Post by UPN on Jun 23, 2009 10:38:39 GMT -5
Toronto- UPN's latest acquisition is a historic sports franchise program that had been on the air for almost 40 years. The iconic ex-ABC sports anthology series Wide World of Sports has returned after a 11 year hiatus from its last year back in 1998. Wide World of Sports had been aired in millions and millions of homes since its original installment back in 1961 for 37 years. New cable networks like ESPN led to its ending. Well UPN has brought the dinosaur back to life for a new generation of viewers who's hungry to see random sports on broadcast television this time in the 720p picture of HD will the new technology.
The Wide World of Sports franchise acquisition on UPN for $400 million over the next 7 years brings in a chance to brand all of its sports franchises under the historic famous Wide World of Sports moniker that ABC lost out on turning itself into ESPN on ABC in recent years. The UFL, MMA, Boxing, RSW (new wrestling promotion) and the newly acquired Athletic Games event will all be produced under the Wide World of Sports and its crew. Running operations will be Steve Walters who will also run the whole sports division on UPN. Instead of UPN Sports, the network will run under the name UPN's Wide World of Sports starting this Wednesday when the network runs its first program under the new title.
Originals:
The Wide World of Sports has announced its first original program and it will be co-produced by the popular non-carbonated sports beverage company Gatorade who will be producing its first ever television program. The program will air on Wednesdays during the summer and it will be called Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better! Anything will feature teams of males vs. female who will face off in different sports challenges and will earn a win every week until they claim victory and win not only bragging rights for their genre but prizes also. The teams will feature professional stuntmen and unknown people. The series premieres Wednesday June 24, 2009 @ 8pm only on UPN, "This is the Place to Be".
The main sports featured will be coverage of the United Football League which begins exhibition play in August and regular season play in September. Fighting promotions will get together for Showdown featuring fights from mixed martial-arts and boxing all under one roof beginning this Thursday at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY @ 8pm sharp on UPN. Another new wrestling promotion called Rock Star Wrestling owned by Grand Theft Auto programmer Sam Houser and run by Eric Bischoff. Starting in August the brand new Athletic Games which will be competition to the Olympics featuring athletes from all over the world competing for eight days of non-stop action in Dallas, Texas starting on Friday August 7, 2009 with the opening ceremonies.
Wide World of Sports will also for the first not done on ABC is produce their own scripted programs starting this summer with sitcom Just Us Guys starring LeBron James and Sidney Crosby. Staring this Friday will be the premiere of Pink Color. The two new dramas The Swimming Diaries and Sensei Leo will debut this fall in the afternoon blocks.
Other originals are the upcoming Celebrity Bowling, Street Races, Battle of the Network Stars, Muscleman Challenge, Flag Football, Women's Softball, Figure Skating and many other stuff yet to be announced.