In hopes of bringing boxing to a wider audience, HBO’s Time Warner corporate cousin, CNN will be replaying the network’s award-winning 24/7 series for the first time. Starting on August 27 at midnight, CNN will show weekly replays off 24/7 Mayweather-Ortiz in advance of the Floyd “Money” Mayweather-Victor Ortiz fight that will be held in Las Vegas on September 17 and aired on HBO pay per view. This marks the first time that 24/7 will be seen on a basic cable platform, having had all previous versions, whether it was boxing, NASCAR or the NHL on HBO.
This is a big deal for boxing as the Mayweather-Ortiz fight will get some wider promotion similar to how Showtime did with the Manny Pacquaio-Sugar Shane Mosley fight using CBS for its “Fight Camp 360°” series.
It is nice to see CNN get back into the sports business for a short bit.
CNN Broadcasts HBO ® Reality Series 24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz
The Boxing Special Airs at Midnight ET/PT on CNN/U.S beginning Saturday, August 27
HBO’s Emmy-Award®-winning reality series ‘24/7’ is coming to CNN, which will air replays of the all-new four-part series 24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ, beginning Saturday, August 27 at midnight ET/PT.
In the lead-up to the blockbuster HBO Pay-Per-View® telecast on September 17 in Las Vegas when Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz battle for Ortiz’s world welterweight title, CNN will present all four episodes of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ, the all-access, behind-the-scenes pass that allows viewers to step into the lives of the fighters before they step into the ring. Mayweather lives and trains in Las Vegas, NV, while Ortiz is based in his hometown of Ventura, CA.
34-year-old Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) is a celebrated superstar making his fifth appearance on the ‘24/7’ series. Ortiz, 24, (29-2-2, 22 KOs) exploded into the forefront of boxing last April when he captured a world welterweight title. This is his first appearance on ‘24/7.’
Episode one will air on CNN on Saturday, August 27 at midnight ET/PT, following the HBO premiere at 10p ET/PT. Episode two will air on CNN on Saturday, September 3 at 12 midnight ET/PT. Finally, episodes three and four will air back-to-back on CNN on Friday, September 16 at 12 midnight ET/PT, less than 24 hours before the mega-fight in Las Vegas.
In the past four years, HBO’s 24/7 franchise has earned 14 Sports Emmys® for production excellence, making it the most honored sports series on television since its inception. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, the fast-moving, documentary-styled production focuses on the training, commitment and sacrifices that prizefighters make in order to realize their dreams. The turnaround time is among the quickest in television as the series follows the fighters and their teams both at camp and at home as excitement and anxiety builds for the big fight.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
That’s all. I’m out of the office for the rest of the day. I’ll be back with more stuff tonight.
