the sport to showcase up-and-coming fighters that don’t get much exposure, as
well as established fighters who are trying to get a chance at one of the sport’s coveted titles.
Once the Sunday Night event concludes, there will be a 30-minute post-fight show to
wrap up everything that happened during the event.
The event itself will be replayed several times during the week in order to fill up some of
the hours during the day. It will be replayed at 8:00 pm on Tuesday nights to give anyone who
didn’t get to watch the original broadcast a fair opportunity to see the event in prime time once
again.
[11]

12. Sunday Night Fights is the primary program that will be produced using 3D technology.
It will be produced in 3D once a month for the first year or so of the network’s existence, and
from there, the network will determine whether or not they should consider producing more
programs in 3D.
An interactive element that will be included in the broadcast of Sunday Night Fights will
be the ability for viewers to vote for the winner of each round via text message. In order to
“dangle a carrot” in front of viewers, text voting will be sponsored by an airline or major Las
Vegas hotel. The purpose of this will be to reward one lucky voter with 2 tickets, airfare, and a
hotel room for an upcoming prize fight in Las Vegas. This will give viewers another reason to
stay tuned in to the broadcast and have them participate.
Classic Fights
ESPN Classic always shows replays of classic fights from previous decades. While some
of these fights provide nostalgia for viewers who lived during those eras, there isn’t very much
appeal to the younger audience.
With that said, the way to make those programs more appealing to a younger audience
will be to make the presentation style more modern. This can be done by taking the original
film of the fight and using modern graphics, modern announcers, and modern audio in order to
make the fight seem like it took place in the contemporary era. It would take a while to produce
these programs, but if it is done the correct way, it will be successful.
Kellerman’s Korner
Max Kellerman is a very insightful personality when it comes to boxing. He has been
covering the sport for many years and has a great deal of knowledge about the sport. He has
[12]

13. hosted his own show in the past, which is why he will be successful in hosting his own nightly
show on Knockout TV.
While Kellerman will be the primary host of the program, he will also be assisted by
other personalities and special guests because it would be unreasonable to expect someone to
carry an entire television program by themselves for 60 minutes.
In order to counterprogram some of the programs that ESPN and FSN air such as
Baseball Tonight, SportsCenter, and The Final Score the show will last for 60 minutes and air
beginning at 10:30 pm eastern time from Monday through Thursday. A special edition of the
show will air following Sunday Night Fights, and begin at 10:30 eastern time. The program
won’t air on Friday or Saturday, since Knockout TV will be airing other programs.
The program will also contain an interactive element, as fans will have the opportunity
to email questions about the show and have them answered by one or more of the analysts
and/or special guests that are co-hosting the show with Kellerman.
Another element to this program will be having a 10 to 15 minute sit-down interview
with the two fighters who will be participating in a major (pay-per-view) prize fight on the
Thursday before the event. This would only be able to happen if both fighters agreed to do so,
however. The interview would be moderated by Kellerman himself. One issue that could arise
with these, however, could be a significant language barrier, especially if you have two fighters
who speak a language other than English. Still, this would give fans of boxing something
intriguing to watch before a major fight, and could help boost pay-per-view sales of the event if
one of the fighters says something controversial.
[13]

14. Due to the fact that producing 3D programs requires a separate set of cameras and can
be very expensive, it is highly unlikely that the program will be produced using 3D technology
until it is more affordable for consumers to access, and more affordable to produce.
Women’s Boxing
Women’s boxing is something that is very popular amongst men, despite the fact that it
is rarely aired on cable sports networks. For whatever be the reason, men seem to enjoy
watching two women beat the hell out of each other for 3 minutes at a time, even though most
traditional women don’t find it very attractive.
Women’s boxing will air every Friday night because that will be a good time for all of the
guys to get together, have a few beers, and unwind after a long, hard week at work. Even
though Friday night is the worst night of the week for TV, a program like this would have the
potential to be successful because in addition to being aired in people’s homes, it can be aired
in sports bars such as Buffalo Wild Wings.
Since this is a show that will be aimed at an older and more mature audience, it will
likely air at 9:00 or 10:00 eastern time so that it will be less likely to be viewed by younger
audiences. The show will be replayed at 9:00 or 10:00 pacific time in order to accommodate the
viewers on the west coast.
The program will be re-aired at least twice during the week in order to give viewers who
missed the original broadcast the opportunity to watch it or DVR the event.
Once 3D technology has fully penetrated the market, it is very likely that these events
will be produced and distributed in 3D. There is a small possibility that one of the broadcasts
will be produced in 3D within the first year of the network’s existence, but that will be
[14]

