EliteXC To Air Live On CBS

by Robert Sargent

Earlier this afternoon, CBS Broadcasting Corp. and ProElite, Inc. announced a multi-year deal which will see CBS air four live Saturday-evening Elite Xtreme Combat (EliteXC) events in 2008, bringing MMA to mainstream television.

While this is a huge blow to the UFC, which had previously been negotiating with both CBS and HBO to bring mixed martial arts to those networks, there was some consolation.

The UFC today announced a new partnership with Bud Light, the best-selling beer in the world.


The partnership of ProElite - the parent company of EliteXC - and CBS makes perfect sense, with EliteXC and ShoXC events already airing on Showtime, the premium channel among the CBS Corp. ranks. Showtime will continue to produce EliteXC and ShoXC events.

"This is a pivotal moment for the sport of mixed martial arts, now that a major television network [CBS] plans to broadcast live MMA events during primetime hours," said Douglas DeLuca, the CEO of ProElite, in a press release.

It truly is a monumental occasion, and the first major step to mixed martial arts finally being accepted into the mainstream of television. No longer is it relegated to specialty channels or cable networks which are not available for many people. With CBS, mixed martial arts now has its largest non-PPV audience in North American history.

Terms of the new deal were not released, but CBS representatives remain focused on promoting and growing the sport. The first EliteXC on CBS telecast is tentatively scheduled for April, with Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson rumoured to be participating.

Both companies will produce interactive content for each other - including online - and online content could include live streams of events.

Prior to the announcement, CBS had been suffering from decreasing television ratings, particularly in the 18-49 male demographic, but a significant rise in ratings will be expected, with mixed martial arts as the fastest-growing sport in North America and its popularity very high among young males.


Though the UFC's deal with Anheuser-Busch - the parent company of Bud Light beer - is a significant one for the company, EliteXC's deal to bring mixed martial arts to mainstream CBS television far outshines a marketing deal with a beer company.

This is unquestionably the biggest accomplishment to date for EliteXC, as well as one of the largest in the history of North American mixed martial arts.