MyNetwork Television has officially pulled the plug on one of the outlet’s highest-profile shows since it turned away from the telenovela format last year, with company officials confirming that shows based on the International Fight League will “no longer be on the schedule” going forward.
Late last year, the mixed martial arts series “IFL” was downsized from its Monday night block and moved to Saturdays in favor of “Celebrity Expose” after “IFL” dropped from the 0.8 household rating its debut scored on March 12. In fact, the outlet has not aired the IFL for a number of weeks.
On Feb. 5 the IFL announced a partnership with Mark Cuban’s HDNet to air the first three events of its 2008 season live. Under the agreement, the MMA league and HDNet Fights agreed to televise matches beginning with the Feb. 29 card from the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. HDNet Fights also will air the April 4 card live from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and the May 16 event from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Each two-hour show will carry a minimum of five of the eight fights on the card, including no fewer than two championship fights.
Fox Sports Net, which signed the IFL deal in tandem with MyNet, will continue to air taped bouts of matches that have aired live on HDNet.
The HDNet deal marks the latest venture between the IFL and HDNet, which began with the Dec. 29 IFL Championship event from Mohegan Sun Arena.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer our fans around the country these next three events live and in HD,” said IFL President-CEO Jay Larkin. “The quality of our broadcasts is second to none, highlighting the outstanding athletes and exciting bouts as we start 2008 in Las Vegas, live on HDNet.”
“The first event we did with the IFL was a great success, and we are very pleased to be able to expand that relationship into the first quarter of 2008,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “‘HDNet Fights Presents: The IFL’ is a fantastic addition to MMA action on HDNet.”
1:40: Updated Fox Sports Net plans
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Fark 
StumbleUpon 
Comments (2)
My Networks loss is HDnet's gain. Too bad, it was a pretty good show and much better than Celebrity Expose and crap lkke that. Too bad.
Posted by Alan Tyler | February 14, 2008 5:17 PM
Random thought for a minute:
Last week, The CW announced they're no longer airing Friday Night Smackdown.
This week, My Network TV announced they're no longer airing IFL programming.
Now, this is just a theory on my end, but would it surprise anyone that by the end of next week, My Network TV announces that they acquired WWE Smackdown for the fall season?
Just saying, it wouldn't be the first time WWE programming replaced another fighting promotion on a major outlet. Not that I'm accusing My Network TV to be a major outlet, mind you, but it could happen.
Posted by Thurston Last | February 14, 2008 7:15 PM