15. dependent upon the success of Sunday Night Fights and the success of 3D programs that are
produced and distributed by other networks.
Pre- and Post-Fight Coverage of Major Fights
Even though most major fights are covered by ESPN, they are not covered as extensively
as other major events. This is due in part to the fact that the individuals who will be viewing the
fight will be doing so at a premium price, and thus, they aren’t as well-represented as viewers
of other major sporting events.
Before the event starts, the pay-per-view companies are doing everything they can to
promote the event and get cable and satellite subscribers to pay for the event. A live show that
builds up the event will be a great tool for the cable and satellite companies to use to entice
customers to pay $50-$75 for the event. Knockout TV could charge the cable and satellite
companies to run a crawl at the bottom of the screen that says “To Order Pacquiao vs.
Margarito, call 1-800-DIRECTV Now!”
Following the event, avid followers of boxing don’t always have a good source to go to
for coverage of the fight. ESPN provides some coverage, but it isn’t nearly up to snuff with the
coverage they give to the NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football and basketball. This will give
Knockout TV a huge opportunity to draw viewers to their network.
Something that has to be considered when airing post-fight coverage is that it probably
won’t be viewed by a great deal of people who live in the eastern and central time zones. Most
of the fights will end at 1:00 AM and 12:00 AM, respectively, so it won’t be feasible to expect
them to stay up and watch more coverage of the event.
[15]

16. In order to accommodate viewers in the eastern and central time zones, Knockout TV
will air an encore presentation of the post-fight show beginning at 9:00 AM eastern time, and
repeating every hour the following morning. Since most fights take place on Saturday nights, it
will make the most sense to start the encore presentation at this time because it will allow the
people who viewed the fight the night before to sleep in, and will give them something to
watch on Sunday morning.
It is highly unlikely that pre and post-fight coverage of major events will be produced
using 3D technology because of the fact that 3D programs are very expensive to produce, and it
is not known whether or not the program would generate enough revenue to justify 3D
production costs.
Talent
Having the right on-air talent is something that will be vital to the success of Knockout
TV. Like any other sports network, Knockout TV will have to hire analysts and broadcasters who
are knowledgeable of the sport. There are several knowledgeable individuals out there, but the
most important person for Knockout TV to have will be Max Kellerman.
Kellerman serves as a color commentator for HBO and is very insightful about the sport.
He has a great broadcasting style and doesn’t make the broadcast about himself. If all goes as
planned, he will have a nightly show titled “Kellerman’s Korner” where news from the world of
boxing will be analyzed, and upcoming events will be previewed.
In addition to Kellerman, the network will need to make sure that they hire the
appropriate people to give play-by-play commentary. Three individuals who provide great play-
by-play commentary for the sport are Jim Lampley, Bob Papa, and Gus Johnson. There are other
[16]

17. capable announcers who will be hired by Knockout TV, but the trio of Lampley, Papa, and
Johnson will be our “Big Three,” similar to how Mike Breen, Mike Tirico, and Dan Schulman are
the “Big Three” NBA announcers for ESPN and ABC.
Fans of a sport ant the people who analyze the events they watch to be credible and
knowledgeable about the sport. A true fan will know whether or not someone knows what they
are talking about, so in order for the network to be taken serious by both the target and core
audience, Knockout TV will have to ensure that they hire analysts who have experience and are
knowledgeable about the sport.
In order to make this happen, the network will also recruit retired boxers and boxing
trainers to provide insight about the sport. The more knowledgeable the talent is, the more
credible the network itself will be, not only in the eyes of the target and core audiences, but in
the eyes of sports fans in general.
Since most of the programming that Knockout TV will be airing is aimed at a male
audience, it will be important for the network to have at least one good-looking female as a
part of every live broadcast. This will add a degree of sex appeal to their programming, and may
help the audience stay tuned in longer if they are “teased” and told that the good-looking
female will be giving her special report following the commercial break.
Syndication
Some of the programming that Knockout TV will air will be syndicated from other
networks.
HBO airs a program called “24/7” in which two fighters who will be facing each other in
a major fight are followed by a camera crew for 4 or 5 weeks leading up to the fight. Knockout
[17]

