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 networks 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 networks weekly online newsletter.

[1]
 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 shouldnt 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

doesnt get branded as KOTV, because of the fact that it could lead to legal issues since KOTV

[2]
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 sports

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 isnt 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]
 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 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]
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 boxers 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 Kellermans 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]
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 wont 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 wont

make a lot of sense to pour large amounts of money into producing programs right away, but it

[6]
wont 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 wont 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]
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 networks

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 wont 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 dont 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]
 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 doesnt 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 cant be shown to the public, so Knockout TV will have to do their homework and

make sure they arent putting anything that invades privacy or endangers ill will at these events

on television.

[9]
 Its 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 wont 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]
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 dont get much exposure, as

well as established fighters who are trying to get a chance at one of the sports 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

didnt get to watch the original broadcast a fair opportunity to see the event in prime time once

again.

[11]
 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 networks 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 isnt 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.

Kellermans 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]
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

wont 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]
 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.

Womens Boxing

Womens 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 dont find it very attractive.

Womens 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 peoples 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 networks existence, but that will be

[14]
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 arent 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 dont always have a good source to go to

for coverage of the fight. ESPN provides some coverage, but it isnt 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

wont 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 wont be feasible to expect

them to stay up and watch more coverage of the event.

[15]
 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 doesnt make the broadcast about himself. If all goes as

planned, he will have a nightly show titled Kellermans 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]
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]
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 wont watch a live event if it isnt 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]
 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 doesnt fit well with the budgets of

Knockout TVs 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]
 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 Kellermans 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]
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 wont 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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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 networks ratings through Nielsen. This

will be important for programs like Boxing Axxess and Rags to the Ring, because of there isnt

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 Kellermans Korner, Sunday

Night Fights, and Womens Boxing arent 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 arent 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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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 isnt 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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evaluating what the primary audience of the network is saying through the electronic surveys

that will be distributed periodically to subscribers of the networks 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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