NEW YORK – Something relatively unique in Canadian television is launching today in New York.
A brand new cable channel, Fight Now TV is launching on Cablevision, the 8th-largest cable operator in the United States (3.3 million subscribers). That the channel is Canadian-owned an operated is something relatively new. Not since the CBC and Power Corp’s Newsworld International and Trio (both brands have since disappeared once sold to American interests) and the thriving World Fishing Network, has a linear, wholly owned Canadian cable channel offering video been available on American MSOs.
(Ed note: Montreal’s Stingray Digital offers music worldwide under a number of brands and is well distributed among American MSOs. We also apologize for leaving the World Fishing Network out of the first version of this story)
But Fight Now TV is not about Canada. It’s about the combat sports game. Boxing/MMA/kickboxing and other combat sports are global by nature and the new channel, two years in the making, will reflect that.
Fight Now TV “caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. Fight Now is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and match-ups happenings around the globe,” says the press release.
Fight Now TV was founded by veteran broadcast executives Mike Garrow (the original founder of The Fight Network), Channel Zero’s Cal Millar and Romen Podzyhun. Garrow will serve as the channel’s general manager and the channel will be operated out of Channel Zero’s Hamilton and Toronto offices. Long-time sports TV veteran Doug Jacobs serves as a production and programming consultant and former UFC champion and MMA legend Randy Couture (left) will serve as both a spokesperson and analyst for the channel (and is a minority owner).
“Combat sports events happen 52 weeks a year. There is no off season in the fight game; so whether it’s mixed martial arts, boxing, grappling or kickboxing contests you are into, we offer it all on one dedicated channel,” said Garrow. “There is something for every fight fan on Fight Now TV, as we will deliver ‘knockout’ entertainment to viewers each and every day.”
“Fight Now TV will bring the best fights from around the world right to our viewers,” said Jacobs. “We’re working with the top promoters to showcase up-and-coming fighters, elite stars and ring legends.”
America’s first around-the-clock combat sports channel goes live on Tuesday, May 24 as part of Cablevision’s iO Sports & Entertainment Pak on channel 464. The iO Sports & Entertainment Pak is available to Cablevision customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