18. TV could air each separate episode of “24/7” periodically, and then show the actual fight once
all episodes have been aired.-
Tiering
Since most specialized sports networks such as the NFL Network, NBA TV, and Fox
Soccer Channel are part of an extended basic package, this is where Knockout TV will also fall.
Most people who have a niche for a certain sport and go out of their way to watch it are willing
to do so at a premium price.
The 3D tier of the network will be made available to cable and satellite companies, but
the network will only air a handful of 3D events once it is launched. This will allow the network
to gauge how well the 3D broadcasts are doing in terms of viewership and revenue generation,
and will allow the network to determine whether or not there is enough demand for 3D
programming to justify producing more programs.
Technology
Every program that is produced by Knockout TV will be available in high definition. This
is very important because most sports fans won’t watch a live event if it isn’t available in high
definition.
Some of the live programs that the network airs will be made available in 3D. This will
be somewhat challenging, however, as 3D programs have to be produced separate from the
normal standard and high definition broadcasts, and have to be aired on a separate channel.
Because of this, Knockout TV will only air one 3D broadcast per month, and may produce more
as time goes along and 3D televisions become more affordable to consumers and 3D programs
become more affordable to produce.
[18]

19. As of right now, most 3D televisions range from $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the
brand and size of the television. This is something that doesn’t fit well with the budgets of
Knockout TV’s audience, however, it will give the network an opportunity to market itself to a
more upscale audience.
During 3D broadcasts, EVERYTHING will have to be done perfectly. Knockout TV will be
trying to maintain the upscale audience, so they will need to choose advertisers that appeal to
this audience. Some of the companies that they may consider selling themselves to are male
enhancement pill distributors such as Viagra and Cialis, upscale alcohol companies such as
Hennessey and Grey Goose, and upscale automakers such as Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz.
The network will also have to ensure that their talent will be using the right language
and will be showing some of the “behind the scenes” things that go on during the fight. One
idea would be to show the ring girls walking around the ring and holding up the sign that
indicates what round is coming up.
In order to measure the success of 3D programming, various methodologies will have to
be used. The easiest way to measure the success of the programming will be to look at the
penetration of 3D television subscriptions in various markets. This can be done by gathering
data from cable and satellite systems such as DirecTV, Dish Network, and Comcast, and then
looking at the ratings of 3D programming. This will be an accurate method because it will give
the network an idea of the penetration rate of 3D televisions, and show them whether or not
they are doing a good enough job of promoting the network.
[19]

20. Other Media Used By Knockout TV
As is the case with most other television networks, Knockout TV will use a wide variety
of media in addition to television.
The most prevalent media that the network will use will be various forms of online
media. The network will have a web site, with a URL of www.knockout.tv. This Web site will
contain loads of information about the network itself, profiles of all Knockout TV personalities,
and profiles of several boxers, past and present.
The Web site will also offer a wide variety of audio and visual content, such as live
webcasts of press conferences before major fights, replays of original Knockout TV programs,
such as Boxing Axxess and Rags to the Ring, bonus segments of “Kellerman’s Korner,” and
additional analysis about fights that were covered by Knockout TV and on pay-per-view. In
order for this content to be viable and worth the time that will be but in to it, it will be
necessary for Knockout TV to have 30-second advertisements shown before the content itself is
broadcast to the viewer. In order to place some sort of value on watching the events the first
time they air on television, none of the episodes of “Boxing Axxess” and “Rags to the Ring” will
be made available online until 3-5 days after the original broadcast.
Each program that Knockout TV airs will have its own section on the Web site. Within
each section, there will be some sort of interactive element that will enhance the program. In
addition to television ratings, tools such as Google Analytics will be used to evaluate the success
of every program. If a program is getting high ratings and generating a decent amount of Web
traffic, chances are that the program will not change and will stick to the same formula until the
[20]

21. network determines that they need to pull the plug on the program or find ways to make the
program more appealing to the audiences they are trying to reach.
The Web site will also host weekly live chats involving network personalities such as
Max Kellerman, Jim Lampley, and George Foreman. This will be another way to generate more
traffic for the Web site, and will give viewers the opportunity to get insight from network
personalities in a unique way.
In addition to the insight that will be given by Knockout TV personalities, there will be a
section dedicated to boxing writers, and a section where there will be a discussion forum where
viewers of the network can discuss boxing news and other events related to the sport.
Another interactive element that will be integrated into live Knockout TV broadcasts will
be the ability of viewers to vote for the winner of each round via text message. This will give
viewers another reason to stay tuned in to the broadcast, and if some sort of contesting is
involved, it will give them more of a reason to participate in voting via text message. An
example of a contest that Knockout TV could use during their live broad cast would be having
an airline or hotel chain sponsor the text voting, and selecting one random winner to receive 2
tickets, airfare, and a hotel room for an upcoming major prize fight. It won’t be feasible to do a
contest like this on a regular basis, so the people who text their vote for the winner will have to
be entered into a large pool of contestants that will be accumulated over a specified period of
time.
Having enhanced coverage of live events may be an option that Knockout TV will
consider, but since the network is a subscription network and not an over-the-air network like
NBC, CBS, and ABC, enhanced coverage of live events will be very limited. An idea would be to
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22. consider showing the first round of a fight online, then going back to the studio for round two,
showing round three live, and so on. If the online viewers (who are presumed to not have
access to the network via television) are impressed with the coverage but want to have the
opportunity to watch the entire event, they may be enticed to call their cable or satellite
network and upgrade their service and pay for a tier that will allow them to have Knockout TV.
Network Evaluation
In order to evaluate the overall success of the network, several steps will need to be
taken over a long period of time.
The first of these steps will be to evaluate the network’s ratings through Nielsen. This
will be important for programs like Boxing Axxess and Rags to the Ring, because of there isn’t
enough viewership for those programs, the network will have to consider producing new
programs that will appeal to its target audience. If programs such as Kellerman’s Korner, Sunday
Night Fights, and Women’s Boxing aren’t getting very good ratings, the network will have to
figure out what it needs to do in order to create a larger audience for those programs, as they
are the programs that will drive the success of the network.
Another tool that the network will constantly be evaluating is the success of its Web
site. Tools such as Google Analytics will be used to analyze web traffic and how long users are
staying on the site. It will also be important to see where visitors to the Web site are located
geographically, so that the network can figure out what it needs to do in order to better market
itself to consumers in geographic areas that aren’t generating a lot of Web traffic. This will also
allow the network to see if there will be potential for the network to be profitable on a global
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23. scale. The Web site will also have a section where viewers will be allowed to submit comments
about the network, the talent, and the programming that is being aired by the network.
The network will allow viewers to sign up for a weekly newsletter. It will be important
for the network to get as many viewers as possible to sign up for this newsletter in order to
build a database of Email addresses and physical addresses. If enough physical addresses are
gathered, the network could look at the ZIP codes where the most subscribers are located, and
use Claritas, a service that breaks down demographic and psychographic information of certain
ZIP codes. This information will help the network develop new strategies about how it can
market itself to the people that are most interested in the network, and where the network
needs to improve its marketing strategies in order to reach a more broad audience.
Having a database of Email addresses will also give the network the opportunity to send
electronic surveys to individuals who have subscribed to the network. This will allow the
network to do more qualitative research about its programming, and find out ways in which it
can improve its programming. The more feedback, the better. So, the network will need to
distribute monthly surveys to a random sample of its Email newsletter subscribers.
Conclusion
Due to the fact that there isn’t a network that is committed to providing 24/7 coverage
of the sport of boxing, Knockout TV will have tremendous potential to be successful. Once the
network is launched, it will be imperative for the network to constantly be evaluating its
programming and monitoring what is being said on its Web page. The network will also have to
perpetually evaluate what the court of public opinion is saying about the network, and
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24. evaluating what the primary audience of the network is saying through the electronic surveys
that will be distributed periodically to subscribers of the network’s online newsletter.
The biggest market that Knockout TV will have to capitalize on will be the market for 3D
programming. This market is expected to grow significantly over the next 5-7 years, so the
sooner the network enters the market the better.
The network may turn out to be a flop, but if the proper steps are taken to perfect the
viewing experience of the target audience, the network will have the potential to fit into the
channel repertoire of its target audience.
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